During the Vietnam War, the Cam Ranh base was located in the south of the country and served as a major rear for the US Navy. American engineers erected a convenient airfield and the newest port for the deployment of warships. The airfield was home to the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing and the 483rd Tactical Transport Wing. Contrary to the opinion of some military experts, B-52 bombers have never been stationed here.
In 1972, the United States handed over the Cam Ranh base for use. On April 3, 1975, the city was occupied by North Vietnamese troops. This happened during the Spring Offensive.
The history of the creation of the Russian military base in Cam Ranh
Since the mid-60s of the last century, the Soviet fleet began to explore the World Ocean and carry out military service there. Ships and submarines, aircraft of the USSR Air Force stayed in the open spaces of the ocean in order to maintain security in the region.
The increase in the number of ships sailing in the ocean and the widespread use of military aviation required logistics and technical support. Having no bases abroad, the Main Staff of the Navy launched work, during which new points were designated for basing Soviet ships and aircraft on the territory of countries friendly to the Soviet Union.
What sparked your interest in Cam Ranh?
The Cam Ranh base, which was previously used by American troops, became attractive to the Soviet Union due to its advantageous strategic position and convenience for the location of ships and aircraft.
The successful geographical location of the area made it possible to control the Malay and Singapore Straits, conduct work in the field of radio reconnaissance, direction finding of the Persian Gulf and the northern part of the Indian Ocean, the South China and East China Seas.
The countries of the ASEAN bloc, which were characterized by an accelerated pace of technological development, were also located here. They had large offshore oil reserves and large volumes of purchases of innovative equipment and raw materials for armaments.
How does the photo show the Cam Ranh military facility? The base with Binba Bay, in which it, in fact, is located, is located inside the peninsula. The depth and size of the bay make it possible to base different classes of ships and vessels.
In addition, the Cam Ranh Peninsula has a huge natural advantage, which played an important role in the placement of the base. There is a huge amount of fresh water, which is suitable for use.
In addition, the remaining piers, roads and buildings erected by the Americans are extremely convenient for use.
Signing a lease agreement
At the end of 1978, a delegation of representatives from the USSR visited Vietnam. It was the highest command staff of the Navy and Pacific Fleet. On December 30, the main points of the agreement were agreed upon, and then a protocol was signed, which became the basis for negotiations on the creation of a PMTO and its joint use with Vietnam.
On May 2, 1979, a bilateral agreement was concluded, signed by the leaders of the USSR and the SRV. The agreement provided for a free lease of the base for a period of 25 years.
How many naval vessels could be at the base?
In accordance with the signed agreement, the Vietnamese military base "Cam Ranh" had the right to be: ten Soviet surface ships, eight submarines with a floating base and six naval vessels for other purposes.
Sixteen missile-carrying aircraft, nine reconnaissance aircraft and three air transport vessels were allowed to be stationed at the airfield.
Depending on the military-political situation and on the basis of an agreement between the USSR Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, an increase in the number of ships and aircraft was allowed.
The beginning of the development of the territory
The Cam Ranh Navy base, the photo of which is presented below, began to be developed in May 1979. Soviet warships were the first to enter there. In the same year, the nuclear submarine K-45 moored to the Vietnamese port in the summer. Soon, the aircraft of the Pacific Fleet settled at the airfield of the Cam Ranh base.
In the winter of 1979, the Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, Admiral S. Gorshkov, arrived at such an important facility as the Cam Ranh base. The whole day was dedicated to acquaintance with the military facility.
The first military personnel of the Pacific Fleet arrived at the base in April 1980. It consisted of 54 people. Then he was replenished with a group of signalmen of 24 people. The personnel were housed in old Vietnamese houses and tents.
From 1983 to 1991, the 17th operational squadron was located in Cam Ranh, and from August 1991 to December 1991, the 8th OPESK.
On such a strategic facility as the Russian base in Cam Ranh, the command of the Navy and the government of the USSR assigned a number of tasks.
