The Russian navy keeps getting a shorter leash.
Russia’s continuing financial problems are leading to a growing number of defense-related program cancellations. Initially it was cuts in the construction of new ships, in particular the larger, most expensive surface ships. Then came cuts in refurbishing older surface ships. The latest cancellations involve nuclear submarines, the one class of warships Russia tried to protect from cuts. There have already been some delays and project suspensions but the latest “adjustments” are worse. The best example this was the largely unpublicized cuts in the program to upgrade the remaining eight Antey (Oscar II) class SSGNs (cruise missile carrying nuclear sub) so that the 24 7-ton P700 high-speed “carrier killer” missiles would have those 24 silos replaced with silos that can carry 72 3M54/14 (Kalibr) cruise missiles that are smaller and weigh two tons.
Russia doesn't need a blue water fleet:
Russian blue water navy ambitions are a vanity item lingering from the glory days of the Soviet fleet that bear no relation to what Russia needs: coastal defense, ballistic missile subs for a nuclear deterrent, and the subs, ships, and aircraft to protect those SSBNs in bastions close to Russian shores.
Anything more is a wasteful drain on Russian resources needed for ground forces and the air power to support them to hold a very long land border that spans a distance from the Baltic Sea to the Bering Strait.
Whether or not Russia needs a blue water fleet, the ships that provided that capability built by the USSR are at the ends of their lifespans and Russian shipbuilding industry can't replace them even if the Russian state could afford them.
And I'm beginning to wonder if Russia can afford to maintain SSBNs and the ships and submarines needed to protect bastions near Russia for the SSBNs to survive during a war and provide nuclear deterrence.
Are the Russians going to have to rely on land-based nuclear missiles? With most being short-range simpler and cheaper types capable of devastating China and Europe?
UPDATE: The Soviet heavy bomber fleet is also dying from lack of money and skills.
