"Cheetah" underwater hunter. Repair and modernization of the nuclear submarine "Leopard" at "Zvezdochka" - bmpd The significance of "Pike" for domestic shipbuilding

History of creation

The decision to develop a mass series of third-generation multipurpose submarines was made in July 1976. The boat was designed by SKB-143 Malachite. Until 1997, the work was led by the chief designer G. N. Chernyshev, after his death - Yu. I. Farafontov. The technical specifications were left the same as those of Project 945 "Barracuda", the work of the Lazurit Central Design Bureau, and the design was carried out on its basis, so work was not carried out at the preliminary design stage. Unlike the Barracuda, the boat’s hull was supposed to be made not of titanium, but of low-magnetic steel. This proposal was made by shipbuilders from Komsomolsk-on-Amur. This requirement was due to both the shortage and high cost of titanium, as well as the difficulties in working with it, which could only be overcome by one Soviet enterprise, Sevmash, as well as the Gorky enterprise "Krasnoye Sormovo" whose capacity was clearly insufficient for the construction of a large series in a fairly short time deadlines. At the same time, replacing titanium with steel made it possible to use the increased capacity of Far Eastern factories. September 13, 1977 technical project was approved, but due to the construction in the United States of a new type of Los Angeles submarine with a new generation of hydroacoustic systems, Shchuka-B was sent for revision.

The improved project was ready by 1980. The first part of the series was built in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, which was caused by the increased level of production and technical potential of the Far Eastern shipyards.

In the early 1980s, the Soviet Union purchased a batch of high-precision metal-cutting machines from the Japanese company Toshiba, which made it possible to use new technologies in the processing of propellers, which sharply reduced the noise of submarines. The deal was secret, but information about it reached the world press. As a result, the US imposed economic sanctions against the company.

Project 971 boats received the code name “Akula” in NATO countries. Later, the project was improved several times, and boats built according to the modified designs received the code names “Improved Akula” (Russian) in the West. "Improved Shark"), Project 971M corresponds to the designation “Akula-II”. The last of the boats built, K-335 "Gepard", the embodiment of the latest technical achievements, is called "Akula-III" in the West.

Design

Frame

Project 971 has a two-hull design. The durable body is made of high-quality alloy steel with σ t = 1 GPa (10,000 kgf/cm²). To simplify the installation of equipment, the boat was designed using zone blocks, which made it possible to transfer a significant amount of work from the cramped conditions of the submarine compartments directly to the workshop. After installation is completed, the zone unit is “rolled” into the boat’s hull and connected to the main cables and pipelines of the ship’s systems. A two-stage depreciation system is used: all mechanisms are placed on shock-absorbing foundations, in addition, each zone block is isolated from the body by rubber-cord pneumatic shock absorbers. In addition to reducing the overall noise of the nuclear submarine, this scheme makes it possible to reduce the impact of underwater explosions on equipment and crew. The boat has a developed vertical tail with a streamlined boule, which houses a towed antenna. The submarine is also equipped with two folding thrusters and retractable bow horizontal rudders with flaps. A special feature of the project is the smoothly coupled connection of the tail unit with the body. This is done to reduce hydrodynamic turbulence that creates noise.

Boat noise at 4-8 knots 90-110 dB per 1 Pa at a distance of 1 m

Power point

Energy supply is provided by a nuclear power plant. The lead boat, K-284 "Akula", has a water-propulsion system nuclear reactor OK-650M.01. On later orders, the nuclear power plant has minor improvements. Some sources report that subsequent boats are equipped with OK-9VM type reactors. The thermal power of the reactor is 190 MW, the shaft power is 50,000 liters. With. Two auxiliary electric motors in the folding outboard columns have a power of 410 hp each. s., there is one diesel generator ASDG-1000.

Crew accommodation

Living conditions are somewhat improved compared to project 671RTMK "Pike". The entire crew is housed in the 2nd living compartment in cabins. In the remaining compartments, personnel stand watch and perform their official duties.

Armament

"Shchuka-B" is armed with a torpedo-missile system, including 4 torpedo tubes of 650 mm caliber and 4 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition is 40 units, including 12 650 mm caliber and 28 533 mm caliber.

The following 650 mm caliber ammunition can be used: 65-76 torpedoes, anti-submarine missile systems PLRK-6 “Vodopad” and PLRK-7 “Wind” with the ability to install a nuclear charge.

The 533 mm caliber devices are equipped with the Grinda torpedo preparation system and can use torpedoes, in particular deep-sea torpedoes UGST and electric homing torpedoes USET-80, missile torpedoes (type APR-ZM), anti-submarine guided missiles (PLUR) model 83R, underwater missiles M5 Shkval, C-10 Granat nuclear-tipped cruise missiles designed to destroy aircraft carriers, are currently being developed into the Kalibr-PL complex. It is also possible to lay both conventional and self-transporting mines through torpedo tubes.

The weapon system used allows the Shchuka-B to fight submarines and surface ships, as well as hit ground targets with high-precision cruise missiles.

Modifications

Project 971 boats received the code name “Akula” in NATO countries. Later the project was improved several times:

Service history

In the same year, another “Pike-B” with a crew under the command of Captain 1st Rank A.V. Burilichev, while on combat service in the far reaches of the Atlantic, discovered a US Navy SSBN and secretly watched it go on combat patrol. After that campaign, the crew commander was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Comparative assessment

In June-July 2012, the submarine remained undetected by the US Navy in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks.

