NATO increases naval presence in the Black Sea

28/05/14

The fighters of the Russian Black Sea fleet have resumed flight training in neutral waters to monitor the activity of NATO warships. This is the Russian admiralty's response to the growing Western activities in the Black Sea.

These flights are mainly performed by the Su-24 attack aircraft.

Since the beginning of the month, NATO has deployed three ships in the Black Sea. The French missile frigate class La Fayette, the "Surcouf", the "Dupuy de Lome", the secret service ship of Paris and the Ticonderoga- class missile cruiser Aegis, the "Vella Gulf".

For Moscow "American and French ships represent an unmotivated presence".

Just yesterday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that the alliance would intensify its naval presence in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea following the crisis in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a few hours ago, in St. Petersburg, the ceremony for the opening of the sixth Russian submarine nicknamed by the US Navy as "Black Holes in the ocean / Black Holes in the ocean" came to an end, because they could no longer be identified once immersed. 'Varshavyanka' class submarines (Project 636m) are propelled by diesel-electric engines with very low noise emissions and can hit targets at long distances without being detected by enemy antisubmarine radars.

Vietnam has ordered a fleet of six Russian-made submarines in the 2009, to try to offset China's ever-expanding maritime influence in the region. The contract was signed for a total value of 2 billion dollars with the last submarine that will enter service by 2016.

The 'Varshavyanka' class is an improved version of the 'Kilo' (the latter below the 5 speed nodes is invisible to passive sonar), with advanced stealth technology. It has a displacement of 3.100 tons, reaches a speed of 20 knots, can dive up to 300 meters and carry crews of 52 people. The submarines, which are equipped with 533 mm torpedo tubes and are armed with Kalibr 3M54 (NATO SS-N-27 Sizzler) cruise missiles and missiles, will perform anti-submarine missions (Hunter Killer) in relatively shallow waters. The first two Submarines have already been transferred to the Vietnamese Navy. The third is carrying out sea trials and will be delivered within the year. The fourth is about to be put into the sea while the last two boats are under construction.