The following goals were set:
- provide electricity to all ships parked in the port of Cam Ranh, as well as supply aircraft with food and water;
- maintain stocks of MTS at the same level, issue and deliver technical and skipper support to passing vessels;
- to carry out transit communication of ships and vessels of the Pacific zone and the Indian Ocean;
- use the Cam Ranh base airfield for the distribution of anti-submarine aviation and reconnaissance aircraft;
- maintain their own infrastructure;
- develop and maintain Russian-Vietnamese friendship and cooperation.
What goals were facilitated by using the base?
The use of such a strategic facility as the Cam Ranh base for the USSR Navy greatly facilitated the solution of issues related to the provision of the necessary supplies of ships and aircraft, whose tasks included solving problems of varying degrees of complexity.
Cam Ranh was the only Soviet Russian military base located 2,500 miles from the nearest Soviet port.
Cam Ranh as a pledge of peace
The Cam Ranh base was the largest military base of the USSR abroad. At the same time, she acted as a counterweight to the US Navy Subic Bay in the Philippines. This made it possible to maintain peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
In accordance with the data for 1986, a separate mixed OSAP aviation regiment was located at the airfield of the Cam Ranh base, which included more than four Tu-95 aircraft, four Tu-142 aircraft, about twenty Tu-16 aircraft, about fifteen MiG-25 units, two An-24 transport aircraft and three Mi-8 helicopters. In addition, a base with anti-submarine and missile weapons was assigned to the flight regiment.
Construction of a garrison and residential facilities in Vietnam
What agreement was signed regarding such a strategically important facility as the Cam Ranh base (Vietnam)? 1984 marked a new arrangement. The agreement between the USSR and Vietnam, signed on April 20, provided for the construction of a garrison and other infrastructure facilities at the expense of material assistance to Vietnam from the USSR.
In the period from 1985 to 1987, the construction and installation organization of the Soviet Union "Zagrantekhstroy", which was headed by E. S. Bobrenev, erected 28 objects for various purposes. She also built houses.
The number of the garrison at that time was approximately 6,000 people, including people employed in construction. The agreement of April 20, 1984 provided for the transfer of facilities to the Vietnamese side for free use.
The first batch of facilities was erected in December 1987, after which they were put into operation by Soviet specialists on the basis of a gratuitous lease.
The number of Soviet troops at the base began to decline towards the end of 1980. As they wrote in an article in the Pravda newspaper dated January 19, 1990, the reduction in the presence of Soviet troops in Cam Ranh took place as part of measures to reduce the number of Soviet armed forces in East Asia and take up a purely defensive position in the Pacific region.
At the end of 1989, MiG-23 and Tu-16 aircraft were relocated from there. By the beginning of 1990, only one detachment of variable composition, consisting of ten aircraft, was based there.
From the beginning of 1992 to 1993, the 119th brigade, which included heterogeneous ships and aircraft, was located in Cam Ranh. Since the autumn of 1993, this brigade has also been abolished. The remaining units fell under the control of 922 PMTO.
In the early 90s, many port facilities were transferred to the Vietnamese side for permanent possession.
The Cam Ranh Naval Base existed until 2002.
What did the infrastructure include?
What infrastructure belonged to the Soviet and Russian military specialists?
From the 90s until the abolition of the PMTO in Cam Ranh (April 2002), Soviet and then Russian specialists used a number of facilities. The Cam Ranh Naval Base (Vietnam) had:
- military garrison, which included headquarters and barracks for personnel;
- dining room for 250 people;
- bakery;
- bath and laundry plant;
- club building;
- high school;
- eighteen residential buildings;
- warehouse of material resources;
- vehicle fleet along with special technical equipment.
Has Vietnam fully provided Russia with Cam Ranh? was supposed to be open to the entry of Russian warships. This issue was discussed during the visit of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party to our country. It was decided that a formal treaty would be signed with Vietnam in the near future.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, our ships and vessels for service in the Pacific Ocean should only notify the Vietnamese authorities about entering the military port of Cam Ranh. This was a major development as Vietnam became the second state after Syria to allow Russian Navy warships to be launched into their territory. Many military experts pointed out that the fact that Vietnam has long been considered Russia's partner in the military-technical field also played an important role.
