Coastal Troops of the Pacific Fleet
Formation Overview
The Coastal Troops of the Pacific Fleet constitute the Russian Navy’s shore-based combat and support component in the Far East, combining naval infantry, coastal missile-artillery, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, communications, engineering, and logistics elements. Their core missions are amphibious operations, defense of littoral approaches, anti-ship coastal strike, and persistent maritime domain awareness across the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and Pacific approaches to Kamchatka and the Kuril chain. The units identified below are established Russian military formations designated by their military unit numbers (v/ch), reflecting a structured mix of combat, command-and-control, and enabling capabilities.
Naval Infantry Brigades (155th and 40th)
The 155th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade (military unit 30926) and the 40th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade (military unit 10103; commander listed as Colonel Dmitry Petukh) are amphibious-capable, brigade-level formations of the Pacific Fleet’s Coastal Troops. According to the provided data, both brigades field T-80BV main battle tanks, BTR-80/82A wheeled armored personnel carriers, 2S1 Gvozdika 122 mm self-propelled howitzers, BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple rocket launchers, and 9A34/9A35 Strela-10 short-range surface-to-air missile systems. Typical brigade structures include multiple naval infantry battalions, a tank battalion, an artillery group, short-range air defense, reconnaissance, engineering, and logistics elements, enabling combined-arms operations in littoral and near-coastal environments.
Coastal Missile Forces
The 72nd Coastal Missile Regiment (military unit 15118) is equipped with the 3K60 Bal series coastal anti-ship missile system as indicated in the data. Bal launchers carry Kh-35 family anti-ship missiles; open sources and manufacturer information cite typical engagement ranges of approximately 120 km for Kh-35E and up to roughly 260 km for improved variants such as Kh-35U/UE, with actual range dependent on missile variant and conditions. Each self-propelled launcher typically carries eight missiles, and the system is road-mobile to improve survivability. The 520th Separate Coastal Missile-Artillery Brigade (military unit 30973) appears as a higher-echelon headquarters for coastal missile-artillery assets; the listing includes its HQ and a subordinate element noted as “/B,” though no further composition details are provided in the supplied information.
Electronic Warfare Units
The 474th Separate Electronic Warfare (EW) Center (military unit 10604) and the 471st Separate EW Center (military unit 20918) provide theater-level electronic attack and electronic support to fleet and coastal formations. The data explicitly associates a “/C” subelement of the 471st with the Murmansk-BN complex, a long-range, high-frequency (HF, ~3–30 MHz) electronic warfare system intended for communications intelligence and jamming over very long distances. Publicly available industry materials attribute Murmansk-BN with an effective reach on the order of thousands of kilometers (often cited up to approximately 5,000 km under favorable propagation). These centers enhance force protection and situational awareness by degrading adversary C2 and contributing to the electromagnetic picture.
Reconnaissance Element
The 42nd Naval Reconnaissance Point (military unit 59190) represents a specialized reconnaissance formation supporting the Pacific Fleet’s Coastal Troops. Naval reconnaissance points traditionally perform littoral and hydrographic reconnaissance, special reconnaissance, and related enabling tasks for amphibious and coastal defense operations. Specific manning, subunit organization, and equipment sets for this unit are not publicly disclosed in open sources.
Communications Nodes
The 140th Communications Center (headquarters: military unit 40128) with subordinate elements listed as military units 40128-B, 40128-4, and 40128-5 provides signal support and command-and-control connectivity for Coastal Troops formations. Functions typically include fixed and deployable secure voice/data services, HF/VHF/UHF radio networks, radio-relay, and integration with satellite and troposcatter links to ensure continuity of command across dispersed littoral sites. Specific equipment inventories and network architectures are not publicly detailed due to operational security.
Coastal Radar and Sensor Sites
A Separate Radio-Technical Center (military unit 22938) is identified with the MR-900 Podsolnukh-E and a system cited as “Volna” radar. Podsolnukh-E is an over-the-horizon surface-wave coastal radar that provides persistent maritime domain awareness; open sources attribute detection of large surface targets at ranges up to approximately 450 km, with shorter ranges (roughly 200–300 km) for smaller vessels and low-altitude air targets, subject to sea state and environmental conditions. The “Volna” designation appears in open literature for multiple radar families; when referenced in a coastal surveillance context it denotes shore-based maritime or early-warning radar capability, but public technical specifications vary and are not consistently reported, precluding definitive performance statements.