Some experts are skeptical about comparing Project 971 with fourth-generation boats, considering the performance estimates to be overestimated.

	"Los Angeles"	"Pike"	"Pike-B"	"Barracuda"	"Condor"	"Fin"	"Ruby"
Appearance
Years of construction	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Years of service	c	c	c	c	c	c-	c
Built	62	15	15	2	2	1	6
Displacement (t) surface underwater	6082 7177	6990 7250	8140 12770	5940 9600	6470 10400	5880 8500	2410 2607
Speed ​​(kt) surface underwater	17 30-35	11,6 31	11,6 33	19 35	19 35	11 33	15 25
Immersion depth (m) working ultimate	280 450	400 600	480 600	480 550	520 600	1000 1250	300

Reaction

Original text (English)

The Improved Akula SSN, which went to sea in 1990, soon revealed that the Soviets had surpassed the U.S. Navy in some areas of acoustic quieting--the Improved Akula was quieter than our newest attack submarines, the Improved LOS ANGELES class .

In the same speech, Polmar quoted the words of the Commander of US Naval Operations, Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda:

For the first time since we launched the Nautilus, a situation has arisen that the Russians have submarines at sea that are quieter than ours. As you know, low noise is the main quality for submarines.

Representatives

In total, the project planned to build 25 ships: 13 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and 12 in Severodvinsk. In 1983-1993, 20 submarines were laid down, of which 14 were completed (seven at each plant); 10 of them are part of the Russian Navy, on the last of them, the K-335 “Geetah”, the flag was raised on December 4, 2001 in the presence of the President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief V. Putin. Two submarines, Lynx and Cougar, were not completed, and the hulls were used in the construction of Project 955-955A, like the K-535 Yuri Dolgoruky and K-550 Alexander Nevsky; another one, K-152 Nerpa, was launched only in 2006 and was originally intended for leasing to India, as a result of which it had differences in the installed equipment. As of May 2011, the submarine was located in Bolshoy Kamen, where the Vostok plant is located. On April 4, 2012, the submarine was officially inducted into service with the Indian Navy at the Visakhapatnam base.

Table colors:
White - not completed or disposed of without being launched
Green - operating as part of the Russian Navy
Yellow - operating as part of foreign navies or as a civilian ship
Blue - is under repair or modernization
Red - written off, scrapped or lost

Plant named after Lenin Komsomol No. 199, Komsomolsk-on-Amur

Northern Machine-Building Enterprise No. 402, Severodvinsk

Current state

All completed boats of the project, except three, were in service until the early 2000s and were part of the Northern and Pacific fleets, based at Yagelnaya Bay (now Gadzhievo) (SF) and in the village of Rybachy (Pacific Fleet). As of the beginning of 2017, 4 submarines of the project are combat-ready; 3 - at the Northern Fleet and one - at the TF, the rest are under repair or conservation.

The lead boat of the project, K-284 "Akula", was excluded from the fleet's operational strength and has been laid up at the Pacific Fleet base in Pavlovsky Bay since at least 1996. The K-480 Ak Bars was withdrawn from the fleet in 1998 and was in long-term storage in Yagelnaya Bay. In 2007, K-480 was towed to the Zvezdochka shipyard for cutting into metal. Unfinished structures of Sevmash boats K-337 "Cougar" And K-333 "Lynx" were used in the construction of the strategic missile carrier "Yuri Dolgoruky" of Project 955 "Borey". Two of the four unfinished boats of the plant named after. Lenin Komsomol was canceled in the early stages of readiness, the third boat, K-152 Nerpa, was completed and on January 23, 2012 officially leased to the Indian Navy for $650 million for a period of 10 years. Interestingly, in the Indian Navy the Nerpa will be named Chakra. Previously, this name was borne by the Soviet nuclear submarine K-43 of project 670 "Scat", which was part of the Indian fleet on leasing terms in 1988-1992 and over the years became a good base for training Indian submariners: many sailors who served on the first "Chakra" subsequently occupied important positions in the country's navy, including eight who rose to the rank of admiral. The terms of the contract with India also provide for the completion and lease to the Indian side of the fourth of the unfinished boats in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the readiness of which as of 2002 was 42%.

Three boats: “Wolf”, “Tiger” and “Leopard” are patronized by the districts Nizhny Novgorod.

In 2014, a deep modernization of nuclear submarines began at the Zvezdochka shipyard. The first modernized boats are K-328 "Leopard", K-461 "Wolf", K-391 "Bratsk" and K-295 "Samara". In total, it was planned to modernize 6 boats.

Accidents

On November 8, 2008, during tests in the Sea of ​​Japan, as a result of unauthorized activation of the LOX fire extinguishing system on board the K-152 Nerpa, 20 people died - 17 civilians and 3 military. Another 21 people were hospitalized (later another 20 people from civilian specialists sought help. There were 208 people on board the nuclear submarine at the time of the accident, 81 of them were military personnel. .

