50 years ago, the Soviet military submarine K-162 set a world record for underwater speed - more than 80 kilometers per hour. Not a single torpedo in those days could keep up with this submarine missile carrier. Following him, the Soviet Union released more than a dozen high-speed underwater "aircraft carrier killers" into the World Ocean. But now none of them are anymore. Who and how torpedoed the domestic high-speed submarine fleet?
Exactly half a century ago, the K-162 submarine (later also known as K-222) was included in the lists of ships of the USSR Navy. The boat itself did not yet exist as such at that time - it was only being built on the stocks of Sevmash. However, neither the military nor domestic shipbuilders had the slightest doubt that the K-162 would be completed, commissioned, and put into operation in a few years.
This confidence, apparently, was based on the fact that the first nuclear submarine of project 661 "Anchar" was supposed to mark the appearance of Soviet Union a completely new class of submarines designed for torpedo-missile strikes against enemy aircraft carrier formations.
Let me remind you that by the middle of the last century in the United States, a new military strategy, which provided for the creation of total domination of this country in the expanses of the World Ocean. The main tool for this was chosen to build up the power of naval offensive forces in the form of aircraft carrier strike groups (AUGs). The USSR, which by that time had not yet recovered from the war, had no money to build aircraft carriers. And there was, in fact, effective means fight them in the open ocean. The firing range of torpedoes of Soviet submarines of that time did not exceed 3-4 km. And in order to launch a missile salvo at the American AUG, Soviet submarines would first have to surface, which deprived the attack on the AUG of any surprise. Therefore, the political and military leadership of the USSR was put before Soviet designers and engineers the task of creating a cruise missile that could hit large surface ships at a distance of several tens of kilometers from an underwater launch, and the corresponding underwater carrier of this weapon.
Such a missile system P-70 "Amethyst" in OKB-52 under the leadership of Vladimir Chelomey was created in the late 60s of the last century. The low-flying anti-ship missile (ASM) with an underwater launch, of course, lost to the anti-ship missile launched from the surface in terms of range (up to 80 km) and in terms of the mass of the warhead. However, at that time it was a revolutionary step. Firstly, no one in the world had such a missile yet, and secondly, Soviet shipbuilders managed to create a unique ship to carry and launch these missiles.
The P-70 carrier - the K-162 submarine, developed by TsKB-16 (now Malachite) under the leadership of Academician Nikolai Isanin, at that time was, in fact, the quintessence of Soviet military engineering shipbuilding thought. In the Soviet shipbuilding school, it somehow happened that the degree of technical novelty when creating the head, and then serial project should not exceed 20-25% compared to the previous generation of boats. In the case of the experimental boat pr.661, the designers were expressly forbidden to use existing solutions. As a result, this boat was designed and built for more than 10 years - from the end of the 50s of the last century to December 31, 1969, when the acceptance certificate was signed and the ship entered service. But what a boat it was!
Almost 400 completely new technical solutions were implemented in the first Anchar. Especially for him, for example, a twin-shaft nuclear steam power plant with a capacity of 40 thousand liters was developed. s., on each shaft (this power was twice the power of any submarines in the world at that time). This plant included two independent groups of port and starboard equipment and consisted of two reactors, two main turbogear units, two autonomous turbogenerators and auxiliary equipment. The stocks of nuclear fuel in the reactors could provide more than four round-the-world voyages with full underwater speed without recharging the reactor core. The steam power plant was controlled by the operator remotely from the control station, by setting the required mode with automatic output to power according to the specified stroke mode using automated system management of protection and control. The degree of automation and telemetry on the K-162 was generally an order of magnitude higher than that used at that time on Soviet and foreign nuclear submarines. The degree of comfort for the crew - too. K-162 even outwardly radically differed from the Soviet nuclear submarines of the 1st generation - carriers of cruise missiles (project 659, 675). If the first ones were narrow and long, with pointed noses, then the Anchar hull resembled a whale with a large rounded nose.
However, the main difference between the K-162 and all the submarines in the world at that time was the material from which its durable hull was made - titanium. Unlike low-magnetic steels, from which the hulls of all submarines in the world were built and are now being built, titanium alloy has higher strength, non-magneticness and resistance to corrosion. True, at that time, not only in the USSR, but also in the world, there were no technologies for manufacturing parts from titanium. large sizes and welding them together with the necessary strength characteristics. Therefore, for the construction of the first titanium submarine with a length of about 120 meters, the entire Soviet titanium industry was radically transformed. As a result, the Zaporozhye and Berezniki titanium and magnesium plants were able to produce large ingots weighing four to six tons for submarines, and the most advanced welding production of titanium alloys with argon-helium protection was created at Sevmash.
