Project 885 ships last word in Russian submarine shipbuilding. The quietest and most powerful weapons in terms of composition. They are often compared in terms of combat capabilities with the American submarine “classmates” of the SeaWolf type, the construction of which was abandoned by the United States and Virginia for financial reasons.

Experts from the British The Sunday Times once assessed the capabilities of Project 885 submarines:

“The new Russian submarine fleet will have eight Yasen-class submarines, each with 24 long-range cruise missiles, the Granat with a 200-kiloton warhead.

The technical characteristics of the new submarine are such that it is almost impossible to detect in the World Ocean, which makes Severodvinsk practically invulnerable in the face of the latest systems anti-submarine weapons. Russia has taken the lead in underwater technology."

“First of all, the United States is concerned about the appearance of a new Russian submarine,” the publication quotes a source from the intelligence services as saying. “We don’t know half of what’s on board this submarine.” It’s good that there aren’t many such ships yet,” the expert states.

1. Below the grass, quieter than water

The Russian Navy has only one Yasen-class boat, the Severodvinsk. Three more: “Kazan”, “Novosibirsk” and “Krasnoyarsk” are in the workshop of the Severodvinsk Machine-Building Enterprise in varying degrees of readiness. In total, by 2020 it is planned to lay down 7 submarines of this project. All of them will be built according to an updated project with the letter “M”. "Yasen-M" differs from the classic "Yasen" project in having more advanced electronic weapons.

“Project 885” is the most secret project of the RUSSIAN fleet.

As experts say, Project 885 boats are direct descendants of the extremely successful series of our 3rd generation Project 971 “Akula” type submarines. These ships today form the basis of our multi-purpose attack submarines designed for raiding operations on sea lanes. Almost silent in the ocean depths, they are equally effective against transports, warships, and strike cruise missiles on the enemy's coastal infrastructure.

Most recently, they spotted themselves in a 200-mile zone off the coast of the United States and Canada, which caused serious commotion among the American and Canadian military. Both were unable to track the movements of Russian submarines. The concerns are understandable. On board the Akula there are Kh-55 Granat cruise missiles (28 pieces) similar to the American Tomahawks, capable of covering 3 thousand kilometers and delivering to right place 200 kiloton nuclear warheads.

2. "M" means modernized

in contrast to the newest strategic submarine missile carriers of the 4th generation 955 project of the "Borey" type: "Yuri Dolgoruky" and "Alexander Nevsky" in which the technical filling used for the first time is no more than 40%, the nuclear submarine "Kazan" has all systems, components and mechanisms completely new , never used anywhere before. This is completely new high-tech equipment that has no analogues in Soviet and Russian military shipbuilding. According to some data, for comparison, one ship of the 955 project costs the Ministry of Defense 23 billion - “Ash” in an amount exceeding 200 billion rubles.

If we draw parallels with the Americans, then the cost of “Ash” is quite tolerable. So, " Sea wolf» cost the US budget $4.4 billion (the total cost of construction of 3 nuclear submarines is estimated at no less than $13.2 billion). For comparison, the latest nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the Nimitz class, together with the air group, cost the American budget just over $5 billion, and one nuclear submarine of the previous Los Angeles class project cost only $741 million.

3. Goldfish “Ash”

Project 885 is the quintessence of everything that the domestic defense industry has developed over more than half a century of development of submarine shipbuilding. The project uses a compromise mixed design system, where the lightweight hull “envelops” only part of the strong hull in the bow of the submarine to reduce noise.

For the first time in the practice of domestic shipbuilding, torpedo tubes are located not in the bow of the ship, but behind the central post compartment, which made it possible to place the antenna of the new hydroacoustic complex in the bow. Eight vertical launchers are used for missile weapons.

The ship's hull is made of high-strength low-magnetic steel. Therefore, it can dive to 600 (ordinary boats no more than 300 meters) and more meters, which makes it practically inaccessible to all types of modern anti-submarine weapons. Maximum speed speed more than 30 knots (60 km/h). There is one reactor on the boat (all projects have 2).

In the central part of the hull there is a missile compartment with 8 universal missile silos. They can house 3M55 Onyx anti-ship operational-tactical missiles (24 missiles, 3 in each silo). This is an analogue of the Russian-Indian BrahMos complex. On the basis of this machine, the Zircon hypersonic strike complex is now being created.

