Syrian Operation

[hammarö]

Russia is sending three more ships to the Med Sea to boost fleet near Syria.

The deployed ships are two destroyers, including the 610 Nastoichiviy, the flagship of the Baltic Fleet, and the Moskva missile cruiser, which will join the earlier mentioned intelligence ship Priazovye (Vishnya class), deployed to the area on sunday, "to gather current information of the escalating conflict", interfax informed.

Moskva direct comes from Caribean visit (logged last 27 august).

navaltoday.com/2013/09/05/russia-warns-us-sends-more-ships-to-mediterranean-sea/

[hammarö]

Today came information of the phone intercept of the gas artillery shelling (BM-21) in Damascus 21 August 2013. It was made of the Oker, German Intelligence ship. It intercepted the phone lines, and they heard telephone voices concerning the ordering of the shelling.

http://www.svd.se/nyheter/utrikes/svepe ... vd?sidan=9
Bild am Sonntag (today).

And what about the aircraft, more than our earlier mentioned U-2S, who do the same thing? Someone!

Many books in the future concerning this gasing.

This is maybee something for our James Bamford!

[hammarö]

5 Fleet ships and aircraft/helicopters.

Aircraft carriers (2) crusiers (2) destroyers (9) lhd (1) lsd (1) VLS (0ver 1100 with air SAM and cruise missile)

5. FLEET ORDER OF BATTLE.

US Carrier Strike Group 11. Red Sea.
CVN-68 Nimitz (1975/2025) Everett, Wa CVW-11 (NH)
CVW-11 (NH) Norfolk combat aircraft (65)
CG-59 Princeton (1989 SPQ-9B CEC 4 MH-60R) San Diego
DDG-86 Shoup (2002 VLS(96) MH-60R (2)) Everett
DDG-106 Stockdale (2009 VLS(96) MH-60R (2)) San Diego
DDG-110 Lawrence (2011 VLS(96) MH-60R (2)) San Diego

Destroyers can pass Suez Channel into Eastern Med.
Stockdale was reported by a source arrived at homebase (Stockdale in Arabian Sea).

5. Fleet – Africa Horn task force.
Ships in Aden/Djibouti/Seychelles.
LSD-50 Carter Hall () 2013.02.17 Little Creek
DDG-81 Churchill (2001) Norfolk
DDG-86 Shoup (2002) Everett
Bainbridge also in area, but noted as 6 Fleet.
FFG-45 DeWert (HSM-46 det.3 MQ-8B)

US Carrier Strike Group 10. Arabian Sea.
CVN-75 Truman () CVW-3 (AC) Norfolk, Va
CVW-3 (AC) Norfolk combat aircraft (65)
CG-56 San Jacinto (1988 SPQ-9B CEC) Norfolk
CG-64 Gettysburg (1991) Mayport
DDG-84 Bulkeley (2001) (Norfolk Desron 22)
DDG-87 Mason (2003) (Norfolk Desron 22)

Crusier/Destroyer group. Arabian Sea.
CG-61 Monterey (1990 SPQ-8B CEC) Norfolk
DDG-68 Sullivans (1997) Mayport
DDG-109 Dunham (2010) Norfolk

Amphibious unit in Arabian Sea.
LHD 3 Kearsage () 2013.02.17 Norfolk


On way (planned replacing Kearsage).
LHD-4 Boxer () San Diego
LPD-18 New Orleans () San Diego
LSD-49 Harpers Ferry () San Diego

US Carrier Strike Group 2. Working up replace Nimitz or Truman?
CVN-77 Bush (2008/2058) CVW-8 (AJ) Norfolk, Va
CVW-8 (AJ) Norfolk combat aircraft (65)
CG-58 P Sea (1989 SPQ-9B CEC) Mayport
CG-55 Leyte Gulf (1987) Norfolk
DDG-80 Roosevelt (2000 MH-60R) Mayport
DDG-103 Truxton (2009) (Norfolk Desron 2 CSG 12)

Submarines are noted with 6 Fleet.

More destroyers are under way to replace och strengthen ships in 5 Fleet.

[Rockville]

Some Russian news: http://rt.com/news/russia-moskva-cruise ... anean-720/

[hammarö]

Moskva is incoming from show visit in Caribean (Cuba, Venezuela etc).

