SKSHU "Kavkaz-2020", or the Black Sea defeat of the Russian fleet
On September 26, the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff exercise (MSCHU) ends. It makes sense to compare the realities of the naval component of these exercises with the way they are covered by the Ministry of Defense, more precisely, the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense - DIMK MO under the direction of Major General I. Konashenkov (hereinafter referred to as the Department of Konashenkov). This comparison is good for both the teachings and the way in which they are reported.
Let's compare. Konashenkov's Department:
To practice joint actions as part of groupings of troops (forces), military formations from Armenia, Belarus, China, Myanmar and Pakistan were invited to the exercise. Representatives of Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka are planning to participate as observers.
In total, it is planned to attract about 2020 thousand people to the Kavkaz-80 command and control squadron (including formations and units of combat, logistic and technical support, as well as formations of air defense, the Navy and special forces (Rosgvardia and the Ministry of Emergency Situations). military units subject to the Vienna Document 2011, in the exercise, conducted under the unified operational command, will be up to 12 thousand 900 servicemen. In practical actions of troops (forces) at training ranges will involve up to 250 tanks, up to 450 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, up to 200 artillery systems and multiple launch rocket systems.
In order to avoid accusations of defamation, I will further quote literally the official information messages of the Ministry of Defense (Konashenkov's Department) with their necessary comments.
Demonstration of US power
On the eve of the Kavkaz-2020 command and control squadron, three US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers conducted exercises over the territory of Ukraine, while flying at a distance of less than 40 km from the Black Sea coast of Crimea. During the exercise, according to the General Staff of the Russian Federation, the bombers practiced the use of cruise missiles (CR) at targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Obviously, this was another show of strength with a long preceding list, where we were shown:
- delivering strikes by the KR to ground targets;
- striking anti-ship missiles against sea targets (including the latest LRASM);
- carrying out massive mine laying.
Regular "visits" of anti-submarine P-8 Poseidon sharply raise the issue of the combat stability of our submarines (in fact, it is relatively safe, they can only charge batteries "under their own shore").
Currently, the US Navy destroyer DDG-80 Roosevelt is deployed in the Black Sea, which on the eve of the exercises withdrew to the coast of Bulgaria.
The composition of the naval participants
Konashenkov's Department:
As will be shown below, this list is far from complete, and DIMK "will try very hard to correct it."
"Virtual Members"
Department of information support of the Black Sea region (Sevastopol):
In particular, the crew of the patrol ship "Vasily Bykov", together with the pilots, worked out the reception and transfer of cargo at sea.
During the initial stage of the exercise, the crew of the Ka-27PS helicopter flew around the ship, hovered over the helipad and took the load with the help of a winch. Then the pilots worked out the transportation of cargo on an external sling and its delivery to the ship in a non-stop way.
Given that "Vasily Bykov" is currently in the Northern Fleet (where it is not clear what is involved)Such "official information" of the Ministry of Defense can cause nothing but bewilderment and laughter.
However, this is only the beginning, then, according to the official information of the Konashenkov Department, the naval aviation included ... the Su-34 naval aviation planes!
Which, of course, would be very correct, but, alas, it has nothing to do with reality.
The minesweeper "Vladimir Yemelyanov", located in the Baltic, at the same time "successfully took out the ships of the Black Sea Fleet with trawls."
"A mighty fleet has gone out to sea, a trawler is ahead ..."
Press Service of the Southern Military District:
Mine defense ships "Vladimir Yemelyanov" and "Ivan Antonov" conducted a reconnaissance search and destruction of the minefield with contact and non-contact trawls, after which the sea minesweepers "Valentin Pikul" and "Vice-Admiral Zakharyin" carried out the escort of surface ships and a submarine behind the trawls from by forcing a conventional minefield.
As mentioned above, "Vladimir Emelyanov" is currently in the Baltic. However, in this official announcement (!), The use of the new minesweepers-seekers of the Black Sea Fleet "Ivan Antonov" and "Vice-Admiral Zakharyin" (equipped with modern hydroacoustics and underwater vehicles) draws upon themselves for the long-obsolete belly crawling over mines with trawls. In the case of real hostilities, this is clearly the sending of minesweepers (and other) ships for slaughter.
A serious question arises about the level of tactical and operational training of the Black Sea Fleet command and control bodies, the formation of ships and, in general, their ability with such "training" (yes, in quotes) to solve tasks as intended.
It is appropriate to recall the message of the Department of Konashenkov about the combat service of the minesweeper "Vice-Admiral Zakharyin":
"Zakharyin" is a minesweeper-finder, armed with a specialized GAS "Livadia" and a complex with an underwater vehicle TNPA "Mayevka", and such a ship can search for "mines by trawls" only if the GAS and TNPA are malfunctioning. A logical question arises: how many more naval ships are in combat service with faulty hydroacoustics and the main weapon system?