The result of all these efforts was a nuclear submarine with 10 installations for the underwater launch of cruise missiles, which, during state tests at the end of 1969, with a reactor power of 80% at a depth of 100 meters, reached a speed of 42 knots (77 km per hour). A year later, a new Soviet submarine officially set a world underwater speed record, accelerating at the same depth to a speed of 44.7 knots (almost 83 km per hour). What this meant for a potential adversary, Russian sailors demonstrated in 1971, when the K-162 in atlantic ocean“got on the tail” of the attack aircraft carrier of the US 6th Fleet “Saratoga”, returning from the Mediterranean Sea to Miami, and pursued it for several hours, periodically overtaking the aircraft carrier going “at full steam” under water (its speed at that moment was 30 knots) .
Thus, thanks to the submarine of the Anchar project, the Soviet Union received a powerful means of fighting against submarines and aircraft-carrying formations of a potential enemy. These boats could quickly approach enemy ships, effectively attack them from under the water, and just as quickly escape from the blow. "Anchar" at that time physically could not catch up not only with the enemy ships, but also with the torpedoes fired towards the new Soviet submarines (the speed of torpedoes in the 70s of the last century did not exceed 25 knots in the target search mode and 40 knots in the rendezvous mode with her).
However, the submarines pr.661 "Anchar" did not go into the series. After serving for almost 20 years, in 1988, the K-162 was withdrawn from the Navy and disposed of in the fall of 2010.
The most obvious reason why the Anchar never went into production is the cost of the boat. Titanium submarine hull, according to CEO"Malachite" by Vladimir Dorofeev, costs 5-6 times more than a case made of low-magnetic steel. And even taking into account the huge mobilization capabilities of the Soviet era, the economy of the USSR, obviously, could not pull the serial construction of the submarine pr.661 "Anchar". According to some reports, the cost of the first boat could be up to 1% of the annual GDP of the Soviet Union during the 60s of the last century. The second circumstance that influenced the fate of the Anchar project was the acoustic visibility of the boat. On the one hand, the titanium hull made this boat almost invisible to enemy sonar. But only up to a speed of 35 knots. When the boat accelerated above this speed, a strong external hydrodynamic noise appeared, created by a turbulent flow when flowing around the PLA hull. Moreover, in the area of the central post of the boat, this noise reached the level of 100 decibels. This is tantamount to the noise of a meter car passing a few meters away from you, or a nearby rumble of thunder. Moreover, no one in the world knew about this - this fact was discovered just during the operation of the K-162. And no one really knows what to do with it. Therefore, the speed of all large, both Russian and American submarines of the third or fourth generation, built in the last fifteen years, according to open data, does not exceed 35 knots.
As a result, the Anchar project was transformed in two directions. Even during the construction of K-162 in Severodvinsk, in Nizhny Novgorod, at the Krasnoye Sormovo shipbuilding plant, according to the project of the Lazurit Central Design Bureau, they began to build nuclear boats project 670 "Skat". Due to the steel hull, they were relatively cheap, had a smaller displacement than the Anchar (3580 tons of surface displacement versus 5197 tons), went under water at a speed of 25 knots, but they coped with their task of guarding enemy aircraft carriers. In the 60-70s of the last century, a total of 17 such boats were built, each of which had 8 P-70 launchers. All Skats were destroyed from 1991 to 1994.
Anchar passed the baton in speed to the Lira nuclear submarines. They also had titanium hulls, and these small (surface displacement of 2300 tons) boats could reach speeds of up to 41 knots. There were no missiles on them - only torpedoes, since the boats of this series were intended to search for and destroy enemy submarines. At the same time, the boats turned out to be extremely nimble - they needed no more than 1 minute to accelerate to full speed, and in 42 seconds the boat could turn 180 degrees. According to open data, from 1971 to 1981, 7 such boats were built in Leningrad and at Sevmash. All of them were withdrawn from the fleet also in the early 90s of the last century. This is how, in fact, the story of Soviet high-speed submarines with titanium hulls ended. Further, the designers took the path of applying other technical solutions to increase the speed of submarines up to 35 knots. At the same time, several submarines with titanium hulls built in Soviet time, are still part of the Russian Navy - two boats of project 945 "Barracuda" (one of them is currently being modernized), two boats of project 945A "Condor", and, presumably, one boat of project 941 "Shark" (its strong hull is also made of titanium alloys). But that is another story.