Notes

1. K-322, “Sperm Whale” Project 971
2. See K-152 "Nerpa"
3. Silent “Super Sharks” armed with “Calibers” Izvestia, April 28, 2017.
4. "Gepard" - the first nuclear submarine cruiser of the 21st century, Igor Lisochkin, shipbuilding.ru
5. Fedorov, Vyacheslav WEAPONS OF RUSSIA. "Cheetah": Underwater hunter. (undefined) . Fedorov Military Library (2000-2008). Retrieved March 13, 2008. Archived August 25, 2011.
6. “Panther” is being tested, Andrey Gavrilenko, “Red Star” (rosprom.gov.ru), 01/18/2007
7. Mikhailov, Andrey The “Silent Hunter” of the Deep turns 20 years old (undefined) . Rosprom. Federal agency by industry. 06/21/2004 (PRAVDA.Ru, 06/16/2004). Retrieved March 13, 2008. Archived January 29, 2012.
8. What is known about the character of noise created by submarines? Appendix 1 - The Future of Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces - by Eugene Miasnikov, Center for Arms Control, …
9. Yu. V. Apalkov “Submarines” vol.1 part 2, “Galeya Print”, St. Petersburg, 2002
10. Myasnikov, Victor Strategic missiles flew to China and Iran (undefined) . nvo.ng.ru(07/07/2006). Retrieved March 14, 2008. Archived January 29, 2012.

The newest multi-purpose Russian nuclear boat "Gepard" of the 5th generation is designed to destroy aircraft carriers, as well as destroy coastal objects and targets.

"Gepard" is a multi-purpose nuclear submarine of the improved Project 971 (Bars class, according to NATO classification - "Akula-2").
The project was developed by the Malachite Marine Engineering Bureau. This is the eleventh Bars-class submarine produced at the Northern Engineering Enterprise since 1988. Two of them - "Gepard" and "Vepr" (adopted into the Northern Fleet in 1996) - have been significantly modernized. Russian designers claim that these nuclear-powered submarines are the quietest and fastest in the world.

On board the ship there are two DG-300 diesel generators with reversible converters (2 x 750 hp) with a fuel reserve for 10 days of operation. They are designed to generate direct current for propulsion electric motors and alternating current for general ship consumers.

The hydroacoustic complex MGK-503 "Skat-KS" with a digital information processing system has a powerful noise direction finding and sonar system. It includes a developed bow antenna, two long-range onboard antennas, as well as a towed long-range antenna located in a container located on the vertical tail (the dimensions of the container are much larger than those on the Project 671RTM nuclear submarine). In addition to the SAC, Project 971 nuclear submarines are equipped with a highly effective, unparalleled worldwide system for detecting enemy submarines and surface ships using their wake (the equipment installed on the boat makes it possible to record such a wake many hours after the passage of an enemy submarine).

The ship is equipped with the Medveditsa-971 navigation complex, as well as the Molniya-M radio communication system with the Symphony space communications system and a towed antenna.

The torpedo-missile system includes four torpedo tubes with a caliber of 533 mm and four torpedo tubes with a caliber of 533 mm (the total ammunition load is more than 40 units of weapons, including 28 with a caliber of 533 mm). It is equipped to fire Granat cruise missiles, underwater missiles and Shkval, Vodopad and Veter missile-torpedoes, as well as torpedoes and self-transporting mines. In addition, the boat can lay conventional mines. The firing of Granit cruise missiles is controlled by a special hardware complex.

In the 90s The universal deep-sea homing torpedo UGST, created by the Research Institute of Marine Thermal Engineering and the State Research and Production Enterprise Region, entered service with submarines. It replaced the TEST-71M electric anti-submarine torpedo and the 53-65K high-speed anti-ship torpedo.

At the same time, on the basis of the Soviet-American agreements of 1989, weapons systems with nuclear weapons were excluded from the armament of multi-purpose nuclear submarines - the Shkval and Vodopad missile-torpedoes with SBC, as well as 28 long-range cruise missiles RK-55 Granit "to destroy coastal targets at a range of up to 3000 km, which can be equipped with a nuclear warhead with a yield of 200 kilotons.

The lead nuclear-powered vessel of the 971st project - K-284 - was laid down on the banks of the Amur in 1980 and entered service on December 30, 1984. Already during its testing, the achievement of a qualitatively higher level of acoustic stealth was demonstrated. The noise level of the K-284 was 12-15 dB (i.e. 4-4.5 times) lower than the noise level of the “quiest” domestic boat of the previous generation - 671RTM. According to NATO classification, the new nuclear submarines received the designation Akula.
After the first “simply Sharks”, ships appeared, called Improved Akula in the West (probably, these included boats built in Severodvinsk, as well as the last “Komsomol” ships). Compared to their predecessors, they had better stealth than the US Navy's improved Los Angeles-class boats (SSN-688-I).

In 1996, the submarine cruiser Vepr, built in Severodvinsk, entered service. While maintaining the same contours, it had a new design of a durable body and internal “filling”. Once again, a serious leap forward was made in the field of noise reduction. In the West, this ship (as well as subsequent nuclear submarines of the 971st project) was called Akula-2.

