The Russian Federation Navy: An Assessment of its Strategic ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

ights of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as well as thefreedom of the seas. 69The operational and strategic functions of the Navy are defined in the Basic Policy; theMaritime Doctrine provides a discussion of the ‘Regional trends of national maritimepolicy’, 70 which includes discussion of naval issues in specified regional contexts. TheMaritime Doctrine defines the major regional areas for the National Maritime Policy as; theAtlantic (including the Baltic, Black Sea, Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean); the Arctic;Pacific; Caspian; and Indian Ocean region (including Antarctica). The regions are discussedat the national policy level, in order of significance and thus cover economic, political, militaryand other relevant perspectives. The following is a summary of the relevant naval aspects ofRussian regional maritime policy.• The AtlanticPolicy in the ‘Atlantic regional direction’ is ‘determined by the growing economic, political andmilitary pressure from NATO countries, promoting it to the east, [and] a sharp decline in thecapacity of the Russian Federation to implement its maritime activities’. 71 Other points ofnaval importance include; the economic and military security of the Kaliningrad region; andthe ensuring of a ‘sufficient naval presence of the Russian Federation’ in theMediterranean. 72• The ArcticThe naval significance of the Arctic is related to it providing access to the Atlantic, the role ofthe Northern Fleet in Russian military planning, and the ‘increasing importance of theNorthern Sea Route for sustainable development of the Russian Federation’. 73 The‘restriction of foreign naval activities in the agreed areas and zones on the basis of bilateraland multilateral agreements with the leading maritime power’ is defined as a long-termobjective in Arctic maritime policy. 74• The PacificThe Russian Pacific coast is defined as of increasing significance, in particular with regard tothe resource potential of the Russian Far East, its exclusive economic zone and continentalshelf. It is also acknowledged that ‘the heavy economic and military development ofneighboring [sic] countries in Asia-Pacific’ has a ‘very significant impact on economic,demographic and other processes in the region’. 75 As with the Arctic, internationalagreement on limiting naval activities in agreed zones and areas is sought. 76 Thedevelopment of coastal port infrastructure in the Russian Far East, particularly on Sakhalinand the Kuril Islands is an additional long-term objective. 77• The CaspianNo specific military tasking is mentioned, however, the ‘determination favourable [sic] to theRussian Federation, [of] the international legal regime of the Caspian Sea, the use of fishstocks, oil and gas’ is placed as the first task requiring ‘solving’. 78 This objective will mostlikely include as a component of its implementation, the use of the Caspian Flotilla as ameans of exerting political influence.69 Ibid., p. 9.70 The Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation, pp 10-13.71 Ibid., p. 10.72 Ibid., p. 11.73 Ibid.74 Ibid., p. 12.75 Ibid.76 Ibid.77 Ibid.78 Ibid., p. 13.11
• The Indian Ocean RegionMaritime policy in the Indian Ocean region covers three principal areas; the expansion oftransport shipping and fishing in the region, together with counter-piracy (covering Russianand international shipping); the implementation of policies to ‘preserve and consolidate theposition of Russia’ in the Antarctic; and to ensure ‘on a periodic basis ... a naval presence ofthe Russian Federation in the Indian Ocean’. 79It is also stated, with regard to the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific regions, that Russia will seekthe ‘creation of conditions ... ensuring the protection of sovereignty, sovereign andinternational rights of the Russian Federation’. 80The Basic PolicyThe Basic Policy defines the ‘main objectives, principles and priorities of [the] RussianFederation in the field of research, development and use of the oceans in the interest ofdefense [sic] and security of the State’. 81 Much of the Basic Policy is reiterated in thesubsequently published Maritime Doctrine; for example, providing definitions of Russia’snational maritime interests, the relevance of maritime activity to the Russian economy, andthe national policy context for the Navy. The Basic Policy also provides detailed outlines ofthe ‘Priorities for Policy of the Russian Federation in the field of naval operations andmeasures for their implementation’ 82 and ‘The role and importance of the Navy inimplementing the priorities of policy of the Russian Federation in the field of navalactivities’. 83 The former is principally concerned with the modernisation and effectiveorganisation of the Russian Navy and will be discussed subsequently; the latter is concernedwith the main tasks of the Navy and its role as an instrument of foreign policy.The principal tasks of the Navy are defined as including:• Deterrence of the use of military force or threat of force against the RussianFederation and its allies from maritime and ocean areas, including participationin the [sic] strategic nuclear deterrence ...• Identification ... and prevention of military threats, the aggression against theRussian Federation and its allies from maritime and oceanic areas, participated[sic] in the actions of prevention and containment of armed conflict in the earlystages ...• Timely building [of] forces and capabilities in the areas of the oceans, fromwhich may emanate threat and security interests [sic] of the Russian Federation...• Ensuring a naval presence ... in the oceans, the demonstration of the flagand the military forces of the Russian state ... 84The Basic Policy also refers to ‘establishing and maintaining the conditions for ... economicactivities of the Russian Federation in its territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, continentalshelf, [and] remote areas of the oceans’ 85 as a naval task. This is indicative of a Russianidentification of economic factors assuming a politico-military context. The Basic Policy isavowedly state-centric; the principal tasks of the Russian Navy are defined in terms ofdefending, for example, Russian interests in the ‘World Ocean’, assuring a visible Russiannaval presence in areas of interest and the protection of Russian sovereignty in adjacentmaritime areas. It does however refer to the participation of the Russian Navy in79 Ibid.80 Ibid., pp. 10-12.81 Basic Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Naval Activities, p. 1.82 Ibid., pp. 5-9.83 Ibid., pp. 9-11.84 Summary of key points from Ibid., pp. 9-11.85 Ibid.12
Page 1 and 2: The Defence Academy of the United K
Page 3 and 4: ContentsIntroduction 1The Evolution
Page 5 and 6: equipment, the formation of a unila
Page 7 and 8: The Evolving Trajectory of Russian
Page 9 and 10: 6proceeds from the military-politic
Page 11 and 12: mobilization readiness; strategic m
Page 13: Federation in the Field of Naval Ac
Page 17 and 18: The principal national interests wh
Page 19 and 20: Pacific (off Primorye), in the Bare
Page 21 and 22: (Libya) and an expansion of the nav
Page 23 and 24: Sierra-class is not provided; the b
Page 25 and 26: • Naval AviationThe principal ass
Page 28 and 29: Donskoi (the trials boat for the Bu
Page 30 and 31: • Amphibious Warfare ShipsA secon
Page 32 and 33: interchangeably. 240 The Gorshkov-c
Page 34 and 35: including unmanned vehicles, surfac
Page 36 and 37: man-hours per ton of structure in S
Page 38 and 39: This region has strategic importanc
Page 40 and 41: DisclaimerThe views expressed in th

The Russian Federation Navy: An Assessment of its Strategic ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?