SubmarineK-162 project 661 " Anchar» holds the underwater speed record of 44.7 knots (80.4 km/h). Its appearance in the mid-70s marked a qualitatively new management in the construction of Soviet submarines, but for a number of reasons this submarine turned out to be the only one in the USSR Navy.
In the autumn of 1971, an unexpected and unpleasant maritime incident was discussed at the Pentagon in an atmosphere of heightened nervousness. From a strike aircraft carrier of the US 6th Fleet Saratoga”a message came, which at first the experts simply refused to believe. The aircraft carrier was returning from the Mediterranean to a base in Miami when American sailors discovered a submarine on their tail. Repeated attempts to break away from the mysterious submarine did not lead to success.
The submarine easily overtook an aircraft carrier at full speed (30 knots), which is the pride of the US Navy. The situation seemed simply incredible and even mystical, since none of the submarines of all the fleets known at that time had such technical capabilities. The US military command was seriously puzzled by this unusual situation. Their undivided dominance in the oceans was in doubt. Americans didn't even know that soviet submarine bypassed only one of its turbines. What kind of mysterious submarine was rushing at the speed of a torpedo in a race with a warship?
It was a submarine of a top-secret project, by the definition of the creators - "aircraft carrier killer". For reasons of secrecy, we learned about some important events taking place in the Soviet fleet decades later, and this applies not only to catastrophes and major accidents, but also to indisputable achievements of victory.
Paradoxically, only from the report of the Komsomolets submarine tragedy did we learn that we had submarine, capable of diving to a depth of one kilometer. The world's fastest submarine took part in the history of the American aircraft carrier. At that time, few people knew about this even among the military, not to mention civilians.
What made you create a Project 661 submarine?
In the middle of the 20th century, the United States developed a new military plan - a strategy of realistic deterrence. Within its framework, the so-called ocean strategy appeared. The Americans went on a drastic restructuring navy in order to transfer the main power of their offensive forces to the expanses of the world's oceans. The carrier strike groups (AUG) became the basis of this force.
In the 60s, the Soviet Union did not have aircraft carriers, and above all, for economic reasons. There was not enough money to build large ones, and yet Nikita Khrushchev wanted to force America to reckon with the geopolitical ambitions of the USSR. It was possible to oppose something to the American aircraft carriers and they made a bet on the submarine fleet.
A significant drawback of the submarines of the early 60s was that in order to launch a rocket, the submarine had to float to the surface, but to find yourself means to lose half. The rocket designers were given the task of creating a cruise missile with an underwater launch to destroy large surface ships.
Created in the late 60s under the leadership of Chelomey, the underwater missile system " Amethyst"was adopted. This was the world's first submarine-launched rocket. Although the firing range and the mass of its warhead are lower than those of the surface launch heads, these shortcomings were more than compensated for by the factor of stealth and surprise of the strike.
In addition, the new missiles had autonomous system control and guidance on a moving target, so that immediately after a missile attack, a Soviet submarine could evade enemy escort ships without being detected. However, even such a unique cruise missile is only a means of delivering a charge. Immediately the idea was born to create a submarine that could carry several of these cruise missiles on board.
How the Project 661 submarine was created
Thousands of specialists worked on the creation of this unique ship, and each of them was obliged to keep a secret. The designers of this submarine were given conditions - it was forbidden to use solutions worked out on submarines built earlier. It was not just about creating a new submarine, the developers were instructed to create a submarine of the future. According to the plan of military customers, this submarine was supposed to develop the maximum possible speed.
cruise missiles Amethyst”had a short flight range - only 80 km, it was for this reason that a high speed of movement was necessary in order to approach the aircraft carrier as quickly as possible to the distance of a missile attack. The project was to be led by a truly prominent scientist who could defy the times.
Such was Academician Nikolai Isanin. One of the leading specialists in the field of shipbuilding. All his life he was one of the most secret people in the country - he did not give interviews and did not speak publicly. The instructors under his leadership worked around the clock, and in December 1960 the submarine project of the future was completed. 398 completely new technical solutions have found life in it.
The description of the many components and assemblies of this submarine can safely begin with the word for the first time. This submarine, instead of the typical steering organs, had a steering wheel like an aircraft. Telemechanics has never been used in such a volume before. To monitor the operation of systems in compartments dangerous to humans, television cameras began to be used. Much more widely than before, the work of individual components of the submarine and their interaction was controlled by automation.