Engineer Support
The 186th Separate Naval Engineer Battalion (military unit 40159) provides combat engineering support to coastal and amphibious operations. Core tasks include obstacle emplacement and reduction (to include mine warfare in littoral zones), route clearance, mobility/counter-mobility and survivability works (field fortifications and camouflage), and support to beach landing sites and port-of-debarkation infrastructure. Detailed equipment holdings and deployable bridging or specialty systems for this battalion are not publicly enumerated.
Logistics and Munitions Support
An Arsenal identified as military unit 63916 in the provided data supports storage, maintenance, and issue of munitions and related materiel for Coastal Troops elements. Standard practice for such facilities includes stockpiling artillery rockets and shells, missile stocks for coastal systems, and small arms ammunition, as well as technical inspection and life-cycle management. Precise storage locations, inventory levels, and safety procedures are not disclosed in open sources.
Equipment Capabilities Summary
Key systems listed include the T-80BV main battle tank, a gas-turbine MBT with a 125 mm smoothbore gun and Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor; BTR-80/82A 8×8 armored personnel carriers, with the BTR-82A mounting a stabilized 30 mm 2A72 cannon and improved protection over the BTR-80; the 2S1 Gvozdika 122 mm self-propelled howitzer, with typical projectile ranges around 15–21 km depending on ammunition; the BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple rocket launcher (40-tube), with widely cited ranges of about 20–40 km depending on rocket type; the 9K35 Strela-10 short-range surface-to-air missile system on 9A34/9A35 vehicles, with engagement envelopes commonly reported at up to roughly 5 km in range and around 3–3.5 km in altitude; the 3K60 Bal coastal anti-ship missile system firing Kh-35 family missiles with approximate ranges from 120 km (Kh-35E) to around 260 km (improved variants, per open-source disclosures); and the Murmansk-BN HF EW system, designed for long-range communications intelligence and jamming, often cited with effective action at transcontinental distances subject to ionospheric conditions.
Geographic Orientation and Operational Environment
The formations enumerated support coastal defense and amphibious operations along Russia’s Far Eastern littoral, notably Primorsky Krai facing the Sea of Japan, Sakhalin and the Strait of Tartary, the Sea of Okhotsk approaches, and the Pacific coastline of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands. Coastal missile units, electronic warfare centers, and radio-technical sites provide layered coverage that extends situational awareness and anti-ship engagement potential well beyond territorial waters, while naval infantry brigades furnish amphibious and coastal ground combat capability. Specific site locations and current dispositions are not provided in the source data and are generally not publicly released.
Command and Control Relationships
All units listed fall under the Coastal Troops of the Pacific Fleet within the Russian Navy’s organizational framework. The naval infantry brigades (155th and 40th) execute amphibious and coastal ground operations; the 520th Separate Coastal Missile-Artillery Brigade headquarters oversees coastal missile-artillery elements such as the 72nd Coastal Missile Regiment; the 471st and 474th Separate EW Centers furnish theater-level electronic warfare support; the 140th Communications Center provides signal and network services; the Separate Radio-Technical Center operates coastal radar and sensor systems; the 186th Engineer Battalion delivers combat engineering; and the Arsenal supports munitions logistics. Military unit numbers (v/ch) uniquely identify these formations in official registries; details of internal subordination and task organization can vary and are not fully disclosed in public sources.
Data Integrity and Gaps
The source list contains duplicate entries for the 40th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade and includes shorthand such as “/B” and “/C” for certain formations, which likely denote subordinate elements but are not standardized across open-source references. Some entries are annotated as “n/a,” and several units lack equipment or structural detail beyond the items listed. Exact garrison locations, personnel strengths, equipment quantities, and readiness states are not provided and are typically classified; where system names are cited (e.g., “Volna” radar), open-source technical data are inconsistent, and definitive specifications cannot be asserted without authoritative publication.