According to US naval intelligence, the durable hull of the modernized Barsa has a 4 m long insert. The additional tonnage made it possible, in particular, to equip the boat with “active” systems for reducing vibration of the power plant, almost completely eliminating its impact on the ship’s hull. According to American experts, in terms of stealth characteristics, the modernized boat of Project 971 is approaching the level of the American fourth-generation multi-purpose nuclear submarine SSN-21 Seawolf.

High stealth and combat stability give the Bars the ability to successfully overcome anti-submarine lines equipped with stationary long-range hydroacoustic surveillance systems, as well as counter anti-submarine forces. They can operate in the enemy’s zone of dominance and deliver sensitive missile and torpedo strikes. The armament of the Bars allows them to fight submarines and surface ships, as well as hit ground targets with high precision with cruise missiles.
The underwater speed reaches 36 knots. In autonomous mode, the submarine can operate for up to 100 days. Crew - 61 people.

Gepard's predecessors left the plant two years after its foundation. Before “Cheetah” there were “Leopard”, “Panther”, “Wolf”, “Leopard”, “Tiger”, “Boar”. Sailors call this series of boats cat, although officially Project 971, to which “Gepard” belongs, has the code “Pike-B”, and according to the NATO classification - “Akula-2”. Despite the difference in names, they are all close to the new boat. They noted one main feature“cat” series - silent running. These are third generation boats.
Even under the most favorable conditions, the American Los Angeles-class submarine, which has the most advanced hydroacoustics, will be able to detect a “cat” boat no further than 10 kilometers away. This distance is critical. A nuclear submarine that has crept up unnoticed can already carry out its combat mission without hindrance.

American naval analyst N. Polmer noted at a hearing in the National Security Committee of the US House of Representatives: “The appearance of Akula-class submarines, as well as other third-generation Russian nuclear submarines, demonstrated that Soviet shipbuilders were closing the noise gap faster than expected. . In 1994 it became known that the gap no longer existed.”

The “Cat” series of boats is the closest relative of the Project 945 Barracuda nuclear submarine created at the Lazurit Central Design Bureau in Nizhny Novgorod. Let us recall that this boat is deep-sea, with a titanium hull. Today the name of its chief designer is widely known - Hero of Russia Nikolai Kvasha.
By May 1990, six submarines of this type had been built.
The Barracuda had one significant drawback. It was very expensive, and not every Russian shipyard where submarines were made could work with titanium. The fleet needed a series of submarines of a wide profile, cheap and easy to build. Project 945 was taken as a basis, but the boat's hull was made of low-magnetic steel. The new series of boats was assigned to Project 971.

This series of nuclear submarines inherited its “cat” name from the first Russian boats of the early 20th century. The former “Gepard” was laid down in September 1913 at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg. A year and a half later, the boat was already commissioned as warships. She participated in the First World War, providing search and reconnaissance operations on enemy sea lanes. The boat made 15 combat missions. But in October 1917, while on patrol in the Baltic Sea, she disappeared without a trace. The cause of the tragedy and the place of death have not yet been established.
A series of Project 971 boats was developed by Leningraders. In addition to being quiet, the boats are also formidable. The torpedo-missile system includes a total ammunition load of more than 40 units of weapons. The boats can launch Granat cruise missiles, underwater missiles and Shkval, Vodopad and Veter torpedo missiles. The boat can also be used as a minelayer.

With the appearance of “cat” nuclear submarines in the waters of the northern seas and the Pacific Ocean, the Americans had to forget the words that they constantly repeated: “Russian submarines are larger than ours, but they are poorly made.”
And the head of the US Navy operational detachment, Admiral Jeremy Borda, having analyzed all the contacts of his boats with the “cat” series submarines, came to the conclusion that in terms of their low noise they correspond to fourth-generation boats.
Concerned about the rapid development of Russian submarine shipbuilding, the American side made an attempt to involve the international non-governmental environmental organization Greenpeace in the planned operation. Obeying her customers, she transferred all her activities to the northern seas, fighting their nuclear contamination. As soon as the construction of new submarines in Russia stopped, Greenpeace immediately left the northern waters.

There was another incident related to these boats. In the early 80s, our country acquired unique high-precision metal-cutting machines from the Japanese company Toshiba. The deal was secret, but the press found out about it and immediately trumpeted it around the world. These machines made it possible to use new technologies in the processing of propeller shafts and propeller blades, thereby sharply reducing the noise level of the submarine. The United States, having learned about the deal, immediately announced to Toshiba the introduction of economic sanctions. But it was already too late.
The boat's hull has a hydroacoustic coating and is divided into seven main compartments. Comfortable conditions have been created for the crew: a relaxation room, a gym and even a small sauna with a swimming pool. The living quarters for four people are very similar to the compartments of a passenger train.

An interesting incident occurred on February 29, 1996, in the midst of NATO exercises. The warships were searching for a mock underwater enemy. The training task was completed, when suddenly... a Russian submarine made contact. Her commander asked for help. It was necessary to urgently evacuate a sailor with an acute attack of appendicitis.
For the British to whom the request was addressed, it was a shock. Until now, they are at a loss: whether help was really needed, or whether this was a well-planned operation. When the boat surfaced, everyone saw that it was in the very center of the order of NATO ships. If the combat situation was real...

