#SubSunday#Submarines#Technology 1. Russian government considering several options how to lift the sunken Project 645/November-class SSN K-27, that was scuttled in 1982 in the Kara Sea off the northeast coast of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago at a depth of 30m.
Short🧵:
#NavalNews #Shipbuilding
Aaah, this thing again... 1/5 Russian Navy reportedly expressed interest in the Project "Strazh" (Guardian/Sentinel) submersible patrol ship designed by the Central Design Bureau "Rubin", as recently announced by the General Director Igor Vilnit/TASS.
@CovertShores @TayfunOzberk @FORONAVAL @R_P_one @AlexLuck9 @TheSubHunter1 @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @The_Lookout_N @KaptainLOMA 2/5
Project "Strazh" design was first unveiled in April 2021 and included two options.
- 1st version displaces ~1000t with length of up to 70m and a crew of up to 42, including an swimmer team. The ship carries SDVs, as well as a drone and there are no weapons installed.
@CovertShores @TayfunOzberk @FORONAVAL @R_P_one @AlexLuck9 @TheSubHunter1 @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @The_Lookout_N @KaptainLOMA 3/5
- 2nd version displaces ~1,300t with length of 72m and a new hull shape reducing radar signature and a new engine that allows it to reach speeds of up to 21 knots.
#SubWednesday #Submarines #ColdWar #Naval #Engineering 1/4 Coming back to my earlier tweet showing the Project 667BDRM Delfin/Delta IV-class Tula (K-114) transiting on the surface with all 16 missile hatches open --> note the difference in the 4 aftmost hatches no. 13-16.
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@CovertShores @R_P_one @The_Lookout_N @SubBrief @TheSubHunter1 @USN_Submariner @TayfunOzberk @KaptainLOMA @CislakJaroslaw @IBallantyn 2/4
When the Soviet SSBNs surfaced through the Arctic ice, the slight up bubble trim caused most of the ice blocks to accumulate over the aftmost missile hatches, hence the need for the reinforced hatches strong enough to drop the ice blocks off the missile deck.
@CovertShores @R_P_one @The_Lookout_N @SubBrief @TheSubHunter1 @USN_Submariner @TayfunOzberk @KaptainLOMA @CislakJaroslaw @IBallantyn 3/4
The 4 aftmost hatches on Tula (K-114) were redesigned and reinforced in a project codenamed "Vodopad" (Waterfall) by the Rubin Design Bureau, after gathering data and experience on the older Project 667B Murena/Delta I and Project 667BD Murena-M/Delta II-class SSBNs.
#SubThursday #Nuclear #Submarines
1/12
Given today's announcement of the Russian MoD to scrap Project 971I/Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine "Nerpa" (K-152), here's a thread covering her history riddled with serious accidents.
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@CovertShores @AlexLuck9 @IBallantyn @TayfunOzberk @FORONAVAL @TheSubHunter1 @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @RSS_40 @The_Lookout_N 2/12
Project 971 Shchuka-B/Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine "Nerpa" was laid down in 1993 at Amur Shipyard in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Construction works continued until 2002, when the construction was halted due to lack of funding at roughly 70% of hull readiness.
@CovertShores @AlexLuck9 @IBallantyn @TayfunOzberk @FORONAVAL @TheSubHunter1 @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @RSS_40 @The_Lookout_N 3/12
In 2004 Russian MoD agreed with the Indian Navy to complete the submarine according to the Project 971I technical specs with handover to the Indian Navy in 2009.
Multiple issues caused postponements & "Nerpa" was launched in 2006, with outfitting works lasting another year.
#SubTuesday #Submarines #Technology #ColdWar
1/14
Project 949A Antey/Oscar II-class SSGN "Orel" (K-226) in a drydock. Note the hollow propeller shaft.
Following is a thread about this particular boat and the massive issues she faced with her shafts.👇
@CovertShores @R_P_one @The_Lookout_N @NavyLookout @IBallantyn @AlexLuck9 @CombatAir @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @TheSubHunter1 2/14
"Orel" (K-226) propeller shafts were initially made of shorter hollow shafts coupled together with bolts & couplings.
The inside was filled with fine quartz sand - the reason for the hollow shaft was it was easier to manufacture, lighter & cheaper than solid shaft.
