Update: "Transshelf" Departs Russia with Nuke Boats

Locations of "Krasin" and "Transshelf" - September 9, 2014 (Map courtesy of Google Earth)

For at least two days, the Dockwise semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel "Transshelf", with two Akula I-class nuclear-powered submarines loaded on board, has been awaiting the arrival of an unknown icebreaker while anchored about 115nm west of Icy Point, Alaska. The closest Russian icebreaker is "Krasin"; however, it was nearly 410nm east of "Transshelf" heading to Pevek yesterday. Perhaps after a short port call, "Krasin" will rendezvous with "Transshelf" and escort it through the icepack. At an average speed of 8kts, it will take two and a half days for "Krasin" to travel from Pevek to "Transshelf" at its current position. "Transshelf" is now expected to exit the Northern Sea Route (NSR) no earlier than September 18 -- three days after the approved NSR transit window.

For earlier reporting:

Why is the Netherlands Helping the Russian Navy Right Now? (August 14, 2014)

Nuke Boats Loaded on Heavy-Lift Vessels (August 28, 2014)

"Transshelf" Departs Russia With Nuke Boats (August 31, 2014)

"HYSY 278" Departs Russia With Oscar II SSGN (September 3, 2014)

Status of Russian Navy Nuke Boat Transfers (September 5, 2014) 

"HYSY 278" Arrives Near Bolshoy Kamen With Oscar II SSGN (September 7, 2014)

"HYSY 278" Arrives Near Bolshoy Kamen With Oscar II SSGN

Track of "Hai Yang Shi You 278", September 7, 2014
(Map courtesy of Google Maps)

As expected, the Dockwise semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel "Hai Yang Shi You 278" arrived in the vicinity of the Zvezda Far East Shipyard today with Oscar II-class nuclear-powered submarine "Chelyabinsk" on board. The trip from the Kamchatka Peninsula, through the Sea of Okhotsk, La Perouse Strait, and Sea of Japan took seven days. The ship traveled the nearly 1460nm in 166 hours, which equates to an average speed of 8.8 knots (there were a few times it traveled in excess of 13 knots). It arrived at its current position (about 4nm west of the shipyard) during the 0700 GMT hour (1800 local time) -- four hours ahead of its earlier estimated time of arrival -- and has remained there ever since.

For earlier reporting:

Why is the Netherlands Helping the Russian Navy Right Now? (August 14, 2014)

Nuke Boats Loaded on Heavy-Lift Vessels (August 28, 2014)

"Transshelf" Departs Russia With Nuke Boats (August 31, 2014)

"HYSY 278" Departs Russia With Oscar II SSGN (September 3, 2014)

Status of Russian Navy Nuke Boat Transfers (September 5, 2014)

“Vladimir Monomakh” to Launch Bulava SLBM This Week

SS-N-32 Bulava SLBM flight ban in White Sea and area closure near Novaya Zemlya -- September 10-14, 2014
(Map courtesy of Google Maps)

An area closure and several flight bans have been issued for a missile launch that will occur between 10 and 14 September.

Area closure
HYDROARC 200/14

ARCTIC.
BARENTS SEA.
ROCKETS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 0100Z TO 1700Z DAILY
10 THRU 14 SEP IN AREA BOUND BY
72-00N 047-20E, 73-05N 051-00E,
72-30N 052-47E, 71-24N 049-25E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 141800Z SEP 14.

Flight bans
G1331/14 - ATS RTE SEGMENTS CLSD:
A222 KUMEL - SOTIS,
A333 RILOM - DIRUG,
G375 KUGON - DIRUG. SFC - UNL, DAILY 0100-1700,
10 SEP 01:00 2014 UNTIL 14 SEP 17:00 2014.
CREATED: 06 SEP 09:05 2014

G1332/14 - TEMPO DANGER AREA ACT WI COORD:
7200N 04720E-7305N 05100E-7230N 05247E-
7124N 04925E-7200N 04720E. SFC - UNL, DAILY 0100-1700,
10 SEP 01:00 2014 UNTIL 14 SEP 17:00 2014.
CREATED: 06 SEP 09:18 2014

G1338/14 - FLT PROHIBITED WI AREA BOUNDED BY COORD:
660600N 0385500E-651000N 0373000E-651200N 0364900E-
651200N 0364700E-651200N 0363700E-653700N 0362600E-
661200N 0371900E-660400N 0374700E-660300N 0383800E-
660600N 0385500E. SFC - FL050, DAILY 0100-1700,
10 SEP 01:00 2014 UNTIL 14 SEP 17:00 2014.
CREATED: 06 SEP 15:43 2014

P6142/14 - ATS RTE B240 SEGMENT TILICHIKI NDB (TK) - OKLED CLSD. SFC - UNL, DAILY 0100-1700,
10 SEP 01:00 2014 UNTIL 14 SEP 17:00 2014.
CREATED: 06 SEP 09:05 2014

The area closure, which is adjacent to Novaya Zemlya, uses the same exact coordinates of an area closure declared for an SS-N-32 Bulava SLBM launch by Dolgorukiy-class SSBN “Aleksandr Nevskiy” on September 6, 2013. That missile failed in flight due to production quality control issues, but the launch itself was a success for the submarine and led to the completion of state testing and acceptance of the submarine in December 2013. As happened with last year’s launch, if the launch team aboard “Vladimir Monomakh” can successfully push the launch data to the missile and eject the missile out of its missile tube, the launch will be considered a success for the submarine. If the missile actually reaches the Kura Test Range on the Kamchatka Peninsula, even better…

This week’s SS-N-32 Bulava launch by “Vladimir Monomakh” is part of the submarine’s state testing, which began back in July 2014. A month earlier, Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Yuriy Borisov announced that the submarine would launch a Bulava SLBM in September. The submarine most recently completed a two-week at-sea period as part of state testing that focused on assessing the submarine’s acoustic parameters. If all goes well, “Vladimir Monomkah” could be turned over in December (December 10?).

