A year after cancelling its Lada class diesel-electric submarines, Russia
has revived the project as part of a joint development effort with an Italian
firm (Fincantieri). This effort will build the S-1000 submarine, as well as
revive other export versions of Lada. These were called the Amur class, and the
S-1000 began as the Amur 950. This was what the export version of the Lada was
to be called but working with an Italian shipbuilder the Amur 950 has been
transformed into the cheaper (less than $200 million each) S-1000 class
submarine. While Fincantieri has never built subs (just destroyers, aircraft
carriers, and patrol craft), it is one of the largest ship builders in Europe
and has access to a lot of Western military technology. The S-1000 will have a crew
of only 16. Top submerged speed is 26 kilometers an hour. There are six torpedo
tubes and an AIP (air independent propulsion) system to extend underwater
endurance to 15 days or more. Instead of eight torpedo reloads, the S-1000 can
carry a dozen commandoes.
Lada was developed in the 1990s, as the successor to the Kilo class, but it
was determined that there was not enough difference between the Lada and the
improved Kilos being built. So Lada/Amur was canceled last year. One Lada was
built and another is partially completed and will probably be finished as the
under construction (and may be completed). The Russians are hoping that the
S-1000 will spark interest in the various Amur designs. The largest of these is
the Amur 1650, which is basically the Lada with some top-secret Russian
equipment deleted.
The Ladas have six 533mm torpedo tubes, with 18 torpedoes and/or missiles
carried. The Lada has a surface displacement of 1,750 tons, are 71 meters (220 feet)
long, and carries a crew of 38. Each crew member has their own cabin (very
small for the junior crew, but still, a big morale boost). When submerged the
submarine can cruise at a top speed of about 39 kilometers an hour (half that
on the surface) and can dive to about 250 meters (800 feet). The Lada can stay
at sea for as long as 50 days and can travel as much as 10,000 kilometers using
its diesel engine (underwater, via the snorkel). Submerged, using battery power
alone, the Lada can travel about 450 kilometers. There is also an electronic
periscope (which goes to the surface via a cable) that includes a night vision
capability and a laser range finder. The Lada was designed to accept an AIP
(air independent propulsion) system. Russia
was long a pioneer in AIP design but in the last decade Western European
nations have taken the lead. Russia
expects to have its own AIP in production within three years.
Construction on the first Lada began in 1997, but money shortages delayed
work for years. The first Lada boat was finally completed in 2005. A less
complex version, called the Amur, was offered for export. There were no takers.
The Ladas are designed to be fast attack and scouting boats. They are
intended for anti-surface and anti-submarine operations as well as naval
reconnaissance. These boats are said to be eight times quieter than the Kilos.
This was accomplished by using anechoic (sound absorbing) tile coatings on the
exterior and a very quiet (skewed) propeller. All interior machinery was
designed with silence in mind. The sensors include active and passive sonars,
including towed passive sonar. Russian submarine designers apparently believe
they can install most of these quieting features into improved Kilos, along
with many other Lada features.
Two years ago Russia
began construction of its second "Improved Kilo" submarine. These are
mostly for the export market, although the Russian Navy is buying a few more of
this improved model as well. The Kilos weigh 2,300 tons (surface displacement),
have six torpedo tubes, and a crew of 57. They are quiet and can travel about
700 kilometers under water at a quiet speed of about five kilometers an hour.
Kilos carry 18 torpedoes or SS-N-27 anti-ship missiles (with a range of 300
kilometers and launched underwater from the torpedo tubes). The combination of
quietness and cruise missiles makes the Kilo very dangerous to American
carriers. But for the Russians their Kilos are mostly for home defense. Nuclear
subs are used for the long distance work.
The Kilo class boats entered service in the early 1980s. Russia
only bought 24 of them but exported over 30. It was considered a successful
design, especially with export customers. But just before the Cold War ended in
1991, the Soviet Navy began work on the Lada. This project was stalled during
most of the 1990s by a lack of money but was revived in the last decade.
Russia has
17 Kilos in service (and six in reserve) and six Improved Kilos on order. More
than that is on order from foreign customers.
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