The ship is also capable of using anti-ship tactical missiles of the Kh-35 type, strategic cruise missiles Kh-101 or ZM-14E of the P-900 “Club” complex. which can reach any coastal object from a distance of 5000 km. The boat is also equipped with six 650- and 533-mm torpedo tubes, through which the crew can fire all types of modern torpedoes, carry out minelaying and even use unmanned underwater vehicles.

According to its characteristics, Severodvinsk is capable of solving any task: fighting aircraft carrier formations, hunting enemy strategic nuclear submarines, or launching massive missile strikes against coastal targets. All this makes it a more versatile weapon system than the American SeaWolf.

The State Armaments Program until 2020 puts the development of the fleet and its underwater component on a par with strategic nuclear forces, as one of the main priorities of the state. Out of 22 trillion. the fleet accounts for almost 5 trillion. rubles The amounts are astronomical, but necessary. Experts say that even 8 Russian submarines on combat duty provide parity with the United States. And with the start of commissioning of the new generations of submarines of the 955 and 885 series, we will take a significant step forward. Submariners are convinced: despite the fact that Moscow and Washington declare partnership relations, there is real war. A war of technology in which our submarine fleet is not only a worthy adversary, but also a serious competitor.

The design of the newest Russian nuclear submarines uses technological elements of Western submarines, increasing both the efficiency of the submarines and their ability to remain undetected. As a result, in wartime the submarine can more reliably protect its deadly cargo of 16 nuclear missiles from American and NATO Russian submarine hunters.

Borei class submarines are simply huge. Each is 160 meters long and 14 meters wide, their displacement is 21 thousand tons. The OK-650B nuclear power plant with a power of 190 megawatts allows the ship to move at a speed of 15 knots on the surface and 29 knots when submerged. The boat has an unlimited range. Restrictions are related only to food supplies.

Multimedia

"Prince Vladimir": the deadliest nuclear submarine in the world

Daily Mail 11/28/2017 Boreis are one of the deadliest nuclear submarines ever built. Each of them carries sixteen RSM-56 Bulava ballistic missiles, which allows it to attack nuclear strikes anywhere in the world. This makes submarines an indispensable part of the Russian nuclear triad and provides a powerful retaliatory strike capability against any country that is the first to use nuclear weapons against Moscow.

The first Russian submarine of this class, Yuri Dolgoruky, was laid down in 1996. Due to problems with financing, it was put into operation only in 2014. According to H.I. Sutton, author of Submarines of the World: Secret Shores. World Submarines: Covert Shores Recognition Guide, the recently launched fourth Borey class boat, Prince Vladimir, borrows some design features from submarines manufactured by the US and other NATO countries.

According to Sutton, "the tail section with turning rudders and end plates on the horizontal stabilizers are the same as those found on the US Navy's Ohio-class submarines." The submarines are also equipped with water-jet propulsion instead of the typical propeller. Water-jet pump propulsion was first used by the Royal Navy. -by the British Navy, but also such a system was installed on US Navy submarines with the Seawolf class in the 1990s - the first Russian nuclear submarines equipped with such engines.

The sleek, streamlined shape of the deckhouse is another Western influence. This makes the boat similar to American submarines, although it is much longer. The basic Borey model has an unusual inclined deckhouse shape.

All of the above does not mean that new version"Borea" is a copy of Western nuclear submarines. Sutton notes that the Prince Vladimir has a “traditional double-hull design for Russian nuclear submarines. Western boats are single-hulled, which means there is only one layer of steel separating the crew from the ocean.”

Another unusual aspect of "Boreev": large number torpedoes and torpedo compartments. Nuclear submarines operate defensively, constantly hiding in the depths of the sea. They usually have only four torpedo compartments. But according to Sutton, the Borei have eight, as do the unfinished Akula-class attack submarines. This number of torpedoes is an unusual boost for a ballistic missile submarine.

InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively foreign media and do not reflect the position of the editorial board of InoSMI.

IN lately Citizens of our country are increasingly interested in the combat effectiveness of the Russian armed forces. Questions related to the army are asked on various Internet portals: “How many submarines and surface ships does Russia have?”, “How many tanks and missiles?” etc. Why did our people suddenly begin to show such interest, what was the reason?

