The Russian Defense Ministry has opened bids on a contract to repair and upgrade a Black Sea coastal artillery system that is adjacent to the Russia-occupied Crimea Peninsula.
The 130mm self-propelled Bereg artillery system is based near the village of Utash in Russia's southern Krasnodar region. It is operated by forces from Russia's Black Sea naval base at Novorossiisk.
The artillery vehicles are positioned where they can attack ships passing through the Kerch Strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov.
With a range of 20 kilometers, the Bereg artillery system is designed to destroy small and medium-sized warships as well as providing support for ground troops and countering an amphibious assault.
Worth an estimated 5 million rubles, the contract calls for repairs and upgrades to four of the wheeled vehicles that carry the coastal gun mounts, along with a command-and-control vehicle and combat support vehicles.
