Russia brushes dust off 25-year old sub

Russian navy will repair and put into service the titanium-hull Sierra-class submarine “Karp” that for the last 15-years have been laid-up in Severodvinsk.

  

"Karp" will be one of the oldest nuclear powered submarines in service with the Northern fleet when she sails towards the Barents Sea in 2016. Originally commissioned in 1987, the submarine was only in service for ten years before being laid-up in 1997. “Karp” was recently moved from her laid-up location in Severodvinsk to the Zvezdochka yard where upgrades will start, reports a naval blog site. 

Upgrade work will take three years and includes the reactor, electronics and weapons, reports Izvestia.

The hull of the submarine is made in titanium, said to be the main reason why the submarine now will be upgraded and put into service again instead of being scraped. Titanium is very expensive; therefor it is cheaper to repair such submarines than to build new ones. Titanium resists deep-water pressure better than steel-hulls and do not attract magnetic mines.

A total of six Sierra-class submarines were built in the 80ies. Two of them are still in active duty, the “Nizhny Novgorod” and “Kostroma” both based in Vidyaevo on Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Two of the laid-up ones will be re-commissioned.

A senior official in the navy’s head command says to Izvestia that the decision to re-commission the Sierra-class submarines was taken in January. “It was not a spontaneous decision, we carefully considered and concluded that repair of the vessels were more cost-effective than scrapping them.”

The other Sierra-class submarine still in operation, the “Kostroma” is next in line for upgrade. 

Zvezdocka officials says “Kostroma” will be repaired after the “Karp” is ready, while the navy blog site says it is possible that this repair and upgrade will take place at Zvezdockha’s branch-yard Nerpa northwest of Murmansk. 

“Kostroma” made headlines in 1992 when she collided with the American nuclear powered submarine “Baton Rouge” just outside the entrance to the Kola bay. 

Repairs of the hulls will not be difficult, Zvezdockha argues, because unlike steel titanium does not corrode.  

Russia to Commission First Borey Class Nuclear Sub in 2013

Russia’s first Borey class strategic nuclear submarine will be commissioned in 2013, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Monday.

The Yury Dolgoruky submarine was expected to join the Russian Navy by the end of this year, but tests carried out during the latest sea trials revealed a number of technical flaws. Software glitches in the automated launch control system prevented further tests of the Bulava ballistic missile, the submarine’s main weapon.

 Yuri Dolgoruky strategic nuclear submarine: characteristics

“We are expecting the Yury Dolgoruky submarine to enter service in 2013,” Serdyukov told Russian lawmakers at a meeting on defense issues.

The second Borey class submarine, the Alexander Nevsky, could join Russia’s Pacific Fleet in 2014, the minister said.

The Borey class submarines are expected to form the core of Russia's strategic submarine fleet, replacing the aging Project 941 (NATO Typhoon class) and Project 667 class (Delta-3 and Delta-4) boats. Russia is planning to build eight Borey and Borey-A class subs by 2020.

Two more Borey class submarines are under construction at the Sevmash shipyard in the White Sea port city of Severodvinsk.

A Borey class strategic submarine is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, a maximum depth of 450 meters (about 1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29 knots.

All the Borey class strategic submarines will carry the Bulava ballistic missiles, up to 16 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads.

Putin Attends Nuclear Sub Ceremony

Russian President Vladimir Putin participated on Monday in a ceremony to launch construction of Russia’s fourth Borei-class (Project 955A) ballistic missile submarine.

“By 2020, we should have eight Borei-class submarines,” he said. “Two of them - the Alexander Nevsky and one other - are in trials. I am sure the entire project will be implemented.”

The ceremony for the boat, the Knyaz Vladimir, was held at Sevmash, Russia’s largest shipyard and sole nuclear submarine maker located in the port city of Severodvinsk on the White Sea.

More new-generation warships - both surface ships and submarines - should be built for Russia’s “new-look Navy,” complete with advanced weapons, command and control, and communication systems, Putin said.

The Borei class is expected to become the mainstay of the Russian Navy's strategic nuclear deterrent, replacing the aging Project 941 (Typhoon class) and Project 667 class (Delta-3 and Delta-4) boats.

Three other Borei class boats are at various stages of development at Sevmash. The Yury Dolgoruky is currently undergoing sea trials, while the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh are under construction.

The Borei class will be armed with the Bulava ballistic missile, which is also in the final stage of development and due to enter service on the lead vessel in the class, the Yury Dolgoruky, later this year.