Anti-submarine comedy
Konashenkov's Department:
The combination of such completely different samples of underwater weapons as mines and anti-submarine weapons (ASW) within one episode is not even absolute incompetence, but something more ...
Konashenkov's Department:
The first thing to note is the absolute antediluvia of the torpedo weapons of the Black Sea Fleet surface ships. Specifically, SET-65, the last modification of which is equipped with homing equipment, "reproduced on a domestic base" from the equipment of the Mk46 mod.1 torpedo (1961), caught in 1965 by our fishermen. And these weapons are not only small anti-submarine ships (where they have long lost the skills of using standard remote-controlled torpedoes), but also the "newest" frigates of Project 11356.
It is correct to call such "weapon" firewood, and its real effectiveness in modern conditions is in the region of zero.
There is not a single ship with the new "Packet" on the Black Sea Fleet (just as not a single ship has been upgraded for the "Packet"), and this is in the fleet, which has been really solving combat missions for many years!
The Be-12 aircraft indicated in the DIMK message do not have anything anti-submarine at all, and can interact with anti-submarine ships only through the eyes of the crew and bombs (at the level of the First World War). The Ka-27PL helicopters are outdated long ago and have extremely low efficiency against modern submarines.
At the same time, an aircraft repair plant is being destroyed in Sevastopol, capable of repairing not only the Ka-27, but also the Mi-14, on which modern powerful low-frequency low-frequency hydroacoustic stations could be installed today.
Leaky Fleet Umbrella
Konashenkov's Department:
The ship strike group (KUG) consisting of the Pytlivy patrol ship and the Samum air-cushion missile ship successfully repelled the air attack means of the simulated enemy, using anti-aircraft missile weapons on the target together with anti-aircraft artillery.
The combat crews of the KUG destroyed in the air a target missile launched by the crew of the Suzdalets small anti-submarine ship (MPK).
Artillery fire was also carried out at target missiles, which were launched from two small anti-submarine ships "Muromets" and "Suzdalets".
The combat crews of the missile and artillery warheads of the crews of the guards missile cruiser Moskva, small missile ships Vyshny Volochek and Orekhovo-Zuevo, four missile boats Naberezhnye Chelny, Ivanovets, Shuya and R-60 were destroyed target missiles at a safe distance.
In turn, the shipborne search and strike group (KPUG) consisting of the Kasimov and Yeisk MPKs worked out the tasks of using the Osa anti-aircraft missile system to destroy the air attack weapons of the imaginary enemy.
As air targets, special aircraft small-sized targets dropped from Be-12 amphibious aircraft from the Naval Aviation and the Black Sea Fleet Air Defense were used.
The conclusions from this are extremely disappointing.
The “Osa-M” air defense missile systems (“Saman” target) and parachute targets dropped from the aircraft were used as “targets”. These "means of imitation" (in quotation marks) in no way can imitate not only real raids, but also such an old and "typical" target as the anti-ship missile system "Harpoon".
Moreover, firing at the RM-24 target (converted into an Uranium anti-ship missile target) in 2016 in the Black Sea Fleet showed that the fleet is simply afraid to shoot at such targets (not to get a turbojet engine on board in the event of a miss and accidental deviation from the trajectory), specially "driving" the target into the water at the far border of the SAM engagement zone (information from the round table on the air defense of naval ships at IMDS-2019).
What will happen to the ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the event of a real use of anti-ship missiles on them can be shown by some episodes from the exercises of the Navy. For example, during the anti-aircraft missile firing of the Varyag missile cruiser (equipped with the Fort air defense system) in 1994 and 2011. not a single target was shot down by him.
Link.
Landing on the bottom
Konashenkov's Department:
A ship sweeping group of the Black Sea Fleet consisting of minesweepers "Kovrovets", "Vice-Admiral Zakharyin" and "Valentin Pikul", base minesweepers "Caesar Kunnikov" and "Yamal" carried out the escort of the landing party through the minefields.
As already mentioned above, walking with trawls belly through a minefield in real combat will mean the deliberate killing of both minesweepers and other ships (in this case, amphibious assault ships).
It is quite surprising to see among the "minesweepers" (according to official information from DIMK) landing ships "Caesar Kunikov" and "Yamal", unless they were just performing the task of breaking a minefield (sad joke). However, after the anti-submarine creativity with the "combined use of mines and anti-submarine weapons" there is nothing to be surprised about ...
Leaky blockade
Konashenkov's Department:
During this stage of the exercise, the crews of the patrol ships "Pavel Derzhavin" and "Dmitry Rogachev", together with the crews of anti-sabotage boats, worked together to search for and total destruction of enemy surface assets trying to deliver ammunition and food to the shore for terrorists.
“Total destruction” is probably good. But it's nice to be able to do it in reality. Especially when the speeds of a large number of boats (potential intruders) significantly exceed the speeds of both anti-landing boats and patrol ships ...