Lyrical digression

Today it is no longer a secret to anyone that the President of the Russian Federation and his team have radically changed direction foreign policy our country. They are increasingly giving Western powers a thumbs down. Russia's policy is becoming more and more firm; it does not bend to the United States, the European Union, or the IMF. Many Western politicians say that the “Russian Bear” has come out of hibernation and will soon make itself known in full voice. It is difficult to say what has changed in the minds of our president and those around him. Christians tend to say that the final battle of the Apocalypse is coming, and that Russia will become the savior of all humanity. Fans of Vedic teachings claim that the Night of Svarog has ended, the Dawn has come, that is, the time of lies and pretense has passed - the era of the warrior has come. We won’t say which of them is right and who is wrong; perhaps they are all right, and they are talking about the same thing, they just look at the world from their own bell tower. Let's return better to the government, which step by step strengthens our statehood and sovereignty. One of these programs was the reform of the Russian Armed Forces. In this article, we will look at the state of our state’s submarine fleet, the prospects for its development, and find out how many submarines Russia has and what their combat capabilities are. After all, every person understands that only those who have an excellent army behind them can pursue a strong policy.

to date?

Despite the economic crisis that befell our country in the 90s of the last century, and the emergence random people in the post of Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation already in the new century, striving with all their might to destroy the defense power of the state, the domestic fleet is still considered one of the largest in the world, with powerful potential for performing combat and reconnaissance missions. One of the main components of the Russian Navy is submarines. The question of how many submarines Russia has is of concern to many, but it is quite difficult to answer. First, let's look at the official statistics of the Ministry of Defense. According to materials presented to the public, the Russian Navy has 70 submarines. Of these:

• 14 nuclear-powered ships with ballistic missiles: 10 for the Northern Fleet (SF) and 4 for the Pacific Fleet (PF);
• 9 nuclear submarines with cruise missiles: 4 for the Northern Fleet and 5 for the Pacific Fleet;
• 19 multi-purpose nuclear-powered ships: 14 for the Northern Fleet and 5 for the Pacific Fleet;
• 8 special-purpose nuclear submarines - all from the Northern Fleet;
• 1 special purpose - for the Northern Fleet.
• 19 diesel submarines: 2 at 2 at the Black Sea Fleet (Black Sea Fleet), 7 at the Northern Fleet, 8 at the Pacific Fleet.

Real numbers differ significantly from statistics

70 units of underwater equipment is quite impressive, but statistics are statistics, and real life- this is completely different. The above figures indicate that the fleet has 50 nuclear-powered ships of various projects in service, however, as it turned out, less than half of them are in a state of combat readiness. The rest of the nuclear-powered Russian Navy is either in reserve or awaiting repairs, and their return to service is very, very doubtful. In order not to be unfounded, let's look at the state of the submarine fleet in detail, so to speak, getting personal.

Most age group

The most “ancient” representatives of the Russian submarine fleet are four Project 667BDR boats. Today, two of them (K-223 and K-433) are in service, K-44 and K-129 are under repair. The likelihood of their return to service is negligible, because even those that are in use are planned to be written off when new boats arrive.

The most numerous class of submarines are multi-purpose projects. In total, the Navy has 19 units in five directions. The oldest of them are four boats 671RTMKK: K-388 and K-414 are in service, and K-138 and K-448 are under repair. The decommissioning of these submarines is scheduled for 2015.

The basis of the submarine fleet

The Navy has three of the largest boats in the world - 941 "Akula": TK-17 and TK-20 are put in reserve, and TK-208 is used for testing Bulava-type ballistic missiles. There are six Project 667BDRM submarines in the ranks of the Northern Fleet: K-18, K-51, K-114, K-117 and K-407 are in service, and K-407 should leave the repair docks this summer.

In addition, nine submarines of the Antey 949A project are in service with the Northern Fleet and Pacific Fleet, but only four of them (K-119, K-410, K-186 and K-456) have undergone scheduled repairs, and five are either in reserve. or under repair, and their prospects are very vague.

The basis of multi-purpose boats are the Shchuka-B ships of Project 971. There are eleven of them in the Russian Navy, five of them (K-154, K-157, K-317, K-335 and K-461) are on combat duty in part of the Northern Fleet, two - K-295 and K-331 - in the Pacific Fleet, and the rest are not in a combat-ready state, and their repair is a big question. Four more boats belong to projects 945 and 945A: “Barracuda” and “Condor”, respectively. These ships are distinguished by a heavy-duty titanium hull. Two of them - K-336 and K-534 - are serving as part of the Northern Fleet, and K-239 and K-276 are preparing for modernization and repair.

As you can see, the real number of Russian submarines is much less than presented in the report of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The most modern submarines of Russia

Modern Russia - Project 955 Borei - entered the Navy only in 2013. Two of them, K-535 and K-550, are on combat duty somewhere in the waters of the world's oceans, K-551 is undergoing mandatory state tests, and another one is under construction. It is planned to release a series of eight submarines of this project.

