@wareagle actually during the Kuznetsov's adventure in Syria we used 2 KA-31s aboard the ship to help provide early warning for the warship, but right now the Kuznetsov is undergoing modernization to fit our future ambitions, as soon as our future carriers enter service (Shtorm class). Kuznetsov will most likely be used for the training of future sailors to aboard the Shtorm class
Black Sea Fleet will most likely receive a Priboy-class LHD which is a bit bigger than the French Mistral and will use the KA-52K navalized Attack helicopters in the future.
Along with Turkey's Juan Carlos class being built, Turkey's ADIK shipyard revealed a LHD model of their own and has plans for an actual carrier but we will see how this plays in the long run.
not only will the Mediterranean feature carriers from 3 countries (Turkey, Italy and Russia) but will also feature destroyers and The Black Sea Fleet plans on building a bunch of newer ships.
Along with this move Russia has moved a 2nd Battery of S-400s to the Crimea for the BSF of Russia and the Black Sea Fleet has replaced their SU-24Ms with SU-30SM capable of carrying at least 2 P-800 Anti-ship missiles which could cause Havoc for Turkey and or Italy.
Yeah, i’ve taken a look at the actual Black Sea Fleet and your 3 main Surface ships in the Black Sea right now are 3 Admiral Grigorovich Class Fregates that it’s roughly comparable to the French FREMM, seeing that the French version is a little bit less armed than the Italian version, the Italian Navy will have 10 FREMM by 2019 (7already at service) so here we are 10 to 3 even if the other 3 Grigorovich that are currently being built are all deployed in the Black Sea, we are 10 to 6.
You have also 2 Krivak Class Fregates that are roughly comparable to the new light+ and full PPA that are currently being build and that by 2025 Italy will have 3 light+ and 2 Full (1 more light+ and 1 more full in option) if you don’t want to take on account the PPA, the Maestrale Class Fregate it’s similar, but we have still 6 of it on service, so we are 6 to 2.
You also have 1 Kashin Class Destroyer but it’s quite old, by 2022 it will be 60 if service for it, so our 2 Durant de la Penne Destroyers would make easy work of it and you have also a Slava Class Cruiser that I will admit it’s a formidable ship and my second favourite class of ship ever in front of the Vittorio Veneto and behind the Kiev class. But also this Cruiser has more than 30 years of service and I don’t think it would be able to resist the 2 new Orizzonte Class Destroyers.
All of the subs stationed in the Black Sea are 5 improved Kilo class and one normal Kilo class, the normal Kilo class it’s quite outdated has 28 years of service, the improved version is to the 636 standard, a slightly worst version than the one sold to the Vietnamese Navy, it’s quite good, but I don’t think it would outclass the U212 seeing that is considered one of the best conventional Sub in the world (but i’m Not sure about is because I’m not really informed on the submarine technologies).
About the Priboy Class LHD, i’ve Done some research and it turn out that it should enter service by 2025 and be a 22.000 tons ship, the Russian Navy will receive two of these but I’ve not found anywhere that this ships is already in construction or even financed yet, other than that I’ve not found any information on where it would be stationed.
Anyway, this ship would have to deal with a Trieste Class LHD that is a 33.000 tons LHD that will be in service by 2022 and already in construction.
I’ve done also some research about the Shtorm class Super Carrier and I’ve found out that is is only a proposal of project and it’s also still in research and development and that this part of the program will take 5 more years, so this still ready as a project (that means by 2023 if the assumpions of the Russian Navy is correct) it will still have to be accepted yet by the parliament, financed and built, so it will take quite many years to be built.
Even if at the end it will be built it will be probably stationed in the Atlantic Fleet where usually the Kuznetsov is stationed (assumption by Russians on forums) and there it will have to take on 1 Charles de Gaulle Carrier and 2 Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers.
So, if a war broke out (I hope not because I would like to live some more years and not be obliterated by a nuclear strike) and it’s Russia the attacker, the Black Sea Fleet would have to stay only on the Black Sea because the NATO south front navy would wait for it at the exit choke point where the Russian defence can’t be a threat and the Russian Airforce would be a lot less of a threat.
Even the Italian Navy alone could decimate the Black Sea Fleet If it would try to exit the Black Sea.
If vice versa, it’s NATO to attack first, for the Italian Navy would be suicide to try and enter alone the Black Sea, but if the Navy of Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey enter the Sea it would be no match, the Black Sea Fleet would be destroyed because of the overwealming number of NATO Ships, the support of Greek and Turkish Airforce and the support of Turkish coastal/air defenses.
Anyway, I would like not to turn this post into a war between nations, so this will be my last post comparing the Italian/NATO navy to the Black Sea Fleet.
I took the Black Sea Fleet as a referance to compare the Italian Fleet because it’s the only Fleet big enough in the Mediterranean that would hold a good fight to the Italian Navy and that it’s not allied with Italy.
Don’t take this post personally and I hope that I don’t offend you, if I do, please tell me and i’ll deleate this post immediately because I really don’t want to start some hate in this beautiful community