"Cheetah" at operating speed, allowing it to quickly survey a fairly large area, is not detected at all by existing sonar equipment. And even when he picks up speed, he is able to “see” and “hear” any adversary in the ocean before he notices him.
The Americans were also shocked when they “accidentally” discovered our “Pike” near their territorial waters.
Another “Pike” distinguished itself in the summer of 1999 during the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia. Then a message passed that in the waters Mediterranean Sea Our submarine has been spotted. She was actually noticed when she passed the narrow Strait of Gibraltar. But then she disappeared. After some time, she appeared off the coast of Corsica and Yugoslavia. She was hunted by both surface ships and anti-submarine aircraft. After playing hide and seek, the boat calmly left the Mediterranean Sea.
The shock came later when NATO headquarters found out that along with at least short term The submarine “Kursk” and “Barracuda” (“Pskov”) that they noticed by “Pike” in the Mediterranean Sea were located. They were discovered only when they were already returning to their native shores.

According to representatives of the US Navy, at operational speeds of the order of 5-7 knots, the noise of Improved Akula class boats, recorded by hydroacoustic reconnaissance, was less than the noise of the most advanced US Navy nuclear submarines of the Improved Los Angeles class.
According to the Chief of Operations of the US Navy, Admiral D. Burda, American ships were unable to accompany the Improved Akula nuclear submarine at speeds less than 6-9 knots (contact with the new Russian submarine took place in the spring of 1995 off the east coast of the United States). According to the admiral, the improved Akula-2 nuclear submarine meets the requirements for fourth-generation boats in terms of low noise characteristics.

The appearance of new super-stealthy nuclear-powered ships in the Russian fleet after the end of the Cold War caused serious concern in the United States. In 1991, this issue was raised in Congress. Several proposals were put forward for discussion by American legislators aimed at rectifying the current situation in favor of the United States. In accordance with them, it was assumed, in particular:
- demand that our country make its long-term programs in the field of submarine shipbuilding public;
- establish for the Russian Federation and the United States agreed restrictions on the quantitative composition of multi-purpose nuclear submarines;
- provide assistance to Russia in re-equipping shipyards building nuclear submarines to produce non-military products.
The international non-governmental environmental organization Greenpeace also joined the campaign to combat Russian submarine shipbuilding, which actively advocated the ban on submarines with nuclear power plants (primarily, of course, Russian ones, which, according to the “greens,” pose the greatest environmental danger). In order to “exclude nuclear disasters,” Greenpeace recommended that Western governments make the provision of financial assistance to Russia dependent on the resolution of this issue.

The American side is also concerned about the fact that India, China and South Korea have shown great interest in the “cat” series boats. Moreover, the Indian Navy got there before everyone else. The terms for the purchase of two submarines, which are now being completed on the slipways of Sevmash, were discussed.
It’s a pity, of course, that this strategic reserve is going to the side, but these are the realities, otherwise our Navy would not have received the Gepard.
Currently, all multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 971 are part of the Northern (Yagelnaya Bay) and Pacific (Rybachy) fleets. They are quite actively (of course, by the standards of the present time) used for combat service.

A feature of the new nuclear submarine, the development of which was entrusted to the Leningrad SKV Malakhit, was a significant, approximately five times reduction in noise level compared to the most advanced domestic torpedo boat of the 2nd generation. This result was supposed to be achieved through the implementation of earlier developments in the field of increasing stealth of both the design team of the Design Bureau (where the ultra-low-noise nuclear submarine project was developed in the early 70s) and the scientists of the Central Research Institute named after. Academician A.N. Krylova.

The torpedo-missile system includes four torpedo tubes with a caliber of 533 mm and four torpedo tubes with a caliber of 533 mm (the total ammunition load is more than 40 units of weapons, including 28 with a caliber of 533 mm). It is adapted to fire Granat cruise missiles, underwater missiles and missile-torpedoes (Shkval, Vodopad and Veter), as well as torpedoes and self-transporting mines. In addition, the boat can lay conventional mines. Firing of Granat cruise missiles is controlled by a special hardware complex.

In the 90s, the universal deep-sea homing torpedo UGST, created by the Research Institute of Marine Thermal Engineering and the State Research and Production Enterprise Region, entered service with submarines. It replaced the TEST-71M electric anti-submarine torpedo and the 53-65K high-speed anti-ship torpedo. The new torpedo is designed to destroy enemy submarines and surface ships. A powerful thermal power plant and a significant fuel supply provide it with a wide range of travel depths, as well as the ability to hit high-speed targets at long distances. An axial piston engine running on unitary fuel and a low-noise water-jet propulsion system allow the UGST to reach speeds of more than 50 knots. The propulsion unit without a gearbox is directly connected to the engine, which, along with other measures, has significantly increased the stealth use of the torpedo.

The UGST uses two-plane rudders that extend beyond the contours of the torpedo after it exits the tube. The combined acoustic homing equipment has modes for locating an underwater target and searching for a surface ship using its wake. There is a wired telecontrol system (torpedo coil length is 25 km). A complex of onboard processors ensures reliable control of all torpedo systems when searching for and hitting a target. An original solution is the presence in the guidance system of the “Tablet” algorithm, which simulates the tactical picture on board the torpedo at the time of firing, superimposed on a digital picture of the water area (depths, bottom topography, fairways). After the shot, the data is updated from the mother ship. Modern algorithms give the torpedo the properties of an artificial intelligence system, which makes it possible, in particular, to use several torpedoes simultaneously against one or more targets in a complex target environment and with active enemy counteraction. Torpedo length UGST-7.2 m, weight - 2200 kg, explosive mass - 200 kg, travel depth - up to 500 m, travel speed - more than 50 knots, firing range - up to 50 km.

