MOSCOW, July 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Pacific Fleet will start receiving new warships in 2014 for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fleet’s commanders said.
“Rather large-scale deliveries of new equipment, new warships to the Pacific Fleet will start in 2014,” Rear Admiral Sergei Avakyants said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television on Thursday.
Avakyants emphasized the fact that the fleet received a new warship last time in 1991.
According to the Russian military, at least one of the two Mistral-class helicopter carriers, being built in France for the Russian navy, is intended for the Pacific Fleet, which has already prompted concerns in Japan.
Several Project 20380 Steregushchy-class corvettes are being built for the Pacific Fleet at the Amur shipyard in Russia’s Far East with estimated delivery in 2014-2015.
In addition, one of the first Borey-class ballistic missile submarines will be put in service with the fleet after the much anticipated commissioning by the end of 2013, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Pacific Fleet currently consists of the Varyag missile cruiser, four Udaloy-class destroyers, a Sovremenny-class destroyer and dozens of submarines, including five Delta III-class ballistic missile submarines.
