It is impossible to imagine the Russian Navy without modern high-tech combat submarines. One of the brightest representatives of the family of nuclear submarines is considered the submarine Severodvinsk - the brainchild of PO Sevmash. July 28, 2014 the submarine left the machine-building enterprise of the defensive complex of the city of Severodvinsk and went on combat duty in the White Sea.
Western press about the underwater miracle of Russia
The Russian submarine Severodvinsk in 2014 made a splash among Western military experts. The Sunday Times, an English print publication, announces: "The West fears the beast from the depths." According to journalists, this beast is nothing but a new Russian development - the multipurpose nuclear submarine Severodvinsk. Many experts interviewed by the publication note that after it appeared in the navy, Russia broke into the leaders of the world underwater technology. The Severodvinsk nuclear submarine is the main design-designed vessel 885 Ash, which has 8 universal launchers in its arsenal, accommodating up to 32 cruise missiles. Depending on the category of these missiles, the Severodvinsk submarine can destroy surface and coastal targets with an aiming range of several tens of thousands of kilometers. In addition, ten underwater vehicles will allow you to fight with enemy ships.
The history of one submarine
The Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy acquired the latest generation IV nuclear submarine at its disposal. The first laying of a warship of this class was made at the Sevmash machine-building enterprise in the city of Severodvinsk on December 21, 1993. At that time, the economic situation in the country did not allow to begin the full-scale construction of a military facility. Some production processes had to be stopped due to poor financing. Grandiose design decisions on the building architecture of the submarine required certain approvals and improvements. In 2009, the project of the Malachite maritime bureau of the city of St. Petersburg received final approval and was taken under personal control by the third president of the Russian Federation, D. A. Medvedev. For five years, from 2009 to 2014, the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine went through the entire production and technological cycle. In November 2013, sea trials were adopted by the State Commission of the Ministry of Defense, and on June 17, 2014, the Andreevsky flag was solemnly raised over the combat submarine. The
submarine base of the 10th division of the Northern Fleet of the city of Zaozersk received a new multipurpose nuclear submarine.
Technological features of the underwater monster
The main advantage of the Russian nuclear submarines is its mixed construction system, which reduces noise and makes the boat practically invisible, and therefore invulnerable. Naturally, all the tactical and technical characteristics of the project 885 are kept in the strictest confidence. Referring to the words of a source from intelligence services, The Sunday Times claims that the United States is primarily concerned about the appearance of the latest submarine K 560 Severodvinsk. And this is not surprising. Indeed, thanks to the secrecy of the project, no one knows even half of what can be on board the nuclear submarine Severodvinsk. So far, only military experts can guess in which region of the oceans this warship will take up combat duty.
Technical characteristics of the atomic submarine
What are the technical features of this large submarine?
The submarine Severodvinsk is a military facility that is armed with strategic and cruise missiles. The functional purpose of military weapons is the defeat of carrier groups and submarines of a potential enemy. Some technical specifications:
- maximum length is 120 m;
- maximum width - 14 m;
- maximum height - 10 m;
- OK-650V nuclear reactor capacity is 190 MW;
- displacement - 13 800 tons;
- surface speed - 16 knots;
- scuba diving speed - 31 knots;
- autonomy of staying under water - 100 days;
- The ship consists of 90 crew members.
The maximum depth of the submarine when diving is 600 meters.
Fighting "stuffing" of the submarine cruiser
The armament of Severodvinsk consists of:
- 10 torpedo tubes (533 and 650 mm);
- 32 supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles P-800 Onyx;
- strategic cruise missiles X-101;
- cruise missiles ground destruction ZM-14E.
The location of the torpedo tubes is not in the bow of the boat, but behind the compartment of the central control post. Thanks to this modernization, the antenna of the Ajax sonar system is located in the bow compartment of the ship.
P-800 Onyx missile launcher
The fourth-generation modern Russian submarines are equipped with the powerful Onyx P-800 anti-ship missile system. This strike weapon was developed at Reutovsky "NPO Mashinostroyeniya", in the department of chief designer G. Efremov. For the first time, Onyx anti-ship missiles began to be developed in the 80s. Unlike Soviet predecessors, modern systems are distinguished by universal actions of wide application: launch is made from surface ships, coastal installations, submarines, as well as from airplanes. In 1987, a throw launch of the complex was carried out. After a state test in 2002, the missile launcher was put into military service of the Navy of the Russian Federation.
Hydroacoustic complex "Ajax"
For the first time, the Northern Fleet of Russia, thanks to the multipurpose submarine Severodvinsk, got at its disposal the overall spherical sonar system Ajax. The case structure of the system is made of AK-32 steel. It is austenitic steel with a yield strength of 100 kg / mm².
Competitive Advantages
The technical superiority of this type of submarine is as follows:
- high level of automation;
- periscope telesystem MTK-115-2, which produces a survey of the surface with depth immersion up to 50 m;
- silent propeller shaft of the electric motor;
- unified systems for offensive attack of sea and ground targets of the enemy;
- powerful balanced strike weapons system;
- wide range of working depths.
All these design features leave their competitors far behind. Such technical superiority is a great advantage, especially in combat conditions.