Standard boats BL-680 are also weak and do not differ in speed qualities.
The DShL armored boat has very serious restrictions on seaworthiness, both on its own speed (speed), and, if possible, on the slip of a patrol ship.
Helicopter? Yes it is possible. If the weather is good. And then the patrol ships begin to have restrictions on it (due to the small displacement and many tasks, it was not possible to place the stabilizers on them).
There remain coastal helicopters and boats and the Coast Guard's PSKR (which, unlike the Navy, pursues a much more sane technical policy and has effective tools for solving these problems).
However, taking into account the fact that the "Pavel Derzhavin" patrol ship participated (allegedly participated) in the "blockade" (this is the official information of the Ministry of Defense!), Which has not yet been adopted by the Navy, the number of "participating" patrol ships can be safely included on the stocks "Victor the Great" and "Sergey Kotov".
Enemy at the gate
Taking into account the scale and significance of the command and control squadron, a logical question arises: which of the Black Sea Fleet ships is tracking the DDG-80 Roosevelt destroyer located nearby?
Our media usually cheerfully report on such "surveillance". The only problem is that in most cases it was carried out by ships, which could only do this with the permission of the so-called partners. Simply because their speed is low (and these are patrol ships of project 22160, MRK of project 22361 "Buyan-M", medium reconnaissance ships of project 18280). I really want to hope that this time a really high-speed ship (for example, a Project 11356 frigate) was allocated to track the US Navy destroyer, which could reliably and rigidly block the "guest".
Where will our beautiful rockets go?
Konashenkov's Department:
The ships and aircraft of the Black Sea Fleet destroyed a detachment of enemy ships with a missile strike within the framework of the Caucasus-2020 exercises, the press service of the Black Sea Fleet reports.
During the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff exercise, the Ivanovets and R-60 missile boats of the Black Sea Fleet (Black Sea Fleet) carried out rocket firing at a detachment of combat ships (OBK) of a simulated enemy in cooperation with naval aircraft and air defense
Our missiles are good, but in order to hit them, you need good target designation (otherwise it may turn out "like in 2008" or much worse). And here is a very important issue - aviation.
DIMK did not provide data on the Black Sea Fleet, but here is the ratio of "ships and aircraft" declared by it for the Kavkaz-2020 command and control system for the Caspian: in total, about 2020 warships and support vessels are involved in the Kavkaz-40 command and control system, over 400 units armored and automobile equipment, more than 3 thousand servicemen of formations and military units of the Caspian Flotilla, as well as 10 aircraft.
10 aircraft is not even funny or sad. This is scary. From what will happen to our fleet in a real war.
USSR Navy exercises. The ratio of "ships and aircraft" is quite indicative:
- exercises of the Northern Fleet "North 68" - about 300 warships and ships (of which 80 are submarines) and about 500 aircraft;
- Exercise of the USSR Navy "Ocean" (1970) - only in the far zone there were 80 submarines (of which 15 are nuclear), 84 surface ships and 45 auxiliary ships, aviation - 8 regiments (14 regiment sorties), that is, at least 300– 400 aircraft. In total, aviation carried out 5,5 thousand sorties, 752 refueling with the transfer of 4 thousand tons of fuel.
Comments are superfluous.
Zvezda TV channel:
Cruise missile launches are a key element at the naval stage of the Caucasus and the main indicator of the combat training of sailors and submariners of the Black Sea Fleet.
It is worth mentioning here a recent comment by an old and experienced submariner on some indicators of this combat training:
1. This "specialist" failed to correctly name the caliber of his TA. For some reason, I kept pushing the number 800 ...
2. On "Varshavyanka" on BG-2 (combat readiness No. 2), the watch in the first compartment is carried out exclusively by torpedoists, who, among other things, control the state of the AB (battery). In addition, they "sit on the AB" and during its charge. Such a young man could not name either the type of AB or the nominal density of its electrolyte.
3. Moreover, the warrior could not explain at all what “density” is, although he claimed that he had finished school.
Is there any positive?
Yes, absolutely. But this is about other types of armed forces. For example, look at the TASS message:
Sad result
Alas, almost everything that the Navy conducted in the Kavkaz-2020 command and control squad was not just a show, but in fact discredited the very concept of “combat training”.
If the army and the Air Force, albeit with serious problems, are actually fighting and preparing to fight in the new conditions, the Navy is in a state of "maybe there will be no war."
With such an attitude to the matter, in the event of real combat operations against a somewhat prepared and technically equipped enemy, defeat awaits him.
Materials used:
https://function.mil.ru/
https://zvezdaweekly.ru/
http://nvs.rpf.ru/
http://www.balancer.ru
All used photos are taken from the site https://function.mil.ru/ tagged "Caucasus-2020".
Information