MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The Russian Northern Fleet is building up its combat potential and will receive over 230 new weapon systems this year, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday.
"The Fleet’s forces continue their rearmament with new weapon types. The combat potential of the general-purpose forces has increased considerably after the improved Project Yasen-M lead submarine entered service. Also, the delivery of 238 items of advanced weaponry is planned for this year," Russia’s defense chief said at the ministry’s board meeting.
New warships are undergoing trials, including the nuclear-powered submarines Knyaz Oleg, Novosibirsk and Belgorod, as well as the shipborne missile system with the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile that will soon become operational in the Navy, the defense minister said.
The Fleet’s forces and troops are 97.7% manned with all categories of the personnel and this figure will rise to 99.2% by the end of the year, Shoigu said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier reported about the trials of the seaborne Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile designed as a basic weapon for warships and submarines. The Tsirkon hypersonic missile was successfully test-launched from the Northern Fleet’s frigate Admiral Gorshkov in October, November and December 2020 and in July 2021. The contract for the delivery of the 3M22 missile (the Tsirkon hypersonic missile) to the Russian Navy was signed by Russia’s Defense Ministry at the Army-2021 international military-technical forum on August 24.
The Army 2021 international military-technical forum is running at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center outside Moscow on August 22-28.