Russia China deepen maritime ties

Russia China deepen maritime ties

Russia and China deepens their maritime relationship into new level to counter the US and Pacific navy's threats in South China sea, Barents sea and in the Atlantic Ocean. This include assisting the shipbuilding, conducting joint patrols and regular military exercise. The Russian and Chinese both needed to be cooperate to defeat the US and allied navy's to expand the Communist aim of Naval superiority in their respected region.

At first step, Russia will assist the Chinese navy to build much powerful warships and submarines, also assist the Chinese to upgrade the existing warships with advanced weapon systems and sensor systems. Most of the Chinese warships are designed with the support of ex soviet designers who were reallocated into China rather than Ukraine during the collapse of Soviet.

Russia is the first nation who supported the Chinese illegal occupation of Taiwanese and Japanese Islands and it's announcement of air defense identical zones. Both of them also armed North Korea to keep the Pacific nations always under threat, recent footage of 300mm Rocket launchers and S 300 variants displayed in DPRK is achieved with the Russian and Chinese help.

The Russian assistance also gives the Chinese navy to get a lethal fire power, Recent deployment of long range supersonic cruise missile in the Chinese frigates and destroyers is the example. The YJ 18 is considered as long range supersonic anti shipping cruise missiles, deployed in the new generation Type 52 D Destroyer, also currently being fitted out in some older generation Type 52 and Chinese frigates.

The Type 52 D can carry combination of 64 long range cruise missiles and naval S 300 missiles which include YJ 18 cruise missile. With the assistance from Russia, China successfully modified the YJ 12 air launched anti ship cruise missiles in the Su 27 and Su 30 MKK platforms. The YJ 12 is an long range supersonic cruise missile with ranging upto 540 kilometers. 

The Chinese and Russians also planning much bigger level of maritime exercises, Earlier years China and Russia conducted larger ever maritime exercise off the Japanese coast, deterring the Japanese who is the common enemy of both China and Russia, The Exercise validated with the presence of more than twenty three Chinese surface warships and two nuclear submarines along with airborne units and marines, the exact Russian ships numbers are not published.

Both Russia and China planning for such massive maritime exercises to express solditarity with each others. Those exercises validated Chinese air defense systems are performed far better than the Russian counterpart, where Russian ASW tactics lead in the drills. later days same such large scale of exercise conducted near Black sea, during when Russian forces invaded Ukraine in earlier 2014.

Sources also suggested that both Russians and Chinese working together to develop a common operating picture to work together. In the medium of ASW and A2D theater. This further deepens the military relationship. who get  information from each other in real time, Similar like the NATO's Link 16 communication interface.

On the far other side, Russia deployed coastal missile batteries, marine garrisons, and military early warning networks close to Japanese shores, Those deployed forces are placed in a disputed Island which is claimed by both Russia and Japan. The Russian deployment started once Japanese conducted routine patrol in Senaku Islands, which is another disputed Island located near China. which is claimed by both China and Japan.

So far, the Chinese Russian maritime alliance didn't threaten the Indian Navy so far, The day it will be broke, if Russian and Chinese navy conducts drills in Indian Ocean region or sails over Bay of Bengal en route to Chinese occupied coco Islands.

More Talwar Class Frigates for Indian Navy

More Talwar Class Frigates for Indian Navy

    Indian Navy plans to buy three more new Talwar class frigates from Russia through Reliance Defense, which was earlier planned for Russian Navy, those three ships are almost completed without having the engine/power plant, due to the Ukrainian issue, they denied to supply the Zorya gas turbine engines to Russia, So Russia has no plans either scrap the Ships or transfer to Friendly country's who maintain peace with both Russia and Ukraine, Earlier Russia openly offered the Ships to India, however Navy plans for future induction with P 17 A project.