In recent years, many contracts have been signed, the total value of which is $4.5 billion. In 2014, Russia delivered to Vietnam six 06361 Varshavyanka class equipped with the Club-S missile system. The mobile coastal complex "Bastion" was supplied, as well as the geoinformation system "Horizon" for the PBRK. Vietnam has ordered Molniya-type military boats, 11661 Gepard-39 patrol frigates, and Su-30 MK2 fighter aircraft.
And will there be tomorrow?
Will the Cam Ranh base be officially granted to Russia? Vietnam has an ambiguous position on this matter. Just a few months ago, the state was for the return of the Russian military to the base, provided that cooperation does not pose a military threat to third countries.
Relations between the two countries must be exclusively peaceful. This position was expressed on May 17 by Vietnamese Ambassador to our country Nguyen Thanh Son. He noted that Vietnamese policy is based on not entering into military alliances with any state in opposition to another.
As the diplomat noted, in this context, the provision of Cam Ranh ports is a priority. The purpose of the interaction between the two countries will be to provide maritime services, carry out repair work on ships and develop military equipment to maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region.
Nguyen Thanh Son stated that Hanoi intends to continue cooperation with Moscow in the field of defense. They were also told that Vietnam has always perceived Russia as a friendly partner.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian military bases could be deployed in Cuba and Vietnam. Specific terms of placement were not specified. It was noted that negotiations are underway in this direction.
Dmitry Peskov explained the possible deployment in these countries by the national interests of our country. Peskov also noted that the situation in the international arena over the past two years has become extremely tense, and significant amendments have been made to Russia's security policy.
And here is an unexpected turn of events. A few days ago, information appeared about the impossibility of finding Russia at such an object as the Cam Ranh base. Vietnam has made an official announcement. This was announced at a briefing in Hanoi by Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hai Binh. According to him, Vietnam refuses to let the military bases of other countries, including Russia, into its territory.
American engineers built an airfield and a modern port. The 12th Tactical Fighter Wing and the 483rd Tactical Transport Wing of the US Air Force were based at the airfield; contrary to some claims, B-52 strategic bombers have never been based here. In 1972, the United States transferred all military installations in Cam Ranh to the South Vietnamese army. On April 3, 1975, the city was taken by the North Vietnamese army during the Spring Offensive.
Part of the base has been reconstructed and since 2004 has been functioning as a civil (now international) airport Cam Ranh.
Resumption of activity
Since the spring of 2014, the Cam Ranh airfield has been used for the first time for servicing Il-78 aircraft, which provide in-flight refueling for Tu-95MS aircraft.
Incidents
On February 13, 1985, when performing a night sortie for combat service, a pair of scouts of the 169th Guards. SAP in the South China Sea, crashed for technical reasons Tu-95RTs (lead), ship commander Major Krivenko Sergey Dmitrievich. The emergency situation arose at the eighth hour of the flight. 50 minutes before the fall, the commander told the wingman to stop the mission and cut the route directly to the Cam Ranh airfield, without explaining the reason for this maneuver. The wingman, following the leader at a distance of 15 km with an excess of 300 m, noticed on the flashing light beacon the leader’s energetic movement to the right, followed by a decrease, and then received a message on the radio: “We are falling! We're falling! Who can hear me? Pa…". None of the crew escaped, the causes of the accident were not reliably established. Died: Mr. S.D. Krivenko, Dr. V.V. Komarov, Dr. V.M. Ivanov, p/p-to V.I. Yaschenko, Art. Dr. V.S. Serebryakov, Dr. A.M. Abukhadzhiev, ave. V.V. Kantsevan, A.I. Belov, A.A. Zakharov, pr-to V.M. Sidorkin.
see also
Notes
Links
- Pavel Danilin. Struggle with myths: to whom did Russia hand over Cam Ranh?
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Experienced tourists are already difficult to surprise with something. Various sights, of which there are many in all tourist meccas, become monotonous over time, and you want a simple human relaxing holiday without fuss and running after a guide. Such a quiet place is the city of Cam Ranh in. It is completely different from typical places where a lot of vacationers flock and therefore there are many advantages for those who want a calm and secluded vacation.
