Submarine "Northwind": description and specifications.

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on arms of the Russian Navy in 2013 adopted the first strategic nuclear submarine project "Northwind."The submarine, which published a photo domestic and foreign media, called the "Yury Dolgoruky".It is at that time was only launched on the previous 12 years.In addition, it was the first cruise ship of the same type, built in the new Russia.

Who is Northwind

Translated from the Greek "Borey" means "north."But this geographical concept, responding partly operational region, "Yury Dolgoruky", the meaning of the name of the project is not exhausted.Each submarine of "Borey" project represents the power of the Greek mythological god brother and Zephyr Note, the son of Astrea and Eos, the terrible lord of the north wind.Write about it in the "Iliad" Homer, he was the favorite hero of the masters of ancient Greece, portrays him in many works of art that have come down to our own times.Powerful, winged, bearded, long-haired, he lived in the "sedmidomnom grotto" (that is quite secretive) and did what he wanted.When decided to marry - she kidnapped Orifov, the king's daughter, by the way.This point is later reflected on his canvases many artists.Imaginary image of the deity Boreas (aka Zephyr) is and in the painting "Spring" by Botticelli himself.This is the name of a nuclear submarine great responsibility.

History Project

Submarine "Borey" was originally designed for a specific type of strategic nuclear medium - solid-fuel missile "Bark" (P-39UTTH), developed in the mid-eighties as a counterweight to the US, "Pershing-2".As it turned out, ship builders coped with the task better than the rocket men, who all went wrong.At the end of the project "Bark" decided to give up, a new submarine arm followed by something else.One option is to equip its cruise missiles, but the Ministry of Defense insisted on the continuation of research in the field of solid propellant missiles, had, in comparison with the previously produced in the USSR liquid samples, a number of advantages.Underwater ship in the meantime continued to build.The country has stepped challenging times.

Unfinished Yeltsin era

project was prepared after the collapse of the Soviet Union.First-class submarine "Borey" was founded in 1996 and has become ... a real long-term construction.Two years later, when a failure with the "Barca" became apparent, ready-made blueprints had to be revised.The construction of a strong and lightweight body during the financial crisis and the shortage of funding continued for twelve years.Only in 2008 was a solemn launching "Yury Dolgoruky", but it took a full five-year period to the end of the calendar finishing work and the transfer of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Federation.But all these efforts to overcome difficulties can be regarded as justified.NS "Northwind" has unique seaworthy.

What kind of ship?

Immersion depth - four meters (480 maximum).Underwater course - 29 knots, surface -15 knots.Displacement (full) - 24 ths. Tons. Each square meter of housing made of high-strength alloy austenitic steel AK-100 can withstand 40-ton load.The length of the ship - 170 meters.Drinking water is extracted from the side of the desalination plants, taken from the same place and the oxygen required for the enrichment of the air inside their spacecraft.On the surface can not rise for months.For the crew are excellent living conditions of habitability.Nuclear submarine "Borey" sees and hears everything that moves at a distance of many tens of miles around, has a stable relationship of a coded acoustic channels and are always ready to fulfill the combat mission.Appointment of the ship, unlike many generic counterparts, strategic.By order of the president, he must deliver a massive nuclear missile strike, which is quite enough power to turn the whole continent into a lifeless desert.To do this, you must cruiser secretly present in any area of ​​the ocean, in the unknown to a potential enemy depth with unpredictable for him the coordinates.Few defense facilities are covered by a veil of mystery, like a submarine "Northwind".Specifications secret, know about them quite a bit, and then only because the main purpose of any defense system similar level - intimidate potential aggressor.

The objectives of the strategic missile submarine hunting is not part of the transport or military forces hostile fleets.It provides only nuclear deterrence imminent threat of retaliation if attacked.

About shipbuilding "donation»

Material difficulties forced the creators of the first ship of the series ("Yury Dolgoruky") used for the construction of its section of the submarine "Cougar" Project 971 (also known as "Pike-B").The design of the "Alexander Nevski" similar modules have been borrowed from the "Lynx", and in the case of the "Vladimir Monomakh" - the "Ak Bars".In the press leaked the information that early and decommissioned nuclear submarines "Barnaul" donor to become a kind of new ships, thus giving rise to some criticism of the Russian defense industry to draw conclusions about the technical backwardness of the Russian fleet.Built pessimistic assumption that the submarines of Project 955 "Borey" are by no means the last word in naval shipbuilding, and assembled from recycled materials and components, decommissioned submarines.In fact, it is the use of suitable shells hull - quite justified measure to reduce material costs.On the combat capability of the new ships is not affected.