The designers of the submarine turned to a new science for that time - ergonomics. On land, life-size models of command posts and control posts were assembled. The submarine was supposed to be powered by two new nuclear reactors.. On the submarine of project 661, a new twin-shaft nuclear steam power plant with a capacity of 40 thousand hp was used, specially developed for it. on each shaft. This power exceeded twice the performance of foreign and domestic submarines.
The plant includes two autonomous groups of port and starboard equipment and consists of two reactors, two main turbo gear units, two autonomous turbogenerators and auxiliary equipment. The stocks of nuclear fuel in the reactors could provide more than four round-the-world voyages with full underwater speed without recharging the reactor core.
The steam power plant is controlled by the operator remotely from the control station by setting the required mode with automatic output to power according to the specified mode of travel using an automated control system for protection and control. This technology was an order of magnitude more economical and safer. No one in the world still has such reactors, and for the United States this development is the subject of undisguised envy.
Special attention in designsubmarines was drawn to the reduction of underwater noise and the level of acoustic interference and the operation of hydroacoustic stations. To this end, for the first time in the practice of domestic submarine shipbuilding, the block of the steam generating unit was depreciated, the main turbo-gear unit was created in a monoblock design, adjustable drives of the most noisy auxiliary mechanisms were used. steam turbine plant, more effective shock-absorbing mechanism mounts were used.
The widespread use of automation tools made it possible to reduce the number of personnel, as well as to ensure the control of all technical means and weapons of the submarine from five centralized control posts. Living conditions provided divers with favorable opportunities for work and recreation.
The submarine had comfortable cabins with air conditioning and fluorescent lighting, a wardroom, a team canteen, a medical unit, a shower room and other facilities. The necessary ventilation, air purification and regeneration, rational water supply and heating, preparation of hot food, soft drinks and ice cream were provided.
Even outwardly, the K-162 submarine did not look like its predecessors. If all previous diesel and nuclear submarines still resembled a surface ship, then this submarine looked like a whale. Keeping a living symbol of the connection between marine biology and ship architecture. However, in the Soviet fleet, the K-162 was not called a whale, but a "Golden Fish".
A revolutionary decision was the choice of material for the outer hull of the submarine. Three options were considered - ship steel, aircraft-grade aluminum and titanium . After weighing all the pros and cons, the designers settled on titanium. For the first time in the world, a ship was built from a titanium alloy. The titanium alloy used on the submarine as a structural material has such distinctive qualities as high strength, low specific gravity, non-magnetic, corrosion resistance.
This was a decisive factor in achieving record speeds for the submarine. Until the middle of the 20th century, titanium did not find practical application due to the complexity of processing. Welding of titanium structures had to be carried out in an argon environment. These works required jewelry precision and surgical cleanliness.
Multi-purpose nuclear submarine K-162 was laid down on December 28, 1963 at the Severodvinsk shipbuilding enterprise "Sevmash" under the serial number 501, but its construction was constantly delayed both on the drawing boards and on the stocks:
— Firstly, along the way, major changes were made to the design of the hull. Titanium is not ship steel; other methods for calculating strength were required here;
— Secondly, essentially a new industry was born in metallurgy, as well as production capacities for the manufacture of titanium products in industrial scale. All this was created in parallel, and time passed.
The delay in the construction of a new submarine caused an increase in discontent "at the top". The military was also in a hurry. As a result, it was decided in a short time to build a submarine with the same missile system, but from ordinary ship steel. This order was transferred to the Gorky Design Bureau - Isanin's competitors. The Gorky residents skillfully used the argument that the military needed any ship with submarine-launched missiles, and in mass production.
The Communist Party set the task of assigning an “underwater shepherd” with cruise missiles to each American aircraft carrier, for which submarines were needed in an amount no less than the number of American aircraft carriers.
Project 670 "Charlie" steel nuclear submarine missile carrier
In 1967, in Gorky, at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant, a steel nuclear missile carrier of project 670 was safely launched. 17 such submarines were put into service with the Soviet Navy. It is they who will go down in history as "killers of aircraft carriers." In NATO reference books, these submarines are called " Charlie”, and the titanium submarine was still on the stocks.
