Posted on 11/24/2011 11:15:23 AM PST by kronos77
T HE “Admiral Kuznetsov” class aircraft carrier is currently off the coast of Malta and heading for eastern Mediterranean from their base in the Barents Sea.
Informed sources have said that the Russian navy and Israeli military will hold joint exercises next week close to Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone.
The exercises are slated to begin on the 28th November and last a week.
Commentators say that Russia is determined to send the message that they have invested interests in the region and will secure them.
It is understood that the aircraft carrier is carrying 24-fixed wing planes and a number of helicopters. It has also been reported in the press that the Russian navy may request to use port facilities at Limassol.
The radio report also claimed that three Russian destroyers are currently anchored off the Syrian coast. Russia's naval supply and maintenance site near Syria's Mediterranean port of Tartus will be modernized to accommodate heavy warships after 2012, the Russian Navy chief said earlier this week.
"Tartus will be developed as a naval base. The first stage of development and modernization will be completed in 2012," Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said, adding it could then serve as a base for guided-missile cruisers and even aircraft carriers.
The Soviet-era facility is operated under a 1971 agreement by Russian personnel.
Russian relations with Cyprus are at their best in many years. Last month, the Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Vyacheslav Shumskiy said that Moscow fully supports the sovereign right of Cyprus to exploit its natural resources.
“Our position is absolutely clear , and we were among the first countries to comment on that, and we totally support the sovereign right of the Cypriot people for exploitation of natural resources , this is totally in accordance with the international law and with the EU regulations, so there is no doubt about that”, he noted.
Invited to comment on Turkish threats against Cyprus, he said that Turkey’s position is not “very wise”.
ping
Three congressional investigation, and Israel’s release of the tapes suggest taht you are willfully ignorant.
Admiral Painter- “This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.”
Hope they fixed the toilets.
Click on pic for past Navair pings. Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist. The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation. This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
Tks.
>>>>>>>I don’t think the Russians operated carriers during the cold war. At least I don’t recall reading about any. Might have had one or two that they kept close to home or for training.>>>>>>>>>>
I think they built 6 or 7 carriers during the Cold War, all scrapped or sold in 1990s with the exception of this newest one comissioned right at the time of the Soviets collapse.
Thanks kronos77.
USS George W Bush (CVN 77) has been redeployed from its station off the Straits of Hormuz to the eastern Med.
HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331), which has been on station off Libya as part of just completed NATO Operation Unified Protector, has been retained in the Med until January 2012, ostensibly to join NATO Operation Active Endeavour, when it will be replaced by HMCS Charlottetown (FFH 339).
Does it still only have 4 missiles?
Thank you very much for posting this.What makes the entire scenario utterly fascinating to me is the inconceivable political realignment that has taken place as facilitated by the Russian-Israeli collaboration.
Does it still only have 4 missiles?Here is a DND/'Canadian Forces link to part of the description of RCN Halifax class frigates:
Canadian frigates routinely integrate into US Carrier Battle Groups.
The Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov is still exercising in the Barents Sea. It has been conducting exercises for the past couple of weeks. The plan is to deploy the Kuznetsov and Chabanenko on a routine lengthy cruise during December.
'According to the Russian Defense Ministry Russia’s only aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” and the destroyer “Admiral Chabanenko” will leave their bases in Murmansk and Severomorsk in December and sail south.'
Aircraft Carrier to exercise from December
Earlier report
Admiral Vysotsky to check N Fleet aircraft carrier group readiness
The whole dubious reporting of the Kuznetsov comes from the Cypriot Famagusta news agency. News agencies were also reporting the Kuznetsov Battle Group in the Med a month ago!. Kuznetsov was still with the Northern Fleet off Russia at the time.
People really need to take a step back and think about these incorrect news reports? When the Kuznetsov Carrier Battle Group actually deploys in December it will be reported in Norwegian media as NATO monitors its progress through areas of interest. The Russians Air Force strategic aviation bombers will also exercise with the Battle Group as it deploys either via the North Sea or Atlantic. These will also be monitored and intercepted by NATO assets. The Kuznetsov Battle Group conducts regular routine deployments and this one was annouced as far back as September 2011.
"In Tartus now there aren't any our ships. There is only our floating workshop and storage platform. A month ago also there came the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship "Smetlivy", but she has already returned to Sevastopol."
Russian Admiral reveals Russian Navy status currently in Mediterranean
The Smetlivy was exercising with NATO assets along with the rescue ship Epron. The Smetlivy was at the time the only Russian warship in the Mediterranean. Admiral Selivanov revealed that she has already returned to Sevastapol in the Black Sea. The whole story was bogus from the start!
The Smetlivy during her exercises with NATO assets link.
Frigate Ladny to enter Mediterranean
"The Ladny has left Sevastopol and headed for the Mediterranean. The ship's voyage began a day ahead of the schedule due to unfavorable weather forecasts," Capt. 1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said. The spokesman said the ship was scheduled to make calls at the ports of Cyprus, Malta, France and Spain.
The daily also said that in the spring of 2012, the group of Russian naval ships would enter the Syrian port of Tartus.
A source in the Russian Defense Ministry denied this information, saying the Russian aircraft carrier naval group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov did not plan to call at Syria during winter exercises in the Mediterranean Sea.
Russian Navy Carrier Group Entered Mediterranean
'Northern Fleet (NF) aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov on Dec 23 passed Gibraltar Strait and entered the Mediterranean Sea.
Other ships of the carrier strike group passed the strait few hours earlier.
In accordance with further plans, the Russian Navy's task force consisting of NF large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko, Baltic Fleet (BF) frigate Yaroslav Mudry, and NF tanker Sergei Osipov will pay a formal visit to Spanish port Ceuta.
Aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and other supply vessels in the nearest time will head for anchorage site in western part of the Mediterranean Sea in order to replenish the carrier's supplies.
Black Sea Fleet (BSF) frigate Ladny joined the carrier group on Friday, Dec 23'
The last Morse Code transmission that I picked up was on the 26th December. Russian Navy ship RKO81 passed a weather report to Headquarters Sevastopol (Callsign RCV)
12464 RCV DE RKO81 QSA ? QTC @ 1335 RKO81 BT 731 20 26 1600 731 BT SML FOR RJD38 BT 26121 99357 70017 41698 10911 10150 40306 57001 70110 81/// 23262 01170 299// 309// 4//// 88000 80000 26017 BT AR RKO81 K
Lat and long from the last three figures of the second and third groups 99357 70017
35.7N 01.7W (Off Algerian coast)
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