The most modern submarine of our fleet is the Project 885 Yasen K-560. She joined the Navy on December 31, 2013. According to the plans of the Ministry of Defense, ten such nuclear-powered ships will be produced. As you can see, new Russian submarines continue to enter the Navy, so there is hope that in the coming years the situation will change dramatically, and for the better.

What awaits the Russian submarine fleet?

According to a statement by Russian Defense Minister S. Shoigu, the Navy will receive 24 new submarines by 2020. Similar ships different projects and classes will help to update and improve the quality new level combat potential of the fleet. The Ministry of Defense has a clear plan for the development of the submarine navy over the coming decades. It is divided into three stages, each of which has its own goals and characteristics. The first period is already underway in full swing and will end in 2020, immediately after it will begin the second, which will end in 2030, and the last one will last from 2031 to 2050.

Despite the different plans for each stage, they all have a common goal: updating the technical base of the Russian submarine fleet and bringing it to the level of world leaders. Let's look briefly at each period.

First stage

The main task is the construction of new nuclear-powered ships carrying strategic weapons. After all, old boats are already reaching the end of their service life and will soon need to be replaced. They are planned to be replaced by Project 955 and 955A submarines. As mentioned earlier, by 2020 it is planned to produce 8 boats of this class. Once commissioned, they will be able to simultaneously keep more than 200 R-30 Bulava class missiles on duty. In addition, the Navy command decided to abandon a large number of different types of projects and replace them with fourth-generation Yasen multipurpose nuclear-powered ships of Project 885.

Second stage

For reasons of secrecy, the details of this period are not made public; it is only known that it is planned to completely replace the outdated fleet with fourth-generation models and create new fifth-generation projects.

Third stage

There is even less information about this period than about the second. We only know about the formation of new requirements for sixth generation submarines. It is possible that a modular assembly project for the submarine fleet will also be implemented, when, depending on the customer’s requirements, one or another module is installed, for example, with anti-ship missiles or ballistic missiles, etc. Depending on the task, the boat will be assembled like a construction kit "Lego."

Historical background

Officially, the history of domestic construction of submarines dates back to the time of Peter the Great (1718). Then a carpenter from a village near Moscow, Efim Nikonov, submitted a petition to the Russian emperor, in which he proposed a project for the so-called “Hidden Vessel.” This was the first submarine in Russia. In 1724, tests of this creation were carried out on the Neva River, but they ended in failure, since the bottom of the vessel was damaged during descent, and the author of the project almost died and was saved only thanks to the personal participation of Peter himself. Nikonov was given the task of correcting the shortcomings, but with the death of the emperor, as often happens, the project was conveniently forgotten. The first submarine enlisted in the Russian fleet appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. A photo of the destroyer "Dolphin", which became the basis for subsequent domestic submarines, is presented below.

Conclusion

Today, Russian and US submarines are the backbone of the world's submarine fleet. To maintain its position, the domestic submarine fleet needs to be developed and modernized. And I would like to end this article with a quote from the Russian Emperor Alexandra III(1881-1894): “In the whole world we have only two faithful allies - our army and navy. “Everyone else will take up arms against us at the first opportunity.”

Varshavyanka class submarines.

During the Cold War, the Soviet submarine program was a force to be reckoned with. Soviet underwater killer vehicles captured the imagination of both Western and Soviet citizens. Tom Clancy's 1984 novel The Hunt for Red October (which was made into a film the following year) follows the crew of a fictional Soviet ballistic missile submarine, a Typhoon-class submarine, as they attempt to escape to the United States. During the tense years of standoff between Washington and Moscow, many Americans believed that Soviet submarines were lying in wait off their country's coast. Both superpowers had submarines, thanks to which it was possible to start nuclear Armageddon directly from the mysterious depths of the ocean.

After the breakup Soviet Union Russian program submarine construction fell into decline along with many other branches of the Russian military-industrial complex. But over the past decade, Russian leaders have made efforts to modernize their armed forces. Russia is upgrading Cold War-era designs to modern standards and designing entirely new platforms such as the Borei and Yasen-class boats - it is clearly determined to improve the status and capabilities of its submarine fleet.

Here are five submarines that deserve special attention.

Submarine of the Shchuka-B project

A boule with a towed antenna inside on the tail unit of the Project 971 Shchuka-B submarine.