Combat service of the nuclear submarine "Anchar"
Shipbuilders reached the finish line in Severodvinsk in December 1969. Launching at this time of year was difficult. For several days, the workers broke the ice with tugboats, melted it with steam so that the submarine could go down into the water. The ritual date was approaching, December 17, Brezhnev's birthday, and the K-162 submarine was supposed to be a kind of gift to the Secretary General, but for the Soviet Union it was an expensive gift - the cost of the Anchar nuclear submarine was equal to 1 percent of the country's budget .
Submarine "Anchar" went on sea trials at 02:30 on Monday, December 13, but the divers had no time for superstition, since it was the time of maximum tide. The channel through which they descended to the sea was not designed for the eight-meter draft of the nuclear-powered ship.
The submarine was supposed to go at a depth of 100 meters. The horizontal and vertical helmsmen froze tensely at their posts, the autopilot relay clicked. The submarine began to pick up speed. In order not to fall, everyone in the central post grabbed onto the fixed objects. The rumble of water flowing around the hull burst into his ears. It grew, turning into an airplane hoarse roar. The sailors monitored the counters of the log and the depth gauge.
The speed gradually increased - 20 knots, 30 knots, 42 knots (77 km / h) under water and only at 80% of the reactor power. It was a record. Not a single US destroyer was now able to catch up with the flying K-162 submarine in those distant years. And now the submarine approached the first turning point. For the first time, divers experienced acceleration and roll like in an airplane. The deck underfoot tilted so that it almost fell to starboard. A little more and the submarine could have fallen into a real aviation tailspin with all the sad consequences. Above the cabin was 100 meters. At this time, the instruments showed a speed of 44.7 knots, which is equal to the speed of a torpedo.
Imagine a submarine the size of a four-story building, moving at the speed of a car. For over 30 years now and today this is an absolute world achievement. Due to secrecy, it was not included in the Guinness Book of Records, but this record is inscribed in gold letters in the history of the Soviet submarine fleet.
After the test at their native berths, those who met hardly recognized the submarine. Her body has changed. All the paint came off, the entire titanium case was polished with water, even the welds were smoothed out.
Soon the submarine was repainted and On January 13, 1970, the only titanium submarine in the world entered service with the Northern Fleet.. In September 1971, K-162 went on its first combat campaign and went from the Greenland Sea to the Brazil Trench to the equator. It was on this campaign that the famous incident with the American aircraft carrier took place. Saratoga».
Created by Soviet scientists and specialists, the K-162 submarine, with its phenomenal speed capabilities and the latest weapons, amazed the Americans. In those years, it dealt a very tangible blow to the pride of the United States. And yet the submarine was difficult and inconvenient to operate. Often under renovation. During the entire service life of the K-162 submarine, there were no casualties, but there were accidents.
The most serious accident occurred in the late 70s. Scheduled repairs involved recharging both reactors. The repair was delayed, the technicians were in a hurry. Due to the haste, the installation of the reactor protection control system was carried out according to old drawings, and this made itself felt. At one point, the reactor began to gain power, or, as nuclear scientists say, they will accelerate, without supplying water to the secondary circuit.
However, everyone was saved by a miracle, the compensator of the main pump burst, which worked like a contingency safety valve. Several tons of radioactive water leaked into one of the compartments. Luckily there were no people there. The decision of the state commission sounded like a sentence to the submarine - the replacement of failed units and mechanisms. But spare kits did not exist, because the submarine was in a single copy, and in order to make them, it was necessary to restore long-destroyed production lines which could take years.
The situation was saved by specialists technical management fleet - managed to weld a crack. After testing, the seam withstood. A few days later the submarine went to sea. So with a welded crack in the primary circuit, the K-162 nuclear submarine went on for another 10 years until the end of its naval service. The submarine of the project 661 "Anchar" was in the combat composition of the Navy for 17 years, withdrawn from the fleet in 1988.
Technical characteristics of the submarine project 661 "Anchar":
Displacement - 8000 tons;
Hull length - 106 m;
Height - 14.5 m;
Hull width - 11.5 m;
Average draft - 8.1 m;
Surface speed - 19 knots;
Underwater speed - 44.7 knots;
Immersion depth - 550 m;
Crew - 85 people;
Autonomy of navigation 70 days
Armament:
Missile complex "Amethyst" - 10 missiles (launched from a depth of 30 m);
Torpedo tubes 533 mm - 4 (ammunition 12 pcs.);
Today, the legendary submarine is living its life at the last berth in its life - it is being prepared for disposal. Even after 30 years, all surfaces of its body are in perfect condition. It turned out to be more expensive to re-equip and re-equip it than to build a new submarine.
