Russia Considers Developing a New Fleet in the Arctic - The Jamestown Foundation

Russia plans to create a new naval formation - the Arctic Fleet. The goal is to ensure the security of Russia's Northern Sea Route (NMS) and the Arctic coastal region as a whole. This is stated in an article by The Jamestown Foundation.

The creation of a separate Arctic naval unit will allow the Northern and Pacific Fleets of the Russian Navy to focus on purely combat missions. The Arctic Fleet will only deal with the NSR, but will also be able to provide support if Russia's Northern Fleet is affected by hostilities. Because, according to Russian military analysts, the joint strategic command of the Northern Fleet, which is now responsible for the security of the Russian Arctic, is likely to be destroyed in a potential conflict with the US Navy.

The disclosed concept recognizes the importance for Russia of the passage of commercial maritime transport through the NSR. This sea lane follows the Russian shore, from the country’s western maritime border with Norway all the way to the Bering Sea. Responsibility for safeguarding Russia’s Arctic coast is currently shared between the Northern and Pacific fleets.

For Russia and Russian commercial shipping, the unique advantage of the Northern Sea Route over all other oceanic maritime corridors is that it runs entirely within the country's territorial waters. This provides a level of security that is not provided by international routes through the Baltic, Black or Mediterranean Seas, as they are vulnerable to foreign naval intervention during the crisis, such as blockades.

Russia's hydrocarbon industry also has great hopes for the expanded use of the NSR. Russia's current Arctic cargo fleet has more than 40 ships built in the last four years, and by 2030 it could triple to 120. However, to extend its navigation season, Russia faces an inevitable shortage of nuclear-powered icebreakers. Adding a fifth to the current fleet of four icebreakers will extend the season from eight to nine months.

If the plans to build an Arctic fleet are implemented, it will protect Russia's 4,300-mile merchant shipping along Russia's Arctic coast, freeing from the tedious work of securing both the Northern and Pacific fleets. However, as World War II proved, Arctic convoy duty in Russian waters can quickly become a high-risk endeavor.