Russian Navy
Strategic Command Overview
The Russian Navy headquarters is located in the Admiralty complex in Saint Petersburg. As of May 2024, the Commander-in-Chief is Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev. The Russian Navy commands the Northern, Pacific, Baltic, and Black Sea Fleets, along with the Caspian Flotilla, Naval Aviation, and Coastal Troops. The headquarters directs force development, operations, logistics, communications policy, and inter-fleet coordination.
43rd Communications Center, Vileyka VLF Transmitter
The 43rd Communications Center of the Russian Navy operates a very low frequency (VLF) transmitter facility near Vileyka, Minsk Oblast, Belarus. Its mission is to transmit orders and message traffic to submarines using VLF signals, which can penetrate seawater to limited depths and enable one-way communications with submerged platforms. Publicly available satellite imagery shows an extensive multi-mast antenna field typical of high-power VLF stations. The site operates under Russia–Belarus intergovernmental agreements concluded in 1995 and subsequently extended; detailed technical parameters, operating schedules, and personnel strength are not publicly disclosed.
Central Communications Center of Naval Aviation (military unit 49383, also referenced as 45603) and antenna field
The Central Communications Center of Naval Aviation provides centralized communications support to Naval Aviation formations. Open references associate this entity with military unit 49383 and, in some listings, 45603; the presence of a dedicated antenna field indicates ground-based transmission and reception infrastructure supporting aviation command-and-control networks. Specific locations, equipment inventories, and technical characteristics are not publicly released. The unit integrates Naval Aviation into the wider Navy communications architecture while employing protected (secured) communications in accordance with Russian military standards.
318th Central Navy Radio Detachment (military unit 72064)
The 318th Central Navy Radio Detachment is identified as military unit 72064. The designation indicates a centrally subordinated radio unit supporting Navy communications. Publicly available records do not disclose its precise location, equipment set, personnel strength, or detailed tasking. In Russian military practice, radio detachments operate and maintain assigned radio facilities under the direction of higher communications commands; specific parameters for this detachment remain undisclosed.
338th Navy Communications Center (military unit 45682)
The 338th Navy Communications Center, military unit 45682, is a communications node within the Navy’s command-and-control framework. While detailed location and equipment data are not publicly available, the unit’s role is consistent with managing, routing, and sustaining Navy message traffic across assigned networks and interfacing with higher and subordinate headquarters.
Navy Electronic Equipment Storage Base (military unit 87338)
The Navy Electronic Equipment Storage Base, military unit 87338, provides depot-level storage, preservation, inspection, and issue of electronic equipment for naval units. Such stock typically includes communications gear, radar and sonar components, navigation aids, and electronic warfare systems. Exact inventories, facility layout, and addresses are not publicly disclosed; handling procedures conform to Ministry of Defense regulations for long-term storage and lifecycle support of technical property.
4th Naval Aviation Arsenal (military unit 40035)
The 4th Naval Aviation Arsenal, military unit 40035, is responsible for the storage, maintenance, inspection, and issuance of naval aviation weapons and technical property. This includes aviation munitions (such as guided missiles, torpedoes, and bombs), weapon suspension systems, specialized containers, and ground support equipment. Depot-level tasks include periodic checks, refurbishment, and preparation of materiel for operational use in accordance with established safety and technical standards. Detailed addresses, stock levels, and internal layouts are not publicly available.
954th Anti-Submarine Weapons Research Base (military unit 87366)
The 954th Anti-Submarine Weapons Research Base, military unit 87366, supports research and test activities related to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) armaments. Typical mission elements for such bases include bench and range testing of torpedoes and rocket-assisted depth charge systems, technical evaluation of associated control and guidance components, and training support for technical personnel. Specific test ranges, equipment, and programs are not publicly disclosed.
Navy Storage Bases (military unit 58661-75 and 58661-78)
The Navy Storage Bases designated as branches 58661-75 and 58661-78 are subordinate elements of a larger logistics organization identified by the core number 58661. These branches conduct long-term storage, preservation, accounting, and issue of naval technical property and supplies. Exact locations, storage categories, and capacities are not publicly released; branch suffixes indicate separate facilities under a common parent unit.
Navy Technical Systems Security Research Center (military unit 70170)
The Navy Technical Systems Security Research Center, military unit 70170, conducts research and experimental work focused on the protection and secure operation of naval technical systems. Areas covered include the safety and reliability of systems, protection against unauthorized access, and issues of electromagnetic compatibility and interference mitigation. Specific project lists, laboratories, and performance parameters remain undisclosed in public sources.
69th Special Navy Test Center (military unit 72175)
The 69th Special Navy Test Center, military unit 72175, is a specialized organization conducting tests and evaluations of naval equipment with unique or specialized characteristics. Activities ordinarily include acceptance and qualification testing, environmental and electromagnetic assessments, and technical support to Navy–industry certification processes. Detailed locations, test ranges, and equipment under evaluation are not publicly available.
6th Atlantic Oceanographic Expedition of the Russian Navy (military unit 42842)
The 6th Atlantic Oceanographic Expedition (6 AOE), military unit 42842, is an oceanographic and hydrographic formation under the Navy’s navigation and hydrographic authorities. It conducts hydrographic surveys and oceanographic expeditions in the Atlantic and adjacent waters to support maritime navigation, oceanographic data collection, and naval operations. Open reporting associates the oceanographic research ship Admiral Vladimirsky (Project 852) with this formation; the vessel is homeported in Kronstadt. Specific expedition plans, data products, and detailed asset lists are not publicly disclosed.
Functional Role of Communications Sites
The communications entities listed—particularly the 43rd Communications Center at Vileyka, the Central Communications Center of Naval Aviation (military unit 49383/45603), the 338th Navy Communications Center (military unit 45682), and the 318th Central Navy Radio Detachment (military unit 72064)—form layers of the Navy’s command-and-control network. The VLF transmitter at Vileyka provides one-way messaging to submerged submarines, while the other centers manage terrestrial and other communications for fleet and aviation elements. Together, these nodes enable the transmission, relay, and management of operational orders and administrative traffic across the Navy.
Legal and Basing Context for Vileyka (Belarus)
The Russian Navy’s operation of the Vileyka communications facility in Belarus is governed by intergovernmental agreements signed in 1995 between Russia and Belarus. These agreements have been extended by subsequent protocols. Public texts indicate that the arrangement provides for Russian operation of the site, while aspects such as duration, specific property regimes, and support obligations are codified in those agreements. Detailed financial terms, technical annexes, and classified provisions are not publicly available.
Data Availability and Classification Notes
For the units listed—military unit 87338 (Navy Electronic Equipment Storage Base), 49383/45603 (Central Communications Center of Naval Aviation), 72064 (318th Central Navy Radio Detachment), 40035 (4th Naval Aviation Arsenal), 45682 (338th Navy Communications Center), 87366 (954th Anti-Submarine Weapons Research Base), 58661-75 and 58661-78 (Navy Storage Bases), 70170 (Navy Technical Systems Security Research Center), 72175 (69th Special Navy Test Center), and 42842 (6th Atlantic Oceanographic Expedition)—precise locations, facility layouts, personnel strength, and detailed technical characteristics are not publicly disclosed or are classified. The functions described above reflect the units’ official designations and publicly verifiable roles without revealing restricted information.