reactor and propulsion system

heart submarine - 190-megawatt steam-650V OK.The main sources of noise that disclose any nuclear submarines are pumps, pumping coolant and TGZA (turbo-gas-gear unit).The design of the submarine "Northwind", these units are the same as that used on boats the previous series (including the project "Ash").But this does not mean that the noise level remains the same - it reduced due to various technical tricks.It became water-jet propulsion device, which significantly reduced the decibel, all equipment received special shock absorbers.There is an assumption that in a situation requiring a special reserve, are detached from the GTZA propeller shaft and the boat is driven by a special low-noise motor.At least, that's what resolved the issue of secrecy "Ash."

fourth generation

Submarine "Northwind" - the fourth generation of the ship.Its aim was to replace the submarines made in Soviet times, the latest of which are on the alert for a quarter century and armed with the type of liquid rocket "Sineva".The continuity of structures in this case is justified: submarine are very expensive and have a long service life and displacement of their new models gradually.Strategic ocean carriers of the US Navy nuclear missiles are about the same age as the Russian, the more so in recent years in the United States was given preferential attention to the creation of multi-purpose submarines at the expense of the challenges of global containment.The pace of construction of Russian submarines in recent years have increased significantly, although the Soviet standards still fall short.Thus, the second ship (and third) Project 955 was able to put into service just six years after the bookmark.

Acoustic Station

entire nose of the submarine "Northwind" is occupied by highly sensitive spherical antenna sonar system MGK-600B "Irtysh-Amphora".No matter how powerful any giant underwater weapons, it would have been useless without the ability to objectively assess the environmental surface and underwater situation.Apart from the usual tasks, consisting in shumopelengovanii, recognition and communication purposes, the SJC board can measure the thickness of the ice detecting torpedoes and mines, to find the hole in the ice in the northern latitudes and the command of the ship to provide other useful information, invaluable in a combat situation.

Missile launchers

Submarine "Northwind" has a distinctive silhouette with the influx favor of chopping.There are missile launchers, which are the main weapon of the submarine for special purposes.Until the moment when the data were made public on the strategic opportunities of the new ship, military experts believed their twenties.In fact it is not so: sixteen launchers, each of them - missile "Bulava".The system provides high precision stabilization of the depth of a reliable start from anywhere in the course of combat.

So what's with the "Bulava"?

Submarine "Borey" was created in order to become the new carrier rocket "Bulava".On January 2013 the ship is part of the Northern Fleet, but so far it is not known how effective they can be caused by stroke.The transition to a new type of ammunition proved more complicated than previously thought.Actually, the following advantages of solid-fuel missiles:

- safe storage and the almost complete exclusion of the possibility of accidental launch;

- a relatively low cost;

- easy start;

- less vulnerability to missile defense systems.

However, solid rocket has a smaller radius of combat use, what - at the same weight - similar to liquid.In addition, the technology of their production is characterized by a variety of subtleties.

In 2013, on board the "Alexander Nevsky" was produced by commissioning "Bulava R-30", ended in failure.A shell fell in two minutes after the start.Prior to this incident, the test is successful.After troubleshooting the next start and managed without failures.Terms of secrecy do not allow firm conclusions about the submarine combat capability "Northwind".TTX missile "Bulava" known only in general terms, they constitute a state secret.To improve them and increase reliability continues.

Other boats Project 955

Each successive launches submarine type "Northwind" is different from the previous increasing perfection.The lead ship, "Yury Dolgoruky" since the beginning of 2013 assigned to the Naval Base Gadzhiyevo (SF)."Alexander Nevsky" - the next submarine - from the end of that year is the Pacific Fleet in Vilyuchinsk, as part of the 25th Division.A year later, in December 2014, on the same base unit arrived third series of nuclear submarine "Vladimir Monomakh".All three boats until they are on combat duty in the operational areas.It is difficult to judge to what extent the reason is incomplete technical readiness.Normal practice all the navies in the world is a thorough working out the skills of crews and achieve the perfect material possession of the ship before leaving the operating room.The team consists of 55 highly qualified officers and 52 sailors, the requirements for skills of which are also very high.On how well coordinated their actions will depend not only the success of a long voyage, but also the lives of seafarers.

following "Borei»

In 2009, "Sevmash" laid the fourth ship of Project 955, named St. Nicholas.Currently, within the body being finished installation of equipment and electrical machinery.This version of the missile submarine has an index of 955-U.

In 2014 began the construction of two units - "Suvorov" and "Prince Oleg" (version 955-A).His works are at the stage of assembling the pressure hull.

2015 planned laying of two submarines of class "Northwind."

limit to the Russian Navy's eight submarines of the fourth generation, is not precisely known.Perhaps by 2020 the number will reach ten.Over time, they will be replaced on duty "Squid" and "Dolphins" Project 667, which has already celebrated for his age.