   The Indian Private player Reliance defense, plans to buy the Ships from Russia and Engines from Ukraine to integrate both in his own shipyard Pipavav Ship building, which is partially owned by Reliance defense, It's believed either India or some other Navy would buy the Ship from Reliance, the price also comes very cheap, because of zero interests from foreign Navy's, Those Russian frigates are much complicated to operate, need huge maintenance costs, however Indian Navy has no problems since it operates six Talwar class frigates, Navy already modernized the Ships for their needs by adding Brahmos and AK 630 missile systems.

    Compared to the Older Talwar Frigates, the new frigates comes with vertical launching Shtil Missiles, the older Talwar class comes with arm launching Shtil missiles, which can launch one missile every 10+ seconds only, however the VLS allows multiple missile launch in quick time to engage multiple threats simultaneously, the Talwar class comes with two AK 630 for close defense system, some of the Indian Talwars have two Khastan based CIWS for last line of defense, India already moved or inked a contract with Russia to upgrade all existing Arm based Shtil missiles into Vertical launch mechanism.

    The Russian Talwars comes with Klub supersonic anti shipping cruise missiles, which is a drawback, where Navy plans to use the Brahmos missiles in all of it's Navy Ships in coming days, that's the major reason why Navy earlier rejected it, the Klub missiles used by earlier variants of Indian Talwars too, however the same was replaced with Brahmos in last three Talwars, the Ships can fire those anti shipping missile through it's vertical launchers for saturation attacks,

     The Frigates major mission is escort other naval vessels and aircraft carrier, so the Frigate could comes with decent anti air capability's and anti submarine capabilities, the Ship has the Shtil and AK 630 for Anti air missions, However it's not considered best in modern battlefield, since the scenario  changed with more variety of anti missiles systems, like Long Range Missiles, Short range quick reaction missiles, and CIWS support, India yet to comes in the best category, while the P 15 B class destroyers were comes with such capacities comprising Barak Long range missile, Maitri Short range missile and AK 630 or Phalnx for CIWS support.

   The Talwar's anti submarine capability, comes with variety of options, the whole system known as RPK 8, which includes RBU series of Rocket launchers, Talwar uses twin RBU 6000 launchers, each comes with 12 barrels, the Rocket launchers can launch anti submarine rockets which can detonate under the sea, the tested depth is somewhere near to 1000 meters, with having the range of some 4 kilometers, which is a much safer distance to engage a maneuvering Submarine, the same launcher can also drop depth charges triggered with time or depth, The Talwar can also fire heavy 533 mm Torpedo's, each Talwar comes with four launchers,

    Talwar comes with main Sonar in the Bow, and also carries towed sonar array's to search submarines from stand off distance, the entire system controlled by one finger with the use of Granit designed Purga fire control system, which gives a ultimate edge to the Talwars class frigates in anti submarine fighting capability, the Ship also can carry and coordinate with Ka 28 anti submarine helicopter, which can increase the range of Ship's ASW capability, the same methods are used in almost all front line Naval destroyers and  frigates,

    The Indian Navy has a plan to operate three dedicated Carrier Battle Group and four Amphibious assault group by 2030, the vision already set to achieve the Blue water capability, each of the Battle groups comprises three Destroyers, five frigates/corvette along with two or more Nuclear or Diesel electric submarines, along with support ships, the Navy has three Kolkata Class destroyers, four Vizag class Destroyers, and three Delhi class Destroyers, Navy need 12 more Modern Destroyers before 2030, also in Frigates and Corvette's Navy operates and Building some Six P 17 A class, Six plus three Talwar frigates, three Shivalik's and three Brahmaputra's, and four Komarta class corvette's, and Navy need another ten frigates to achieve the goal.

   Many sources from Navy quoting that Navy might buy those Ships comes via Reliance, however even if the Navy or government denies the Acquisition, Reliance can sell those ships to foreign countries which gives them high profit, It's a good chance to Navy they might buy those Talwar's. 