Project price and development prospects
The officially declared value of this Russian nuclear submarine is 47 billion rubles, which is 2 times higher than the cost of the 955 Borey nuclear missile project. In the near future, it is planned to release six Ash projects. Thus, we can conclude that the military doctrine of the Russian Federation is aimed at the submarine fleet of multipurpose nuclear submarines.
Rescue capsule test
For the first time in the history of the Russian submarine fleet, Severodvinsk took part in the testing of a pop-up system rescue chamber. At a depth of 40 meters in Zapadnaya Litsa Bay, an atomic submarine simulated a stationary position on the ground of a conditionally emergency submarine. According to experts and the test team that participated in the crew evacuation exercises, such a camera would be a real find when rescuing the sailors of the Kursk submarine.
The future of the Russian submarine fleet
The statistical results of the International Arms Trade Center indicate that there are currently 450 military submarines of various classes in the oceans. The Russian fleet accounts for 60 units, that is, virtually every seventh boat is a Russian one. Among this number of military weapons are 10 nuclear submarines of strategic purpose, the rest are diesel, multi-purpose and special-purpose boats. According to military experts, by 2020 all the “old” submarines of projects 971 and 949 will be modernized and equipped with modern combat systems, like the nuclear submarine Severodvinsk. Which, in principle, is quite reasonable. To date, the Russian submarine fleet has received a fourth-generation nuclear submarine. The difference from previous warships is that it has a large number of weapons placement. All the best developments in high-range rocket science are collected in this underwater complex. The submarine Severodvinsk is equipped with modern electronic sensors capable of responding to any movement of enemy equipment over tens of thousands of kilometers. The main tactical task of Severodvinsk will be the escort and escort of strategic naval warships.
In terms of technical characteristics, the nuclear submarine Severodvinsk is not inferior to the American and British models, but in many respects it surpasses them. The boat is equipped with an advanced nuclear power plant and the latest communications and navigation systems.
A bit of history
In June 1933, the Northern Flotilla was formed in the USSR. From that moment, the navy of the northern borders of the Russian Federation begins its history. Since May 1937, the North Sea Flotilla was renamed the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. The headquarters of combat education is located in the city of Severomorsk. The first commander of the fleet was appointed Vice Admiral Konstantin Ivanovich Dushenov. On June 24, 2011, Admiral V. Korolev was appointed commander of the Northern Fleet of Russia. To date, the combat basis of the northern sea borders is missile and torpedo submarines, anti-submarine aircraft and aircraft carriers. The flagship of the North Sea Fleet is the Peter the Great missile cruiser. The main fleet bases are in Severomorsk, Zaozersk, Gadzhievo and Polyarny.
Composition of the Northern Fleet nuclear submarines
In combat armament of the Northern Fleet, in addition to the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine, there are eight more units of modern combat-ready nuclear submarines:
- TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy. This is a large submarine strategic missile cruiser of the 941 Shark system, which first appeared in the battle line of the submarine fleet in June 1982. In Soviet times, the boat was listed on the Board of Honor of the Navy and the USSR Ministry of Defense. As of the beginning of 2015, the submarine is in full combat readiness.
- Heavy submarine cruiser TK-17 "Arkhangelsk" design system 941 "Shark". The ship appeared in the fleet since February 1988. In 2004, President V.V. Putin was on board the Arkhangelsk. To date, the submarine is in the reserve fleet. In 2018, the Russian Navy plans to utilize a veteran of the Russian submarine fleet.
- The nuclear boat "Petrozavodsk". Represents the project system 671RTMK "Pike", taken on balance in March 1989. The crew of "Petrozavodsk" was recognized as the best in the Northern Fleet. Repeated medalist of the Navy GK cups for torpedo and anti-submarine training. The nuclear submarine Petrozavodsk participated in the filming of the documentary film Russian Depth.
- Since December 1989, the Voronezh submarine has become a part of the Russian fleet - a three-time winner of the Russian Navy Civil Aviation Cup Cup for missile shooting at educational targets. After performing multiple combat missions at the near and far maritime borders, it was repeatedly repaired. As of 2014, it is in full combat readiness as part of the Northern Fleet.
- The Severstal submarine is a strategic missile cruiser of the design development 941 Shark. Since February 1990, it has been in combat armament of the Northern Fleet of Russia. In September 2001, this submarine took part in joint patrolling in the area of the death of the Kursk nuclear submarine.
- In February 1991, the B-138 Obninsk nuclear submarine first appeared in the Navy. Prizewinner of the Russian Navy Civil Code for attacking a group of warships. For 23 years, she participated in ten combat services. In December 2014, it launched a cruise missile in the Barents Sea.
- K-410 Smolensk (in the fleet since March 14, 1991) - Project 949A Antey nuclear submarine. In December 1992, she became a prize-winner of the Russian Navy Group of Companies for long-range missile shooting. In 2014, she participated in the rescue of the Barents boat in the White Sea.
- Nuclear submarine K-266 "Eagle" project 949A "Antei". Since February 5, 1993, this submarine joined the ranks of the Navy submarines. Prizewinner of the Navy Civil Code for missile shooting at sea targets. Participant in the ship parade on Navy Day in Severomorsk. On board the submarine, a rescue team was being prepared to practice operations on the Kursk nuclear submarine. In early April 2015, the ninth compartment fire occurred on the Orel submarine.
Russian submarines are the pride and strength of the state, they need to be developed and modernized.