Russian naval missions to Cuba reveal fleet's faltering power

In early June, a squadron of Russian ships visited Cuba, allowing Americans to register one of their acoustic signatures. In July, more ships set off towards Cuba, but the voyage—rather than being a show of strength—highlighted the pitiful state of the Russian navy.

The first Russian squadron visited Cuba in early June, many years ago. Its lineup included the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, a tugboat, a tanker, and the Kazan submarine of Project 885M (type Yasen-M).

This vessel is known for its excellent soundproofing. The Russians' visit to Cuba allowed Americans to create a detailed acoustic profile of the Russian submarine, which will make tracking it easier in the future.

According to Cuban sources, another Russian squadron is scheduled to arrive in Cuba on July 27. However, its composition is much less impressive than before, consisting of the old frigate Neustrashimy Project 11540, a training ship, and a tanker. Despite propaganda, these units pose no challenge or threat to the USA.

Neustrashimy is a ship built in the 1980s. It is 446 feet long and displaces 4,600 tons. In 2014, it was sent to the repair yard, and the repair—planned for three years—lasted eight years and would have taken longer if not for its hasty return to service in 2022.

The repair did not involve significant modernization, even though there were plans for such updates. For years, the Russians have tried to restore the vessel to the capabilities it had in 1990 when it entered service. Consequently, the range of the frigate's anti-aircraft armament—the 9K95 Kinzhal system—is barely 7 miles. Beyond this distance, the ship can be attacked with impunity by aircraft.

The ship lacks 3M24 Uran anti-ship missiles, which—though intended for this vessel—were never installed. Apart from the 9K95 anti-aircraft system, its armament includes one AK-100 bow gun (3.94 inches), two Kortik anti-aircraft defense systems (marine variants of the Tunguska system), RBU-6000 depth charge launchers, and Vodopad-NK torpedo launchers.

In this state, the Neustrashimy, combined with its outdated sensors, poses no challenge to modern warships. However, it is suitable for combating pirates in the Horn of Africa, a role it filled before its repair.