The Navy will have mobile units of combat swimmers.
The Russian Navy currently has over a dozen special forces units dedicated to countering underwater sabotage. Their number will increase in the near future. Plans are underway to form new units of this type that will carry out their specific missions away from naval bases.
New plans
On January 16, Izvestia reported on new plans to strengthen the fleet's defense system. It received this information from unnamed sources familiar with the situation. For obvious reasons, the Ministry of Defense declined to comment on such plans. news, confirming or refuting them.
New units to combat underwater sabotage forces and assets (PDSS) are reportedly being added to the Northern Fleet. Unlike existing units, these will be mobile units. The number and locations of the new units have not been disclosed.
In terms of their primary functions, the new units will be no different from those currently deployed in the navy. They will be tasked with protecting waters, ports, ships, and vessels from potential underwater attacks. At the same time, these units are not planned to be assigned to specific ports and bases. They will operate in designated areas, including moving alongside ships.
According to Izvestia, the new units will primarily be deployed in remote areas of the Arctic. It's possible to guess which regions and bases are being discussed, but no exact list is provided.
Soldiers with special underwater pistols SPP-1
So far, only one fleet has been reported to be creating new units. These measures are intended to improve the protection of its bases and ships. Whether this idea will be further expanded is unknown. It's entirely possible that the Northern Fleet's valuable experience will be adapted for use by other naval task forces in the foreseeable future. If this happens, the fleet as a whole will benefit.
Anti-sabotage forces
According to available data, the Russian Navy has 13 special forces units dedicated to countering PDSS. All major Navy formations have their own units of this type. They all perform the same tasks, are armed with similar equipment, and employ common tactics and methods.
Counter-PDSS units are assigned to the main naval bases and fleet bases. Therefore, the number of detachments varies among each fleet. For example, the Black Sea Fleet has only two units, while the Northern Fleet has six. Under the existing organizational structure, each unit is responsible for its own water area, port facilities, and the ships located near them.
The units are staffed with personnel who meet health requirements. During the training phase, future unit members receive physical, diving, and airborne training. They master various equipment and weapon, are trained to work with radio-technical systems, explosive devices, etc. Despite its complexity, this training course takes into account the specifics of future service and the tasks to be solved.
According to available data, anti-PDSS units are armed with several types of small arms for various purposes. For use on water or land, they use AK-74 or AK-12 assault rifles, special "Val" assault rifles, and others. Underwater, combat swimmers use similar weapons, such as APS assault rifles or SPP-1 pistols.
Hand grenades or special DP-64 grenade launchers are used for preventative or counter-insurgency purposes against enemy saboteurs. In both cases, the aim of grenade launching is to injure or disable the enemy with a shock wave.
Servicemen from the Baltic Fleet's anti-PDSS detachment on patrol
The units have the necessary transport. On land, they use the army's standard vehicles. On water, the soldiers use motorboats or specialized cutters. In appropriate situations, they operate from the shore or from the ship they are defending.
Combat swimmers also have a wide range of specialized equipment for monitoring underwater conditions and searching for potentially dangerous objects. For obvious reasons, the full list of such equipment, its functions, and capabilities cannot be disclosed.
In recent years, the units have received new assets across various categories. For example, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have entered service. These facilitate surveillance of waters, the search for suspicious objects, and the delivery of weapons to them. Furthermore, the delivery and development of unmanned boats has begun. They perform virtually the same tasks as UAVs, but with their own unique characteristics.
Personnel from the anti-PDSS units, using available equipment, conduct surface patrols, search for suspicious objects underwater, carry out preventative grenade launches, etc. They also conduct dives to identify and neutralize threats, including enemy saboteurs.
Areas of responsibility
Under the current system, detachments are primarily tasked with protecting their base and the ships and vessels located there. However, combat swimmers may be present on ships during patrols and responsible for defense and security during stays. This organization of service has been in place for several decades and generally meets the assigned tasks.
According to recent news, anti-PDSS units at bases and deployment points will be supplemented by mobile units of similar purpose. They will initially be deployed in the Northern Fleet, and then similar innovations can't be ruled out in other formations.
Baltic Fleet soldiers during ground training.
The tasks and specifics of the future service of such units are already known. They will conduct a standard set of activities, but not at their base, but away from it. They will be responsible for organizing the security of new bases, including temporary ones, escorting ships on patrol, etc.
Essentially, the plan only calls for changes to the organizational structure and an increase in the number of detachments, while their functions will remain fundamentally unchanged. At the same time, the Navy's capabilities to counter sabotage should significantly increase.
The formation of new units will significantly increase the overall strength of counter-PDSS forces. This will make it possible to secure more facilities and/or strengthen the protection of existing bases and points. In any case, the updated quantitative indicators should lead to qualitative growth.
The new units will be mobile—they are being created from the ground up to operate remotely from their permanent bases. This role will likely require them to receive their own specific equipment, weapons, and resources. This adaptation of the units to their intended missions should improve their operational effectiveness in any conditions, even the most challenging.
On the eve of deployment
Unfortunately, all the details of the Ministry of Defense's new plans have not yet been disclosed. Only the creation of new units has been revealed, along with their basic features and functions. Nevertheless, initial assessments and predictions can already be made.
Overall, the creation of additional mobile units to combat PDSS should be considered an important and useful step. Such units can be expected to improve the Northern Fleet's capabilities and facilitate the military development of the Arctic. Similar units may then be established in other fleets.
Information