Russian Navy Sinking? And is that good?

A recent analysis by the authoritative Moscow-based weekly, the Independent Military Review (NVO), entitled "BMF RF (Naval Military Fleet of the Russian Federation) on Foreign Warships" states that the Russian Navy is currently in a situation of irreversible collapse...The analysis piece states the chief cause is the state of the Russian shipbuilding industry, which is incapable "of producing warships in either the quantity or at the level of quality that the navy customer requires" for the future. According to those interviewed, the Russian Navy's leadership "understands that this is a hopeless situation and are looking for a way out by considering the purchase of naval vessels from abroad."....The Fleet That Has To Die, Weekly Standard, 7/15/2009

Before the anti-Russian bloc starts to cheer, think a little. The less Russia is able to defend her frontiers and few open sea lanes, the more likely Russia will resort to much more dangerous force, including nuclear arms. This has in fact been a grave risk since the end of the Cold War.

And theirs isn't the only Navy in decline. American ships on patrol are less than half of what they were in 1988, in case you wondered why teenagers with rusty Kalashnikovs are stealing container ships off Somalia. Somebody's going to fill the gap. You don't need to look far beyond Russia's eastern border.

Luther