Previously, the Soviet and then the Russian military fleet was based in Cam Ranh Bay, but in 2002 the contract was terminated, and now Vietnamese military naval bases are located here, by the way, very powerful and secret. Therefore, tourists should not flatter themselves that they will be able to see them with at least one eye.
Hotels
In the town of Cam Ranh in Vietnam, there are no five-star hotels, and lovers of increased comfort will clearly not like it. And for unpretentious tourists there are small family pensions where you can relax at night, take a shower and go in search of adventure.
You can dine in two or three fairly decent restaurants for this area, which offer both Asian and European cuisine. But if it’s not for you to sit sedately at lunch or dinner, then numerous shops offering all kinds of food prepared right there are always at the service of vacationers.
Interestingly, here the prices for accommodation and meals are very democratic and no cheating is done for tourists - everything can be purchased at the same prices as for the population, which, by the way, is very friendly and responsive. You can rent a cheap room for local residents if you are not afraid of living conditions here.
Weather in Cam Ranh (Vietnam)
During the summer months, it is quite hot here and the air temperature can be between 30 and 45°C in the shade. But thanks to the fresh sea breeze, such heat is tolerated quite easily.
The most favorite tourist month here is December, when the temperature does not exceed 30 ° C and there is no rain. The sunny days of December allow you to relax on the beach, sunbathe without compromising your health.
Cam Ranh Airport (Vietnam)
Previously, the airport belonged to a military base and was not accessible to the general population. But in 2009, after repair and reconstruction, it received civil and international status and can now receive aircraft from all over the world. From the airport, regular intercity buses transport those who have arrived to all major cities of Vietnam.
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In terms of tourism, it is developing at an accelerated pace. In recent years, Russians have made a choice in favor of this Asian country instead of traveling to Turkey and Egypt. Many of our compatriots also visited the city of Cam Ranh, which is a landmark for the inhabitants of Russia, because Russian pilots have been serving in these places for more than 20 years.
Cam Ranh is located on the coast of Cam Ranh Bay, 50 km from the center of the famous resort. The town itself with a population of 126 thousand people is not a resort. It is best known for its airport, located 15 km away, and its deep sea port, one of the best in the world. In the vicinity of Cam Ranh, there are beautiful landscapes, magnificent semi-wild beaches, but many tourists, having landed at the airport, go on vacation to neighboring Nha Trang.
There is a logical explanation for this fact. The tourist infrastructure is still poorly developed in the city of Cam Ranh, because quite recently there was a military base here. After the opening of the International Airport, neighboring Nha Trang turned into a popular resort, and Cam Ranh remained a cozy, quiet town. Those who want to see an ordinary non-tourist city of Vietnam come here. There are no attractions here, there are no five-star hotels. There is wonderful nature, green mountains, a long white sand beach, where tourists from neighboring Nha Trang come to rest.
History of Cam Ranh
A convenient deep-water bay predetermined the role of an important seaport for this town. Back in 1905, when Russia was at war with Japan, the Russian squadron called at the port of Cam Ranh. During the Second World War, the base of the naval forces of Japan was located here. During the Vietnam War in Cam Ranh, territorially belonging to South Vietnam, a port and an airfield were built by the US military. In 1972, the United States transferred these facilities to the South Vietnamese army, and three years later the city was captured by the armed forces of North Vietnam.
In 1979, Vietnam and the USSR signed an agreement according to which Cam Ranh became the largest foreign naval base of the Soviet Union for 25 years with the right to free rent. In 2002, the Russian military finally left the base. After its reconstruction, Cam Ranh Civil Airport began operating in 2004.
Airport
In 2009, the airport was given international status. In Vietnam, it ranks fourth in terms of passenger traffic. The length of the runway at 3048 m allows you to take airliners of any size. Cam Ranh Airport serves six airlines. It has two terminals, a weather station, comfortable waiting rooms, several restaurants and pharmacies, and exchange offices.