This nuclear attack submarine was built in the Soviet Union and was named Project 971 Bars, but it is better known by its NATO rating as Akula. The Bars doesn't have the same quietness as some Western designs, but the boat remains a potent threat, especially after a series of post-Cold War upgrades.

The Soviet Navy received seven Akula I models between 1986 and 1992. From 1992 to 1995, Russia launched two to four modernized Akula I boats. At that time, Moscow had already begun a comprehensive modernization of the Project 971A boat, Akula II. This version has an increased hull length of 110 meters and a larger displacement of 12,770 tons. The improved design also features a quieter engine than its predecessors, making the Project 971A the quietest boat in the world. Russian fleet. Russia has built three such ships: Vepr (entered service in 1995), Nerpa (2000) and Gepard (2001). Moscow must keep the Gepard in its arsenal until at least 2025, and the Nerpa is being leased to India.

The speed of Project 971 on the surface is up to 10 knots. Underwater, this boat can reach speeds of up to 33 knots while diving up to 600 meters. The duration of autonomous navigation for the Pike is 100 days. The boat is armed with various anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons, which allows it to carry out a whole series tasks. One submarine of this type can carry as many as 12 Granit cruise missiles, which are designed to destroy ships and ground targets. The Granit missile has a launch range of 3 thousand kilometers. For anti-ship and anti-submarine operations, the Pike is equipped with eight torpedo launchers, while the improved Akula and Akula II have ten. The Strela-ZM MANPADS with 18 missiles gives this boat the ability to strike air targets.

Project 877 submarine "Halibut" (Kilo)

Diesel submarine "Krasnokamensk" project 877 during
mooring at the main base of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok.

The Russian Project 877 Halibut (NATO reporting name Kilo), a diesel-electric attack submarine, was conceived back in Soviet era at the Rubin Central Marine Design Bureau in St. Petersburg. This submarine became part of the Soviet fleet in 1982 and remains in service in Russia and other countries to this day.

Halibut is a smaller submarine, its Iranian version has a submerged displacement of 3,076 tons and a hull length of 70 meters. The basic Kilo model carries six torpedo tubes. This boat can use TEST-71MKE electric torpedoes, which have an active sonar homing system with remote control and carry a 205-kilogram warhead. Halibut can also release up to 24 minutes. The boat has eight anti-aircraft missiles on board, which can be used in Strela-3 and Igla MANPADS. India, which also uses Kilo, included Club S anti-ship missiles (range 220 kilometers) under a contract with the Russian shipbuilding company Zvezdochka.

Kilo diesel generators provide the submarine with a speed of up to 10 knots on the surface and 17 knots underwater. Kilo can dive up to 300 meters, and the autonomous navigation period of this boat is 45 days. Post-Soviet Russia still uses the Halibut, while variants are in service in countries such as China, India, Iran and Algeria. Former members Warsaw Pact and current NATO members Poland and Romania also have Project 877 boats in their navies.

Submarines of project 636.6 "Varshavyanka" (Improved Kilo)

Launching of the submarine "Krasnodar" in St. Petersburg.

When will the new diesel-electric Russian submarine The Lada failed to pass sea trials in 2010, so Moscow returned to a Cold War classic, the Kilo. To meet modern requirements for diesel-electric submarines, Russia has begun upgrading the earlier Kilo model.

Project 636.6 “Varshavyanka” appeared on the scene, also known in the West as “improved Kilo”. The boat was initially seen as an intermediate option between the first Kilo and the Lada, but now the Varshavyanka will have to fill the gap until the new models are deemed seaworthy. The Russian Navy has ordered six such ships, four of which have already entered service. Newest boat"Krasnodar" was launched in April 2015.

"Varshavyanka" has a displacement of up to 4 thousand tons in a submerged position and has a powerful set of weapons. Like its predecessor, this boat has six torpedo tubes and is armed with Strela-3 and Igla anti-aircraft missiles. New type 636.6 also carries the Novator Design Bureau Club-S anti-ship missiles. This missile with a high-explosive warhead has a launch range of 220 kilometers.

Like the original Project 877, the “improved Kilo” has an autonomous voyage of 45 days and a maximum diving depth of 300 meters. "Varshavyanka" has higher speeds compared to its predecessor: 11 knots on the surface and 20 knots in the submerged position. The upgraded model, nicknamed the “silent killer,” is already considered one of the quietest diesel-electric submarines. However, the Rubin design bureau intends to install an air-independent propulsion system on the Varshavyanka, which may be even less noisy than a nuclear plant.