Status of Russian Navy Nuke Boat Transfers

Locations of "Hai Yang Shi You 278" and "Transshelf" on September 4, 2014 [Map courtesy of Google Maps]

The Dockwise semi-submersible vessels "Hai Yang Shi You 278" and "Transshelf" continue to ferry their submarine cargo to their respective destinations:

• "Hai Yang Shi You 278", with Oscar II-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine "Chelyabinsk" on board, has entered the Sea of Okhotsk and was located about 150nm north of Iturup Island at 1100 GMT on September 4. The vessel's estimated time of arrival at Zvezda Far East Ship in Bolshoy Kamen is 1100 GMT on September 7.
• "Transshelf", with Akula I-class nuclear-powered submarines "Bratsk" and "Samara" on board, has transited the Bering Strait and was located about 25nm northwest of Diomid Island at 0800 GMT on September 4.

For earlier reporting:

Why is the Netherlands Helping the Russian Navy Right Now? (August 14, 2014)

Nuke Boats Loaded on Heavy-Lift Vessels (August 28, 2014)

"Transshelf" Departs Russia With Nuke Boats (August 31, 2014)

"HYSY 278" Departs Russia With Oscar II SSGN (September 3, 2014)

"Krab" - The Little Tug That Could

Locations of "Krab" Operations, August 20-September 3, 2014

There's a very interesting little harbor tug operating in the Black Sea named "Krab". Flying the Russian Navy flag, it's based in Temryuk (Sea of Azov), but regularly visits Novorossiysk. It was built at Pella Shipyard in 2011 and transferred via the inland waterway system to Temryuk, where it arrived in October of that year. Originally called "RB-45" ("RB" stands for "рейдовый буксир" - "harbor tug" in Russian), it was renamed "Krab" in 2012 or 2013.

Since arriving in the Black Sea, the harbor tug has performed mission profiles that go beyond what you would expect a harbor tug to perform. In fact, in late July 2013, during the keel-laying ceremony for the Project 16609-class harbor tug "Belukha", Vice Admiral Burilichev (head of the Ministry of Defense's uber-secret Directorate for Deep-Sea Research (Russian abbreviation: GUGI)) stated that "Krab" and two other harbor tugs built by Pella were performing tasks not typical for their class. In this video (1:53-2:57), the vice admiral states:

The ships that were delivered in 2011 and 2012... I am happy to report that they are being used a lot. Moreover, we are using them not exactly as intended - not as harbor tugs for operations with ocean- and sea-going vessels. We are using them as integrated platforms for testing radio-technical equipment. And, the tug "Krab" is currently participating in events related to providing security for the 2014 Olympic Games. The [Project 16609] tugs "Kasatka" and "Delfin" participate in training events related to rescuing and assisting submarines in distress. They also are assigned other serious tasks that go far beyond those of harbor tugs.

I recorded the movements of "Krab" between August 20 and September 3 of this year to give you a glimpse into just one unusual mission the harbor tug has performed. It clearly shows the tug executing ladder search patterns from the western to the eastern sides of the inlet to Tsemesskaya Bukhta, which leads to Novorossiysk. The blue conex box that is found on its afterdeck possibly contains the mysterious radio-technical equipment that Burilichev referenced in the above video.

And wherever "Krab" goes, you're likely to find another interesting GUGI-subordinate vessel named "Seliger"...

"HYSY 278" Departs Russia With Oscar II SSGN

Locations of "Hai Yang Shi You 278" on September 2, 2014

The Dockwise semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel "Hai Yang Shi You 278" departed Avachinskaya Guba (Russia) on September 2 after having onloaded Russian Navy Pacific Fleet Oscar II-class nuclear-powered submarine "Chelyabinsk" over a week ago. The ship departed its mooring position during the 0900 GMT hour, exited the bay, turned south, and was located about 36nm southeast of Mys Mayachnyy at 1400 GMT. "HYSY" should arrive at Zvezda Far East Shipyard with one week.

For earlier reporting:

Why is the Netherlands Helping the Russian Navy Right Now? (August 14, 2014)

Nuke Boats Loaded on Heavy-Lift Vessels (August 28, 2014)

"Transshelf" Departs Russia With Nuke Boats (August 31, 2014)

Is Mediterranean Sea Dangerous for Russian Navy Destroyers?

The Russian Navy Northern Fleet's Udaloy-class destroyer "Vitse-Admiral Kulakov" is currently undergoing repairs in Sevastopol following a collision with an unknown tanker in the Mediterranean Sea last month, according to internet chatter. This follows two other incidents with Udaloy destroyers having to enter the Black Sea for repairs during their Mediterranean Sea deployments. In May-June 2013, the Northern Fleet's Udaloy-class destroyer "Admiral Levchenko" underwent repairs, to include work on its bow-mounted sonar. And between June and September 2013, the Pacific Fleet's Udaloy-class destroyer "Admiral Panteleyev" underwent some type of repairs in Novorossiysk. It is noteworthy that no other major combatant from the Mediterranean Task Force has had to enter the Black Sea for repairs.

Naval officials' claims that these were "routine" repairs are dishonest. Ships already complete lengthy shipyard periods before departing on lengthy deployments. Therefore, there should be nothing "routine" about theses destroyers having to break from the task group and head for Sevastopol or Novorossiysk.

The impact? The Black Sea Fleet's Slava-class cruiser "Moskva" now has to spend "more than two months" in the Mediterranean Sea, according to an unnamed Navy Main Staff source. According to one internet source, the cruiser will depart on 2 or 3 September for a deployment that will last "2-3 months at a minimum."