RTI information in earlier mentioned source today:

Cruiser:
Moskva (headquarters ships, earlier Panteleev) / new RTI

Frigates/destroyers:
Smetlivy /RTI on way
Yaroslav Mudry / Baltic Fleet, shall transfer to Black Sea Fleet?
Admiral Panteleev / RTI
Neustrashimy / Baltic Fleet new RTI

Intelligence:
Priazove SSV

Amphibious (some reported of weapons supply for Syria):
Kaliningrad / Ropucha class Baltic Fleet
Shabalin / Ropucha class Black Sea Fleet / RTI
Pechenga / unknown ship some Alligator class in the beginning of the year
Nevelsk / Ropucha class Pacific Fleet / RTI
Peresvet / Ropucha class Pacific Fleet / RTI
Novocherkassk / Ropucha class Black Sea Fleet / RTI
Minsk / Baltic Fleet / RTI
Filchenko / on way RTI

Oilers/maintenance/tugs:
Fotiy Krilov
PM-138
SB-921
Lena

Were is very diverging information about the Russian ships. Much information from many sources have information from May 2013. Many of these ships have left the Mediterranean. But new ships are incoming however, and the Russian source today say that the ships remain after the conflict is over.

US have four destroyers in the Mediterranean, and the one frigate and San Antonio.

Several US submarines must be on plac. At least one SSN and one SSGN. During the Libyan conflict US had one SSN and one SSBN (?) .

[Rockville]

News about Chinese involvement: http://www.examiner.com/article/verifie ... iterranean

[hammarö]

Russian plan is to made a "protecion shield" around the Syrian sea border with the ships. The Chinese ship step up the heat in conflict, the ships cooperations are certainly cooperated.

Note also that Chinese ships (destroyer and frigate) made today search and rescue operations together with CG Lake Erie in Hawaian waters.
www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=161451

it must also be some Chinese ships in Aden waters.

The ship is rather large with 28000 tons, and compairable with the USS LPD San Antonio class. The ship is brand new 2012. Each ship has 4 LCAC and 4 Z-8 Super Frelon. Crew 200 and 800 marines. Nearly 20 APC are carried for transport of marines.

Were is 3 ships of class in China.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_071_amphibious_transport_dock

China and Russia naval several exercises together this summer in the Far East. Some of the Russian ships comes from the Pacific Fleet.

[hammarö]

The Russian military sources call the new operations for "complex monitoring" of the situation around Syria (Interfax earlier).


rt.com/news/russia-moskva-cruiser-mediterranean-720/

[hammarö]

We had not sad much about the air cover of the Syrian Operations, expect the daily U-2S flights between Akrotiri and Al Dhafra.

It must be a very heavy air monitoring of well known aircraft as RC-135, EP-3E, Israeli counterparts etc.

The spy stations at Cyprus etc have to large range to pick up voices from aircraft, tanks, commands etc.

Not yet a sign of Russian intelligence aircraft? Tu-214 are not yet ready, but Il-22 are based in Rostov-on-Don.

[hammarö]

The US Intelligence had information of the Damascus gassing three days before the 21 august. And did nothing to stopp the gassing.

They speculate of the informaton source.

thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/08/30/us_had_intel_on_chemical_strike_before_it_was_launched

Also

edition.cnn.com/2013/09/11/opinion/schneier-intelligence-limitation/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

US tracked the gas shelling with satellite, shooting and downfall.

The German spyship had commanding voices of the military units participating.

It must had been several air intelligence in area.

[hammarö]

A large Russian and Chinese fleet with near 15 ships lay outside the Syrian coast. The fleet have at least 8 amphibious ships. More amphibious ships are on way?

The ships have 8 helicopters. Ka-27 (4) and Z-8 Super Frelons (4). The Amhibious ships have 2500 marines (or Chemical special troops) and over 150 APC/vehicles.

The ships have a force who can protect the gas chemicals in Syria.

RUSSIAN FLEET OF NAVY SHIPS.
Russia will despatch a permanent group of five to six combat ships to the Mediterranean Sea, Russian Navy chief Admiral Viktor Chirkov said. Frigates and cruisers will make up the core of the fleet. Russian TV channel Zvezda (May 2013).

Supply vessels will also be included in the permanent deployment to the Mediterranean.

The decision to send Russian ships to the Mediterranean waters was first announced on 11 March 2013 by new Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu.

Chirkov said that top Navy officers are currently in process of strategizing the deployment of a combat group to the Mediterranean. He also said that Russia is prepared to send combat ships to the Pacific and Indian Oceans (May 2013).