Project 955 Borei submarines

Nuclear submarine "Yuri Dolgoruky".

This is the first completely new submarine model developed by Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Borei series of nuclear submarines are equipped with ballistic missiles. The lead ship of the new project, Yuri Dolgoruky, was launched in 2008 and entered into the fleet in 2013. The second Borei submarine was launched in 2010 and commissioned into the Navy in 2013, the third was launched in 2012, and the newest ship, Prince Vladimir, was laid down at the beginning of this year. The Borei class submarine cruisers are being created to eventually replace the Project 941 (Typhoon according to NATO classification) and Dolphin (Delta-III according to NATO classification) submarines.

The length of the Borei hull is 170 meters, and each submarine has a displacement under water of 24 thousand tons. "Yuri Dolgoruky" and the rest of the ships of its series carry 16 R-30 "Bulava-30" (RSM-56) ballistic missiles. Bulava missiles are equipped with nuclear warheads with a yield of 150 kilotons and have a launch range of 8 thousand kilometers. According to some data, RSM-56 can have an even greater range and power: up to 10 thousand kilometers and up to 500 kilotons. In addition to ballistic missiles, Borei boats also have six torpedo tubes, capable of launching various types of anti-submarine torpedoes.

The Borei's nuclear power plant provides it with a surface speed of up to 15 knots and a submerged speed of 29 knots. The maximum diving depth of the boat is 480 meters, and the autonomous navigation period is 100 days. Borey-class submarines promise to become for the Russian navy powerful long-range force for many years. Moscow has already placed an order for the construction of 10 new boats by 2020.

Project 885 Yasen submarines

Acceptance ceremony for the first multi-purpose nuclear submarine
K-560 "Severodvinsk" project "Ash" in the Russian Navy.

Sevmash's Project 885 Yasen is designed to replace the aging fleet of Shchuka-B class submarines. This nuclear boat will eventually replace projects Soviet era and will satisfy Moscow's needs for a powerful attack submarine. The first Yasen-class boat, Severodvinsk, became part of the Northern Fleet based in Severomorsk in 2014.

The Yasen project submarines have a hull length of 111 meters and a submerged displacement of approximately 13,500 tons. Each Project 885 ship can carry on board weapons designed to destroy ground targets, surface ships and submarines, which allows it to carry out wide circle tasks. To combat submarines, Yasen has eight torpedo tubes and can launch anti-submarine missiles, such as the supersonic P-800 Oniks. Onyx missiles can also be used as anti-ship weapons. At ground targets, Yasen submarines are capable of launching 3M51 cruise missiles, which can be equipped with a nuclear warhead. 3M51 have a range of 800 kilometers.

The powerful reactor power plant on board the Yasen submarines allows the new models to be significantly ahead of their predecessors. Project 885 submarines can reach speeds of up to 20 knots on the surface and 35 knots underwater. Yasen boats are capable of diving to more than 600 meters, making them a serious threat to Russia’s adversaries.

The most important part of the navy are its submarines. Modern submarines can perform a wide range of missions to detect and destroy enemy ships, submarines or ground targets. In addition, the naval component of the strategic nuclear forces is built entirely on submarines. Currently, as part of the renewal of the Navy, new submarines of various types are being built. In the foreseeable future, the fleet should receive several dozen submarines, both strategic or multi-purpose, and diesel-electric or special. However, for now, the basis of the submarine fleet in quantitative terms are submarines built earlier, including before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The four fleets of the Russian Navy (with the exception of the Caspian Flotilla) currently serve a total of 76 submarines different types. Strategic missile submarines (SSBNs), nuclear attack submarines, diesel submarines, as well as a number of special purpose nuclear and diesel submarines are in service and in reserve.

Strategic missile cruisers

The basis of the naval component of the nuclear forces are the Project 667BDRM Dolphin nuclear submarines. Currently, the Russian Navy has six such submarines: K-51 "Verkhoturye", K-84 "Ekaterinburg", K-114 "Tula", K-117 "Bryansk", K-118 "Karelia" and K-407 "Novomoskovsk". The submarine "Ekaterinburg" is currently undergoing repairs. Completion of work and delivery of the boat is scheduled for the end of this year. Another submarine of the Dolphin project, K-64, was withdrawn from the fleet in 1999 and soon went for refurbishment. All six Project 677BDRM submarines serve in the Northern Fleet.