More Talwars Class Frigates for Indian Navy

More Talwars Class Frigates for Indian Navy

    The Indian Navy plans to Build three more improved Talwar Class frigates, India currently operates two versions of Six Talwar class frigates, first three having Klub Anti Shipping missiles and later three Ships with the Brahmos Cruise missile instead of the Klub missiles, all the six were Built in the Russian Shipyards and Transferred to Indian Navy,

    Later India plans to build more advanced Multi role Frigates in Indian Shipyard comprising advanced western and Israeli sensors and Missile system. under the Project P 17 India plans to build three Shivalik class Frigates, all three were build in Indian Shipyard MDL, and inducted in the Navy later years, For Future plans India plans to build more advanced fully stealth Frigates under the P 17 A project, the planning and Construction will starts coming 2017, under this project India plans to build six new frigates.

    But Recently some media quoted that Russia plans to send three of their last three Admiral Grigorovich class frigates same like Talwar class frigates, the Reason is most of the Russian ships works on the Ukrainian based engines, some Indian Ships too. due to the Ukrainian Crisis the Ukrainian companies refused to supply  the Engines to the Russian ships, but there is no Problems with the Indian Ukrainian relationship, so Russia plans to send it's non powered Ships to Indian Shipyards, where India orders Engines from Ukraine and Fit in the Russian Ships, then transfer to Russian Navy, that was the Original Russian sources mentioned.

    But later It's believed India Plans to buy those non engine but completed, last three Admiral Grigorovich class frigate, also some reports mentions Navy wants those Ships should be Build in India, Here the twist Happens. that looks like the same what Russia plans how to get Ukrainian Engines  via India, because if India wants to build a new Frigates they must go with new improved design or the Current Shivalik design, But why India goes for older Talwar Class.

    Actually Frigates mainly used in escort purpose, Frigates comes with good numbers of Anti air missiles, and Anti sub elements, But nowadays most Frigates comes with AShM too, makes them Multi-role, most Indian Frigates are multi-role, they can conduct all kind of Offensive and defensive mission, But mainly anti air warfare is the important role of Frigates.

     The Older Indian Talwar class frigates comes with arm launching Shtil Missiles, ranging upto some 45 kilometers guided by Radar homing, bit older Technology, It can intercept fighters but not good for intercepting Sea skimming missiles. also it's not capable to Ripple laughing the missiles, the shtil launcher has 24 ready to fire missile in it's magazine, but it loaded like a older Gun. means once the  first missile fired, then second one loaded from the magazines, which takes atleast 10 to 30 seconds, where fast moving Fighter Jets and cruise missile completes it mission less than 30 seconds.

   and those Talwars comes with Kashtan CIWS systems, Two such CIWS fitted in the Frigates, which has two to four ready to launch QR SAM's and twin 30mm cannon, one of the best CIWS available in the Globe.

    The same goes for  Indian Talwars, and Indian Navy knows the Shtil won't give proper defense to the Frigates,

   Also Indian Navy upgraded the last three Frigates by adding Brahmos cruise missiles, makes the frigates more effective in Anti Shipping and Land attack role.

    India knows about the incapable arm launchers in Talwars, so they planned to add good Short Range missiles and found the Israeli made Barak 1 short range VLS, the missile is very good by intercepting low flying sea skimming anti shipping missiles, the Shivalik's comes with 32 Barak 1 VLS missile launchers, that can intercept multiple targets in same time. But the Shivalik uses the same Shtil arm launcher for long range interception.

    With the lessons, India plans to add Long range SAM missiles from VLS. hence the Kolkata and Future ships employs the Barak 8 long range anti missile system, the same would be added in future P 17 A frigates.

    But what Russians did with it's future Frigates, they plans to use the Shtil from VLS tubes, those new Admiral Grigorovich class frigates comes with 32 Shtil missiles in it's VLS launcher as Ready to fire mode. and India also has plans to replace those arm launching systems into more capable multiple launching Vertical launching systems.

    So those Three additional frigates looks like a Game of Russia,it's by two possible reason, may be they plans to get the Ukrainian engines via India, otherwise sell those underpowered  Frigates to India, So India should understand the Russian game plan before going into the deal with the INS Vikramaditya deal in mind.