The improvement of the missile-torpedoes that are part of the armament of the Project 971 nuclear submarine continues. Currently, they are equipped with a new second stage, which is an APR-ZM underwater missile (caliber 355 mm, weight 450 kg, warhead weight 76 kg) with a sonar homing system having a capture radius of 2 km. The use of the guidance law with an adaptive lead angle made it possible to shift the center of the group of missile hits to the middle of the underwater target, hitting it in a durable hull. The torpedo uses an adjustable turbo-jet engine running on mixed high-calorie fuel, which provides the APR-ZM with a high approach speed for the purpose of making it difficult for the enemy to use hydroacoustic countermeasures. The missile's underwater speed is 18-30 m/s, the depth of target destruction is up to 800 m, the probability of hitting a target with a root-mean-square target designation error of 300-500 m is 0.9.

At the same time, on the basis of the Soviet-American agreements of 1989, weapons systems with nuclear equipment were excluded from the armament of multi-purpose nuclear submarines - the Shkval and Vodopad missile-torpedoes with SBP, as well as the Granat-type missile-torpedoes.

The efforts of the ship's creators were crowned with success: in terms of stealth level, the new nuclear-powered submarine for the first time in the history of domestic submarine shipbuilding surpassed the best American analogue - the 3rd generation multi-purpose nuclear submarine Los Angeles.

The Project 971 nuclear submarine received powerful strike weapons that significantly exceed (in the number and caliber of torpedo tubes, as well as missile and torpedo ammunition) the potential of domestic and foreign submarines of similar purposes. Like the Project 945 ship, the new boat was supposed to fight enemy submarines and naval groups, carry out mine laying, conduct reconnaissance and participate in special-purpose operations.

The technical design of "Pike-B" was approved on September 13, 1977. However, it was later subjected to modifications caused by the need to "pull up" the technological level of the hydroacoustic complex to the level of the Americans, who had once again taken the lead in this area. Their boats of the 3rd generation (Los Angeles type) were equipped with the AM/VSYU-5 sonar system with digital information processing, which ensured a much more accurate selection of the useful signal from the background noise. Another new “introduction” that necessitated the need to make changes to the project was the military’s requirement to equip new generation nuclear submarines with Granat strategic cruise missiles.

During the modification, which was completed in 1980, the boat received a new digital sonar system with improved characteristics, as well as a weapons control system that allows the use of cruise missiles.

The design of the Project 971 nuclear submarine included such innovative solutions as integrated automation of combat and technical means, concentration of control of the ship, its weapons and armament in a single center - the main command post (MCP), the use of a pop-up rescue chamber (which was successfully tested on 705 boats -th project).

The Project 971 submarine is of the double-hull type. The durable body is made of high-strength steel with a yield strength of 100 kgf/mm2. All main equipment, command posts, combat posts and wheelhouses are located in shock-absorbing zone blocks, which are spatial frame structures with decks. Shock absorption significantly reduces the acoustic field of the ship, and also helps protect the crew and equipment from dynamic overloads that occur during underwater explosions. In addition, the block layout made it possible to rationalize the ship construction process: the installation of equipment was moved from the cramped conditions of the compartment directly to the workshop, to a zone block accessible from all sides. After installation is completed, the zone unit is “rolled” into the boat’s hull and connected to the main cables and pipelines of the ship’s systems.

The submarine uses a developed two-stage damping system, which significantly reduces structural noise. All mechanisms are placed on shock-absorbing foundations. Each zonal block is isolated from the nuclear submarine hull by rubber-cord pneumatic shock absorbers, forming a second cascade of vibration isolation.

Thanks to the introduction of comprehensive automation, the boat's crew was reduced to 73 people (including 31 officers), which is almost half the size of the crew of the American Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine (141 people). Compared to the Project 671RTM nuclear submarine, the habitability conditions on the new ship are somewhat improved. The hydroacoustic complex MGK-540 "Skat-3" with a digital information processing system has a powerful noise direction finding and sonar system. It consists of a developed nose antenna, two long-range onboard antennas, as well as a towed long-range antenna located in a container located on the vertical tail.

The target detection range using the new complex has increased threefold compared to the GAS installed on second-generation boats. The time required to determine target motion parameters has also been significantly reduced.

In addition to the SAC, Project 971 nuclear submarines are equipped with a highly effective, unparalleled worldwide system for detecting enemy submarines and surface ships using their wake (the equipment installed on the boat makes it possible to record such a wake many hours after the passage of an enemy submarine).

The ship is equipped with the Symphony-U navigation complex, as well as the Molniya-MC radio communication complex with the Tsunami space communications system and a towed antenna.