The second largest type of SSBN in the Russian Navy is Project 667BDR “Squid”. Submarines of this type were built from the mid-seventies to the early eighties. Most of the Kalmar submarine cruisers have now been decommissioned and disposed of. Currently, the fleet has only three submarines of this type: K-433 “St. George the Victorious”, K-223 “Podolsk” and K-44 “Ryazan”. The latter is the newest of the existing Project 667BDR submarines and was delivered to the fleet in 1982. All three Kalmars serve in the Pacific Ocean.

Until the mid-nineties, nuclear deterrence tasks were carried out by the K-129 Orenburg submarine, built according to project 667BDR. In 1996, it was decided to convert it into a carrier for deep-sea vehicles. Currently, Orenburg belongs to project 09786 and is designated BS-136.

The Northern Fleet has three nuclear submarines of projects 941 and 941UM “Akula” in service and in reserve. The heavy missile cruiser TK-208 “Dmitry Donskoy” continues to serve. This was facilitated by repairs and modernization in accordance with Project 941UM, during which the submarine received equipment for the Bulava missile system. Two other Akulas, the TK-17 Arkhangelsk and the TK-20 Severstal, were put into reserve in the middle of the last decade due to the lack of R-39 missiles. Their further fate not yet determined.

In January 2013, a flag-raising ceremony took place on the lead SSBN of the new Project 955 Borei. The submarine K-535 Yuri Dolgoruky, under construction since 1996, passed all tests and was handed over to the fleet. At the end of December of the same year, the submarine cruiser K-550 Alexander Nevsky was accepted into the Navy. The lead submarine of the Borei project became part of the Northern Fleet, and the first production submarine joined the Pacific Fleet.

Multipurpose nuclear submarines

The tasks of destroying various surface, underwater and coastal targets are assigned to multi-purpose nuclear submarines armed with cruise missiles and torpedoes. The most popular nuclear submarines of this class are the Project 971 Shchuka-B submarines. The Russian Navy has 11 submarines of this type, distributed between the Northern and Pacific fleets. Five Shchuka-B submarines serve in the Pacific Fleet, six are in the Northern Fleet. On at the moment Five Project 971 submarines are undergoing repairs or are being prepared for them. To date, the Navy has lost three submarines of this type. The K-284 "Akula" boat has been in storage since 2002, the K-480 "Ak Bars" was handed over for disposal at the end of the last decade, and the dismantling of the K-263 "Barnaul" started last year.

The fate of the K-152 “Nerpa” boat is worth special consideration. It was laid down in 1991 for the domestic fleet, but financial difficulties led to the failure of all work deadlines. In 2004, a contract was signed, according to which the submarine was planned to be completed and transferred to the Indian Navy. After a number of difficulties, all work was completed, and in January 2012 the submarine was accepted by the customer.

The second largest multipurpose nuclear submarines in the Russian Navy are Project 949A Antey submarines. There are 5 and 3 submarines of this type in service in the Pacific and Northern fleets, respectively. It was originally planned that the Navy would receive 18 of these submarines, but financial possibilities The fleet was allowed to build only 11. To date, three boats of the Antey project have been out of action. In August 2000, the K-141 Kursk submarine tragically died, and since the end of the 2000s, work has been underway to dismantle the K-148 Krasnodar and K-173 Krasnoyarsk submarines. Of the remaining submarines, four are currently undergoing repairs.

From the late seventies to the early nineties, four submarines of projects 945 Barracuda and 945A Condor were built. According to project 945, the ships B-239 “Karp” and B-276 “Kostroma” were built, according to project 945A - B-534 “ Nizhny Novgorod" and B-336 "Pskov". All these submarines are part of the Northern Fleet. Last year, work began on the repair and modernization of the Karp submarine. After it, Kostroma will undergo repairs. "Pskov" and "Nizhny Novgorod" continue to serve.

Until now, four multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 671RTMK “Pike” remain in the Northern Fleet. Two submarines, B-414 "Daniil Moskovsky" and B-338 "Petrozavodsk" continue to serve, and two others, B-138 "Obninsk" and B-448 "Tambov" are under repair. In accordance with current plans, all the Shchukas in the fleet will end their service in the foreseeable future. It was previously reported that all of them will be written off by the end of 2015. They will be replaced by new types of multi-purpose submarines.

On June 17, 2014, a flag-raising ceremony took place on the K-560 Severodvinsk submarine, the lead and so far only ship of Project 885 Yasen. The first Yasen was laid down at the end of 1993 and launched only in 2010. By 2020, it is planned to build 8 Yasen-class submarines equipped with missile weapons. Due to the long construction time for the lead submarine, all other submarines in the series will be built according to the updated 885M project. Currently, there are three new type submarines on the stocks of the Sevmash enterprise: Kazan, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk.