A visa for Russian citizens staying in Vietnam for a period of less than 15 days is not required. For those who plan to stay in this country for a longer period, it is necessary to issue an invitation letter through a travel agency in advance and, on the basis of it, obtain a visa at the airport.
Infrastructure
The city is located on the shore of the bay in a picturesque place. It stretched along the coast for 2–3 km. In the center there is a train station, shops, a hospital, a post office, a Mobifon office, several Buddhist temples, a Catholic church, and two restaurants. All active city life is concentrated on the main street. There are spacious sidewalks, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, a small number of cars, which creates comfortable conditions for walking and cycling.
The city has a lot of gas stations and hairdressers, small grocery stores. There are two large shopping centers - Maximark and Coopmart. Supermarkets are located on the first floors, and inexpensive canteens are located on the upper floors.
Beach
Near the city of Cam Ranh and 20 km south of Nha Trang is one of the longest beaches in Vietnam - Bai Dai or Bai Dai, which translates from Vietnamese as "long". According to various sources, its length is 14–18 km. When there was a military base in the city, only the military and local residents could enter the beach area. Then it began to be visited by small foreigners. Now many tourists already know about this beautiful beach, and local Vietnamese come here to relax on weekends, so the coastal strip is no longer in such a pristine state.
The sand on the beach is white, coral. The entrance to the water is gentle, shallow near the shore, the water is warm and clear. It is very comfortable for children, and parents do not need to worry that their kids will be washed away by a wave into the open sea. Conventionally, Bai Dai can be divided into two parts - cultivated and wild. Service offered on the cultivated part: cafe on the sand, lifeguards, small shops, sunbeds, umbrellas, scooter rental.
There are few foreigners on the beach and many locals. The Vietnamese are sitting in a cafe, swimming in the sea. Here you will never see Vietnamese girls in bathing suits. The Vietnamese enter the water in ordinary clothes - T-shirts, shorts, jeans. There are few people on the beach on weekdays. On weekends, the beach is not cleaned and a lot of garbage accumulates on it, especially near the cafe. In the tourist part of Bai Dai (Bai Dai) is much cleaner. If desired, on such a long beach you can always find a clean area for a secluded holiday.
Pros of Bai Dai Beach:
- large territory;
- sparsely populated;
- pure water;
- White sand;
- gentle entry into the water;
- the presence of a cafe.
- garbage in some places of the beach area spoils the impression of the rest;
- a common disadvantage for Vietnam is that local service personnel do not know other languages than their native;
- For lovers of a comfortable stay, this semi-wild beach is absolutely not suitable.
Vietnam is not against the return of Russia to the military base in Cam Ranh, but this cooperation should not be directed against third countries, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Nguyen Thanh Son said on May 17.
Vietnam's policy is not to enter into military alliances or ally with one state against another. In this context, the implementation of the ports of Cam Ranh for multilateral international cooperation in order to provide maritime transport services, repair of ships and the development of military equipment to ensure peace and stability in the region is an appropriate direction, the diplomat noted.
Nguyen Thanh Son said that Hanoi intends to develop cooperation with Moscow in the field of defense. He also added that Vietnam has always considered Russia "its close, traditional partner" and that "trust-based relations with Russia are a priority in Vietnam's foreign policy."
Recall that in 1979 the Socialist Republic of Vietnam gave Cam Ranh and its facilities to the Soviet Union for 25 years for free rent. The Soviet military rebuilt and expanded the base: modestly called the PMTO of the Navy, it was a powerful naval base for the 17th operational squadron. Here at the same time there were eight to ten surface ships, four to eight submarines and support vessels. The base at Cam Ranh allowed the Pacific Fleet to control the South Pacific and the entire Indian Ocean. In 2001, the Russian leadership decided not to renew the agreement with Vietnam and to evacuate the base ahead of schedule.
Cam Ranh Bay with the Soviet navy. Poster from 1985.
But what decision will Moscow make now? Is it ready to demonstrate geopolitical positions in the Asia-Pacific region along with the US and China?
