The Russian Black Sea Fleet added 15 warships and support vessels to its tally, said the Russian Ministry of Defense January 4.
In November 2015, Russian Navy bases in Sevastopol and Novorossiisk received two small missile ships Serpukhov and Zeleni Dol that are armed with Russian long-range cruise missile system Kalibr-NK, which was already used during airstrikes on Syria in October 2015.
New diesel submarines that joined the fleet are the Novorossiysk and the Rostov-on-Don are also armed with cruise missiles complexes Kalibr-PL. On December 8, 2015, the Rostov-on-Don achieved a first-of-a-kind milestone for the Russian Navy. Namely, according to the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, the submarine fired Kalibr cruise missiles while submerged in the Mediterranean Sea.
Counter-sabotage patrol boat projects Raptor and Rook were also launched in 2015.
A modern fleet of RB-365 tugs and the newest multifunctional complex port service vessel VTN-73 are also among the additions from the last year.
The Navy’s St. Andrew’s flag was raised for the rescue tugboat Professor Nicholas Moore and two diving boats – SMC 2094 and MER-1045.
The Russian Navy plans to introduce several new vessels into its Black Sea fleet by 2020. The vessels include frigates Admiral Grigorovich, Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, two diesel submarines Old Oskol and Krasnodar, as well as supply vessels and floating cranes.
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Naval Today Staff