Non-nuclear submarines

Since the early eighties, several domestic shipyards have been engaged in serial production of Project 877 Halibut diesel-electric submarines. For last decades Several versions of this project were created, thanks to which the Halibuts of various modifications became the most popular submarines in the Russian Navy.

The Baltic Fleet has two submarines of the Halibut project: B-227 Vyborg and B-806 Dmitrov (Project 877EKM). The Black Sea Fleet has only one Project 877B boat - the B-871 Alrosa. The Northern Fleet has the second largest group of Halibuts - five Project 877 diesel-electric submarines and one Project 877LPMB. Finally, eight Project 877 Halibut diesel-electric submarines serve at the bases of the Pacific Fleet.

A further development of Project 877 is Project 636 “Varshavyanka” and its versions. On August 22, 2014, the lead submarine of Project 636.3, the B-261 Novorossiysk, was accepted into service with the Black Sea Fleet. By the end of the decade, the Black Sea Fleet will receive five more submarines of this type. Two of them, B-237 Rostov-on-Don and B-262 Stary Oskol, have already been launched.

Until recently high hopes were assigned to Project 677 Lada diesel-electric submarines, which are further development"Halibuts". Previously, there were plans to build a series of several Project 677 boats, but tests of the lead ship forced serious adjustments to be made to them. As a result, the first submarine of the project, B-585 St. Petersburg, is in trial operation by the Northern Fleet. Two production ships of Project 677 are under construction. Due to problems with the lead submarine, the construction of serial submarines was suspended for some time.

Special equipment

In addition to combat submarines, the Russian Navy has a number of special submarines and underwater vehicles designed to perform specific tasks of various kinds. For example, the Baltic, Northern and Pacific fleets operate four Project 1855 Priz deep-sea rescue vehicles.

According to open data, the Northern Fleet has 10 special-purpose nuclear and diesel-electric submarines designed to perform various tasks. This equipment is intended to carry out research work, conduct rescue operations and ensure combat duty of submarine missile cruisers. Most well-known representative This class of equipment is the special AS-12 Losharik submarine, capable of diving to depths of several kilometers. It was reported that in September 2012, Losharik participated in research work in the Arctic, during which its crew collected soil samples at a depth of more than 2 kilometers.

In the future, the Russian Navy should receive a number of new special-purpose submarines. Thus, since 2012, the Belgorod submarine of Project 949A has been completed according to a special project, thanks to which it will be able to become a carrier of deep-sea research vehicles. Last spring, representatives of the Navy claimed that the military department plans to build a special hydroacoustic patrol submarine, the task of which will be to detect underwater targets at a distance of up to several hundred kilometers.

Prospects

At the moment, in total, the Russian Navy has more than seven dozen submarines and devices for various purposes. The vast majority of this equipment was built before the collapse of the Soviet Union, which accordingly affects both the condition and capabilities of the submarine fleet. However, within recent years a number of measures were taken to update it. In accordance with current plans, by 2020 the Navy should receive a relatively large number of new submarines.

By the end of this decade, the fleet will receive eight Project 955 Borei strategic missile carriers, the same number of Project 885 Yasen multi-purpose nuclear submarines and six Project 636.3 Varshavyanka diesel-electric submarines. Nuclear-powered Borei and Yasen missiles will be distributed between the Northern and Pacific fleets. “Varshavyanka”, in turn, will serve at Black Sea bases. Previously it was reported about plans regarding the future project 677 Lada. In the near future, it is planned to develop an updated version of this project, which will use a new power plant. The successful completion of this project will expand plans for the construction of non-nuclear submarines.

In parallel with the construction of new submarines, the old ones will be decommissioned. For example, by 2015-16 it is planned to stop operating the remaining Project 671RTMK Shchuka nuclear submarines. Almost all submarines of this type have already been withdrawn from the fleet and disposed of, and only four remain in service. Over time, similar processes will occur with other types of submarines, which will be replaced by the new Yasen, Borei, Varshavyanka and, possibly, Lada. However, a complete renewal of the submarine fleet will take a long time and will be one of the most expensive projects in the entire history of the Russian Navy.

Based on materials from sites:
http://ria.ru/
http://rg.ru/
http://flot.sevastopol.info/
http://flotprom.ru/
http://flot.com/