"Shchuka-B" became the first type of multi-purpose nuclear submarine, serial construction of which was initially organized at a plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and not in Severodvinsk or Leningrad, which indicated an increased level of development of the ship's structure in Far East. The lead nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 971 - K-284 - was laid down on the banks of the Amur in 1980 and entered service on December 30, 1984. Already during its testing, the achievement of a qualitatively higher level of acoustic stealth was demonstrated. The noise level of the K-284 was 12-15 dB (i.e. 4-4.5 times) lower than the noise level of the “quiest” domestic boat of the previous generation - 671RTM, which gave reason to talk about our country becoming a world leader in this regard the most important indicator of underwater shipbuilding. During the serial construction process, the ship's design was continuously improved, and its acoustic testing was carried out. This made it possible to strengthen the achieved position in the field of secrecy, finally eliminating the former superiority of the United States.

According to the NATO classification, the new nuclear submarines received the designation Akula (which caused some confusion, since the name of another Soviet boat, Alfa (Project 705), also began with the letter "A".

On October 10, 1990, an order was issued by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy V.N. Chernavin about assigning the name “Panther” to the K-317 boat. Subsequently, other nuclear-powered ships of this project received names. The first "Severodvinsk" boat - K-480 - received the name "Bars", which soon became a common name for all nuclear-powered ships of Project 971. The first commander of the "Bars" was captain 2nd rank S.V. Efremenko. In December 1997, at the request of Tatarstan, “Bars” was renamed “Ak-Bars”.

In 1996, the cruiser nuclear submarine (KAPL) Vepr, built in Severodvinsk, entered service. While maintaining the same contours, it had a new design of a durable hull and internal “filling”. Once again, a serious leap forward was made in the field of noise reduction. In the West, this ship (as well as subsequent nuclear submarines of the 971st project) was called Akula-2.

According to the now deceased chief designer of the project G.N. Chernyshev (who died in July 1997), Bars retains great modernization capabilities. In particular, the reserves available at Malachite make it possible to increase the search potential of the nuclear-powered icebreaker approximately three times.

According to US naval intelligence, the durable hull of the modernized Barsa has a 4 m long insert. The additional tonnage made it possible, in particular, to equip the boat with “active” systems for reducing vibration of the power plant, almost completely eliminating its impact on the ship’s hull. According to American experts, in terms of stealth characteristics, the modernized Project 971 boat is approaching the level of the American 4th generation multi-purpose nuclear submarine SSN-21 Seawolf. In terms of speed characteristics, diving depth and armament, these ships are also approximately equivalent. Thus, the improved Project 971 nuclear submarine can be considered as a submarine close to the 4th generation level. In the Northern Fleet, the Leopards have been consolidated into a division based in Yagelnaya Bay. In particular, in December 1995 - February 1996. The nuclear submarine "Wolf" (on board was the regular crew of the nuclear submarine "Panther" led by Captain 1st Rank S. Spravtsev, the senior on board was the deputy division commander, Captain 1st Rank V. Korolev), while on combat service in the Mediterranean Sea, carried out long-range anti-submarine provision of aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". At the same time, long-term monitoring of several NATO submarines was carried out, including the American Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine. High stealth and combat stability give the Bars the ability to successfully overcome anti-submarine lines equipped with stationary long-range hydroacoustic surveillance systems, as well as counter anti-submarine forces. They can operate in the enemy’s zone of dominance and deliver sensitive missile and torpedo strikes. The armament of the Bars allows them to fight submarines and surface ships, as well as hit ground targets with high precision with cruise missiles.

In the event of an armed conflict, each boat of the 971st project is capable of creating a threat and pinning down a significant group of enemy forces, preventing attacks on Russian territory.

According to scientists from MIPT, given in the brochure "The Future of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces: Discussion and Arguments" (Dolgoprudny, 1995), even under the most favorable hydrological conditions characteristic of the Barents Sea in winter, Project 971 nuclear submarines can be detected by American submarines of the " Los Angeles" with SAC AM/BQQ-5 at a range of no more than 10 km. Under less favorable conditions in this area of ​​the world's oceans, it is almost impossible to detect the Bars using hydroacoustic means.

The emergence of ships with such a high combat potential changed the situation and forced the US Navy to reckon with the possibility of serious opposition from the Russian fleet even in conditions of complete superiority of American offensive forces. "Leopards" can attack both the strike forces of the US Navy themselves and their rear areas, including coastal control centers, basing and supply points, no matter how far away they are. Stealthy and therefore inaccessible to the enemy, Project 971 nuclear submarines turn a potential war on the oceans into something like an offensive through a minefield, where any attempt to move forward threatens with an invisible but real danger.

It is appropriate to give a description of the submarines of the 971st project, given by the prominent American naval analyst N. Polmar at a hearing in the National Security Committee of the US House of Representatives: “The appearance of submarines of the D/sh/a type, as well as other Russian nuclear submarines 3- generation demonstrated that Soviet shipbuilders were closing the noise gap faster than expected." A few years later, in 1994, it became known that this gap had been completely eliminated.

