Russia to Make High-Precision Weapons Carriers Core of Northern Fleet by 2033

SEVEROMORSK, Russia (Sputnik) - Carriers of long-range high-precision weapons, including hypersonic weapons, will become the core of the Russian Northern Fleet's general-purpose forces by 2033, Northern Fleet Commander Adm. Alexander Moiseev said on Wednesday.

"Taking into account the trends toward the unification and universality of weapons and equipment, the general-purpose naval forces of the fleet will be represented by multi-purpose ships and submarines of five to six projects. Basically, these will be carriers of long-range precision weapons, including hypersonic weapons", Moiseev told a briefing on the tasks of the Northern Fleet to protect the national interests of Russia in the Arctic and the World Ocean, timed to the Day of the Northern Fleet.

Moiseev added that until 2033, the fleet will retain its organisational structure by type and composition in line with the state armament program and the acceptance into the fleet of the main projects of multi-purpose ships and nuclear submarines.

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, a new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched by a submarine of the Russian navy from the Barents Sea.

© AP Photo / Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

The core fleet of the submersible forces will be submarines type 885m (Yasen-M), 636.3, and 677, while the surface forces will prioritize first-rank frigates of project 22350 of the Admiral Gorshkov type.

By the end of this year, the Norther Fleet will receive its third Project 22350 Admiral Golovko frigate, which will also become the first full-time carrier of sea-based hypersonic weapons, Moiseev said.

The Northern Fleet will carry out 19 test firings of new types of weapons by the end of the year, the commander said.