Cruiser.
121 Moskva (1982 Ka-27 (1) ) Slava / Homeport Sevastapol (Staff ship) 2013.09.15

Destroyers/frigates.
548 Admiral Panteleyev (1991 Ka-27 (2) ) Udaloy / Vladivostok 2013.09.12
810 Smetlivy (1969) Kashin / Sevastapol 2013.09.15 warfare.be
712 Neustrashimy (1990 Ka-27) / Baltiysk 2013.09.12

Intelligence – Vischnya class.
SSV-201 Priazovyye / 2013.09.02

Landing ships – (28000 tons, 800 troops, 40 vehicles and 4 Z-8 Super Frelon).
999 Jinggangshan (2012) / China 2013.09.12

Landing ships – Alligator class (4700 tons, 425 troops and 40 vehicles).
152 Nikolay Filchenkov (1975) / Sevastapol 2013.09.15 warfare.be

Landing ships – Ropucha class (4080 tons, 200 troops and 12 vehicles).
055 Admiral Nevelskoy (1982) / Fukino, Pacific 2013.09.12 warfare.be
127 Minsk (1983) / Baltiysk 2013.09.12
110 Alexandr Shabalin (1985) / Baltiysk 2013.09.12
142 (127?) Novocherkassk (1987) / Sevastapol 2013.09.12 warfare.be
151 Azov (1990) / Sevastapol 2013.09.12 warfare.be
077 Peresvet (1991) / Fokino, Pacific 2013.09.12 warfare.be

Supply ships.
Tug
Tanker

Gulf of Aden, west coast of African continent.
Neustrashimy / 2013.03.17- Baltiysk returned replaced
Tugboat / 2013.03.17-
Tanker / 2013.03.17-


2013.03.17. RT
(rt.com/news/fleet-mediterranean-russia-ships-390/)

2013.09.12 Radio free Europe.
www.rferl.org/content/russia-ships-syria/25097867.html

2013.09.12 RT.
russia-moskva-cruiser-mediterranean-720/

2013.09.07 Voice of Russia.
http://voiceofrussia.com/2013_09_07/Rus ... ?from=menu
2013.09.03 before its news.
beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2013/09/russia-sends-two-marine-carrying-ships-to-the-mediterranean-2708678.html

2013.09.02 Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/ ... 4O20130902

2013.09.02 Chicago Tribune.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013 ... v-interfax

2013.08.30 Moscow Times.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/arti ... 85277.html

2013.08.29 Interfax.
www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=440713

2913.05.17 RT.
rt.com/news/russian-pacific-fleet-mediterranean-374/

2013.04.05
voiceofrussia.com/2013_04_05/Russia-dispatches-Navy-ships-to-Mediterranean-to-establish-permanent-presence/

2012.12.18
blouinnews.com/41757/story/russia-sends-ships-mediterranean

2013.08.21 Fukushima.
voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_08_21/photo-US-West-Coast-to-be-hit-hard-by-Fukushima-radiation-2318/

2013.09.11 Heart.
w3.newsmax.com/newsletters/crandall/video_intl.cfm?promo_code=146D7-1

[hammarö]

Very good picture of the Russian signal intelligence ship Priazovye in the mediterranean.

www.signalspaning.se/fartyg/priazovye.jpg

The ship intercept the aircrafts in area and the voice traffic in range.

[hammarö]

An MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to HSC-6 crashed into the central Red Sea Sept 22, while operating with the guided-missile destroyer USS Lawrence (DDG-110).

Three personnel are accounted for and stable. Search efforts continue for two remaining personnel.

Assisting in the search and rescue are USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS Lawrence, USS Princeton (CG-59), USS Shoup (DDG-86),USS Stockdale (DDG-106) and USNS Rainer (TAOE 7) as well as MH-60S from HSC-6, and MH-60R Seahawks from HSM-75 and one P-3 from VP-47.

the crash was not due to any sort of hostile activity.

[hammarö]

According several sources is the Russian Varyag large battleship with 2 supply ships on way from Pacific Fleet.

Destination according Russian Military Ministry is the destination Aden.

[tally]

According several sources is the Russian Varyag large battleship with 2 supply ships on way from Pacific Fleet.

Destination according Russian Military Ministry is the destination Aden.

I hope not. I was hoping to see it in Sydney early Oct as it was scheduled to participate in exercise Triton Centenary.