Judging by the agreements reached at the highest level, one might get the impression that it is ready. Yes, November 12, 2013 Presidents of Russia and Vietnam An agreement was signed on the establishment of a joint base for the maintenance and repair of submarines in Cam Ranh.
February 2014 Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia will expand its military presence in the world: negotiations are underway on the deployment of military facilities with Vietnam and Cuba, and "active work is underway in the Seychelles, Singapore, Algeria, Cyprus, Venezuela, Nicaragua and a number of other countries." Shoigu noted that at the equator and in other regions of the world it is necessary to ensure the refueling of long-range aircraft of the Russian Federation. Since the spring of 2014, the Cam Ranh airfield has been used for the first time to service Il-78 aircraft, which provide in-flight refueling for Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers.
And in November 2014, it became known that during a visit to the Russian Federation by the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, an agreement was signed on a simplified procedure for the entry of Russian ships into the Vietnamese port of Cam Ranh. As explained to TASS in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, after serving in the World Ocean, Russian ships and vessels only need to notify the port authorities in order to call at Cam Ranh. This was an important event, if only because Vietnam became the second country - after Syria - with which Russia agreed on a "conciliatory" procedure for the entry of naval ships. Even then, some military experts suggested that the signing of another agreement with Vietnam, which is also valid with Syria, is not far off - on the creation of a logistics center for the Russian Navy (PMTO) in Cam Ranh, or rather, its return.
Experts pointed out that the fact that Vietnam is Russia's traditional partner in the military-technical sphere also contributes to this. In recent years, the parties have signed contracts worth over $4.5 billion. To date, Russia has supplied Vietnam with 4 out of 6 Project 06361 Varshavyanka diesel submarines with the Club-S missile system. Deliveries of the Bastion mobile coastal missile system, as well as the Gorizont geoinformation system for the PBRK, were delivered. In addition to submarines, the list of military equipment ordered by Vietnam includes Molniya missile boats, Project 11661 Gepard-3.9 patrol frigates, and Su-30MK2 fighters…
Former head of the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, participant in the negotiations on Cam Ranh in 1998-2000, Colonel General Leonid Ivashov believes that the reports that have recently appeared in the media about the return of the Russian Federation to Vietnam and Cuba are not only rhetoric that can last for years.
I believe that the Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia, Nguyen Thanh Son, did not express his personal point of view. Apparently, before that there were already some contacts between our and their military on the issue of basing in Cam Ranh. That is, he announced the official position of his country, and this can be regarded as an invitation, which, in my opinion, should never be refused.
You definitely need to return to Cam Ranh. Firstly, this is one of the most comfortable and deep-water bays not only on the coast of the South China Sea, but throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Secondly, there are not only six mooring walls for ships, but also an airfield, which was once equipped by the Soviet Union and which was once actively used by Soviet strategic and anti-submarine aviation, reconnaissance aircraft, there were electronic tracking stations ...
Now we have begun to enter the World Ocean more actively, we have our own strategic interests, which we defend. In this regard, a military presence in the Asia-Pacific region is simply necessary. But the issue is the price.
Under the terms of the agreement, until 2000, Russia - as the legal successor of the USSR - did not pay anything for this base. When in the late 1990s the Vietnamese side raised the question of signing a new agreement on the lease of the base, the Russian delegation, which I headed, and which then included Russian Defense Minister Marshal Igor Sergeev, agreed on preferential terms for our presence, which also suited the Vietnamese. For example, our side proposed to provide the Vietnamese Navy with two of the six mooring walls, to use the airfield for joint aviation basing, plus - to supply several ships that at that time were to be disposed of. Now we also have something to offer the Vietnamese authorities - for example, we continue to supply there a fairly wide range of military equipment.
In general, I must say “thank you” to the Vietnamese for Cam Ranh (as well as to the Cubans for Lourdes), because when we left there, the Americans immediately tried to conclude a lease on the former Soviet military-technical facilities with the prospect of adapting them to the military needs of the United States. However, despite all the attempts of the Pentagon, the Vietnamese did not give them the bay, continuing, in fact, to wait for our return. For Vietnam, the Russian presence in Cam Ranh is also beneficial - the level of their security in relations with their closest neighbors, China and the United States, increases many times over. We should not forget that Vietnam, despite its limited territories, is a fairly large country with a rapidly growing economy that is catching up with Russia in terms of population.