@CovertShores @R_P_one @The_Lookout_N @NavyLookout @IBallantyn @AlexLuck9 @CombatAir @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @TheSubHunter1 3/14
Hollow propeller shafts filled with fine sand also help to dampen vibrations & noise. Alas, this wasn't the case for "Orel".
One of the prerequisites for the hollow shafts to function as designed was the use of lightweight propellers, but the technology to manufacture...
#SubMonday #Submarines #NavalNews #Technology #ColdWar
The sail of Project 661 Anchar/Papa-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine K-222, the fastest submarine ever built, to be preserved as a memorial in Primorsky Park in Severodvinsk.
Here's a short🧵on this unique project:
1/6 Project 661 Anchar/Papa-class design works started in the late 50s in the naval design bureau Malachit (then TsKB-16).
Soviet Navy wasn't satisfied with the performance of their 1st generation of nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines (SSGN), e.g. the Project 659/Echo I or Project 675/Echo II-class boats, mainly due to the reason these were only able to launch their missiles while surfaced.
Soviet Navy urgently needed a new class of high-performance submarines, able to deliver a devastating strike while submerged.
The ambitious initial technical specification of the Project 661 included:
- high-speed titanium hull submarine
- twin liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor powerplant (LMR)
- ability to strike the enemy aircraft carrier groups with ten P-70 Ametist/SS-N-7 Starbright solid-fuel anti-ship missiles.
2/6 The first drawings drafts were approved in 1960 and after the technical solution was approved in 1961 the first titanium hull sections were made at the SEVMASH Shipyard.
The use of titanium proved to be extremely challenging and special manufacturing procedures had to be implemented.
For example, the welding of titanium requires a cleanroom with an argon atmosphere to prevent the weld contamination. For this purpose SEVMASH built a special welding chamber. Upgraded version is called Atmosfera-2 and is still operational (photos 1-4 by SEVMASH).
Atmosfera-2 was build in 1971 with internal volume of 300m3 and this is where the titanium pipelines for nuclear-powered submarines are welded in a high-purity argon atmosphere.
Only specially trained & qualified welders are allowed to work in the chamber after passing several medical examinations. Paramedic personnel is always on watch nearby the chamber during all welding sessions.
Before entering, welders must put on a special protective suit with a clean air inlet & a waste air outlet. Welders are allowed to spend max. 4.5hrs in the chamber according to their work instructions.
3/6 The initial technical specification called for use of twin liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors (LMR), however a simpler pressurized-water reactor (PWR) was ultimately selected.
Soviet Navy experimented with the LMR technology on Project 645/November-class SSN K-27 - the first Soviet submarine to use lead/bismuth liquid metal-cooled reactor (LMR).
This technology later deployed on the famous Project 705 Lira/Alfa-class fast interceptor SSNs.
While impressive on the paper, the LMR turned out to be a complicated and troublesome technical solution, resulting in many accidents with irreversible coolant solidifying and radiation accidents.
I covered the tragic story of K-27 (photos 1 & 2) here:
#SubSaturday #Submarines #History 1. #OTD 23 years ago, Russian Navy Northern Fleet's Project 949A Antey/Oscar II-class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine Kursk (K-141) sunk after one of her torpedoes exploded.
She sank at the bottom of the Barents Sea, killing all 118… https://t.co/GRVKRj2gDHtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…
@CovertShores @Capt_Navy @RSS_40 @TayfunOzberk @FORONAVAL @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @TheSubHunter1 @IBallantyn @navalnewscom 2. Kursk was the 10th hull of the Project 949A Antey/Oscar II-class, her hull was laid down in 1990 at SEVMASH Shipyard, launched four years later (photo 2) and commissioned on 31/12/1994.
At the end of 1999 her crew was declared "the best submarine crew of the Northern Fleet".… https://t.co/TTYdUtO5R2twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
@CovertShores @Capt_Navy @RSS_40 @TayfunOzberk @FORONAVAL @SubBrief @USN_Submariner @TheSubHunter1 @IBallantyn @navalnewscom 3. On the morning of 12 August 2000, Kursk was operating in the Barents Sea near the Kola Bay as a part of the "Summer-X" exercise, the first large-scale naval exercise planned by the Russian Navy in more than a decade, and also its first since the dissolution of the Soviet… https://t.co/DfZFyAqZzFtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…