According to representatives of the US Navy, at operational speeds of the order of 5-7 knots. The noise of the Improved Akula class boats, recorded by hydroacoustic reconnaissance, was less than the noise of the most advanced US Navy nuclear submarines of the Improved Los-Angelos class. According to the Chief of Operations of the US Navy, Admiral D. Burd: American ships were unable to accompany the Improved Akula nuclear submarine at speeds less than 6-9 knots (contact with the new Russian submarine took place in the spring of 1995 off the east coast of the United States). According to the admiral, the improved Akula-2 nuclear submarine meets the requirements for 4th generation boats in terms of low noise characteristics. The appearance of new super-stealthy nuclear-powered ships in the Russian fleet after the end of the Cold War caused serious concern in the United States. In 1991, this issue was raised in Congress. Several proposals were put forward for discussion by American legislators aimed at rectifying the current situation in favor of the United States. In accordance with them, it was planned, in particular: to demand from our country to make public its long-term programs in the field of submarine shipbuilding, to establish agreed upon limits for the Russian Federation and the United States on the quantitative composition of multi-purpose nuclear submarines, to provide assistance to Russia in re-equipping shipyards building nuclear submarines for the production of non-military products .

The international non-governmental environmental organization Greenpeace also joined the campaign to combat Russian submarine shipbuilding, which actively advocated the ban on submarines with nuclear power plants (primarily, of course, Russian ones, which, according to the “greens,” pose the greatest environmental danger). In order to “exclude nuclear disasters,” Greenpeace recommended that Western governments make the provision of financial assistance to Russia dependent on the resolution of this issue.

However, the rate of replenishment of the Navy with new multipurpose submarines slowed down sharply by the mid-90s, which removed the urgency of the problem for the United States, although the efforts of “environmentalists” (many of whom, as is known, are closely associated with NATO intelligence services) directed against the Russian fleet did not have ceased to this day.

Currently, all multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 971 are part of the Northern (Yagelnaya Bay) and Pacific (Rybachy) fleets. They are quite actively (of course, by the standards of the present time) used for combat service.

A massive series of third-generation nuclear boats with reduced noise and a multifunctional weapon system.

They belong to the third generation nuclear boats; they entered the fleet since 1984 to replace their predecessors (mainly the family of boats). A total of 15 such boats were built, 12 are currently in service, one was leased to India.

The creation of the boat began in the summer of 1976; in September 1977, a technical design was ready, which was finalized until 1980. In 1983, the first boat of the series was laid down. Developed by Leningrad SKB-143 Malachite. Chief designer Georgy Chernyshev.

When designing this type of submarine, special attention was paid to low noise. The measured acoustic parameters of Project 971 came as a very unpleasant surprise to the Americans, who are accustomed to the fact that Russian submarines are very noisy. To reduce noise, it was necessary to resort to a number of tricks - for example, the Soviet Union, bypassing the tight export controls of the West, imported metal-processing centers of the Japanese corporation Toshiba, which were then used to make propellers for these boats.

The design of the boat is double-hulled, standard for the Soviet fleet, the material is high-strength steel (the competitor, the Project 945 boat, was built from titanium alloys, which increased the cost of production and complicated the technology).

Surface displacement is over 8,000 tons, underwater - about 13,000 tons. The working depth of the dive is 480−520 meters for different versions of the project. Crew 73 people.

The Omnimbus combat information system is installed, and the MGK-540 Skat-3 hydroacoustic complex and the Symphony-U navigation complex are paired with it.

Armament: eight bow torpedo tubes (four 533 mm caliber and four 650 mm caliber). Ammunition capacity of up to 40 missiles, missile torpedoes or torpedoes, of which 12 are 650 mm caliber (65-76 torpedoes, 86R missiles of the RPK-7 “Veter” anti-submarine complex). In 533 mm caliber, the boat could use UGST and USET-80 torpedoes, Shkval type missiles, 83R anti-submarine missiles of the RPK-6 Vodopad complex, as well as S-10 Granat strategic cruise missiles.

Some of the boats are equipped with 533-mm REPS-324 “Barrier” launchers for hydroacoustic countermeasures - active jamming stations that imitate the acoustic portrait of a boat. Also, some of the boats are equipped with SOKS equipment - the MNK-200−1 Tukan detection station, which allows you to detect enemy ships and submarines by their wake.

One of the boats laid down during the Soviet Union - K-152 "Nerpa" - was completed according to project 971I "Irbis" and leased to India. The export version of the Shchuk-B is deprived of some critical systems, including Granat missiles and SOKS equipment; the basic systems are roughened in the export version. At the moment, an agreement has been signed on the completion of this project with the subsequent transfer of another boat to India - the so-called. “order 519” (the degree of readiness is about 60 percent).

At the moment, boats of this type are being sent for modernization. During the planned modernization of the boats of the Russian fleet, as far as one can judge from open sources, the submarines will have their avionics completely replaced, and their weapons system will also be changed, in particular, the submarines will be equipped with the new universal missile system "Caliber-PL", which will allow the use of anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine missiles and missiles for striking ground targets.

Location

Building, name

Milestones

On January 9, 1999, the commander of the submarine, Captain First Rank S.V. Spravtsev was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation with the Golden Star medal for courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty.

In 1999, Leopard completed the task of nuclear deterrence and stabilization of the situation in connection with NATO military aggression in the Balkans.

In July 2011, she arrived at JSC CS Zvezdochka to carry out medium repairs and modernization.

As of 2013, it was located in the Zvezdochka slipway workshop. Passed defect detection and spent nuclear fuel unloading procedures. The boat's return to the fleet is scheduled for 2015.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the project

Dimensions

Power plant

Armament