"SP": - But questions immediately arise - will the bay be used for temporary entry of ships serving in the Indian Ocean, how many ships can we permanently base in Cam Ranh at the moment?
Certainly. But if agreements are concluded on our return, then it is clear that there will be a small military facility in Cam Ranh, which cannot be compared in terms of the level of forces and means with what it was during the Soviet era. But this will be enough.
Let's say, before our active intervention in the Syrian conflict, the 720th logistic support point of the Russian Navy located in Tartus consisted of two floating berths 100 meters long with a couple of warehouses, a barracks and several buildings on the shore. Plus, there was one floating workshop of the Black Sea Fleet on a permanent rotation basis. However, this object also provided us with a permanent presence in the Mediterranean. Now we understand how important it was to resist the pressure and keep the PMTO there, which is now becoming our full-fledged base in the region. Although Chief of the General Staff Anatoly Kvashnin insisted that Russia leave Tartus as well as from Lourdes and Cam Ranh.
But if we want to play an influential role in world politics today, we need to increase our military presence on other continents.
In Soviet times, Kamran grew from PMTO into the largest military base of the USSR abroad - with a berthing complex, an airfield covered by air defense units, on which OSAP (a separate mixed air regiment) was based. It included Tu-95, Tu-142, squadrons of Tu-16 and MiG-25, transport An-24 and several helicopters, notes Deputy Director of the Institute for Political and Military Analysis Alexander Khramchikhin. - About 20 ships and vessels of the Navy, about 40 aircraft were constantly present in Cam Ranh. By June 2001, when Russia announced that it had decided not to renew the agreement with Vietnam on the lease of the base, most of the berthing fleet and port facilities had already been transferred to the use of the Vietnamese side, and, in fact, only the PMTO remained there.
It is quite clear that Vietnam agreed to transfer Cam Ranh to the USSR (during the Vietnam War, it was located on the territory of South Vietnam and was a major rear base for US troops) only after the aggression of Beijing in 1979. That is, Vietnam signed an agreement with the USSR for the Soviet Union to contain China. And if now the Vietnamese are again calling us back, then again with the same goal - to contain China. And this is an interesting question to what extent today's Russia is ready to come there in this particular context. From my point of view, it is necessary to return there, but it is difficult to say what the Kremlin thinks about this.
In general, it is not even necessary to keep ships in Cam Ranh on a permanent basis, especially since, with all our desire, we will not be able to do this now - we simply do not have enough ships. But it is enough to have the infrastructure, or, in the end, to use the Vietnamese infrastructure to ensure a military presence there. By the way, dozens of ships are not necessarily on the roadstead at American bases abroad. There may not even be a single one there, but the important fact is that there is a base where US military personnel are serving, aviation is located and where ships can safely enter for refueling, replenishing supplies, undergoing repairs.
On the one hand, talk about the return of the Russian Federation to Cam Ranh is still only rhetoric, on the other hand, this is a good opportunity to return the country to the status of a great power for relatively little money, says a researcher at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Andrey Frolov, editor-in-chief of Arms Export magazine. - Of course, the presence of a military facility in the Asia-Pacific region simplifies the tasks of strategic aviation and combat service ships of the Pacific Fleet, which go to the Indian Ocean to fight piracy or for exercises with the Indian Navy. But in my opinion, basing in Cam Ranh is not a matter of paramount importance at the moment. As they say, the devil is in the details: in any case, the rent will have to be paid, and it is one thing if the Vietnamese demand tens of millions of dollars, and another if a barter agreement is concluded.
At the moment, it is enough for Russia to have free entry to Cam Ranh - the corresponding agreement has been signed and is in effect. Over the past 10 years, Russia has not performed any serious tasks in this region, and the ships of the Pacific Fleet (as a rule, as part of a larger anti-submarine ship, a tanker and a rescue ship) still have the opportunity to call at Cam Ranh and refuel.