According to the NATO classification, the K-162 submarine is called " Papa". They say that such a name was given to her quite by accident, however, in fact, the submarine cruiser K-162 is the progenitor of a whole direction in the construction of domestic submarines of the next generations. Over the years, other ship systems have been developed, the survivability and stealth of domestic submarines have been increased. New types of missiles appeared, more efficient and powerful, and yet it was this project that became the true ancestor of a whole trend in underwater shipbuilding.
/Based on materials korabley.net And en.wikipedia.org /
Titanium is an element of the periodic system chemical elements DI. Mendeleev, with atomic number 22. A light metal of a silvery hue with a density two times lower than that of iron and a melting point of +1660°C. Titanium is used for the manufacture of durable and high-quality things - reactor fittings, structural elements of aviation and space technology, bulletproof vests and expensive hulls. wrist watch, dental implants and special tools. And the Soviet Union was so cool and rich that it “sculpted” submarine hulls entirely from titanium!
The unique K-162 submarine (project 661 Anchar) is a record that TASS did not report. The submarine nuclear missile cruiser K-162 could accelerate at a depth of up to 44.85 knots (≈83 km/h). Special capabilities required special technical solutions - the K-162 hull was completely made of titanium for the first time in the history of world shipbuilding.
A series of submarines with titanium hulls of project 705K (code "Lira") - seven high-speed underwater killers capable of developing a 41-knot speed underwater. "Lyrs" could pursue any naval enemy and just as easily evade pursuit. They took about 1 minute to accelerate to full speed, and the circulation with a 180 ° turn was completed in just 42 seconds! Outstanding speed and maneuverability allowed Project 705K boats to evade fired enemy torpedoes and attack the enemy from an unexpected direction.
Crystal Titanium Bar
"Underwater fighters" of the project 705K often became the object of criticism for their excessive complexity and bad choice power plant - a reactor with a liquid metal coolant, despite the high specific power, every second posed a mortal threat to the crew of the boat. Even at the base, the LMC reactor constantly required an external heat supply - the slightest accident on the heating main could lead to disaster. Nevertheless, "Lira", in spite of all "probable opponents", honestly served in the Soviet Navy. Despite a number of serious accidents, not a single Lear was lost. And not a single person died in the struggle for their vitality.
Another record holder is "The Elusive Mike". That is what the American sailors called the Soviet experimental submarine K-278 "Komsomolets" (project 685 "Fin") with a maximum diving depth of more than 1 kilometer. The lightweight and durable titanium hull withstood the monstrous pressure of water - in August 1985, Komsomolets set an absolute world record for diving depth for submarines - 1027 meters! Sinking into the cold, impenetrable darkness, the K-278 became absolutely undetectable to enemy anti-submarine weapons. At the same time, already at a depth of 800 meters, still remaining undetectable and invulnerable, Komsomolets could use its torpedo weapons.
Little merciless killers of the project 705K (code "Lyra")
Titanium alloys were used in the manufacture of durable hulls of the gigantic "Sharks" (RPKSN project 941). Around the same time, the industry of the Soviet Union began serial construction of third-generation multi-purpose nuclear submarines with titanium hulls under project 945 (code "Barracuda") and, a little later, according to the improved project 945A (code "Condor"). Unique boats are still of considerable value, and it is with their existence that the next intrigue of 2013 is connected.
According to a statement published in early March of this year, the Russian Ministry of Defense and Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center signed a contract to restore technical readiness through the repair and modernization of two nuclear submarines with titanium hulls B-239 Karp and B-276 Kostroma (formerly K-276 "Crab") of project 945. In the future, the B-336 "Pskov" and B-534 "Nizhny Novgorod" - nuclear submarines of project 945A will undergo a similar modernization.
The modernization of titanium submarines should raise their combat capabilities by new level. The boats will be equipped with a new modification of the OK-650 reactor (a unified power plant for all Russian nuclear-powered ships of the 3rd and 4th generations), the sonar system of submarines will be replaced, and missiles of the Kalibr family will appear in the arsenal. Radio electronics will be radically updated, active noise dampeners will appear, instead of the usual periscope, it is possible to install a multi-purpose mast with video cameras and laser rangefinders - everyone present in the central post, and not just the officer at the periscope eyepiece, will be able to observe the situation on the surface on the monitor.
New technologies in a solid "Soviet-hardened" titanium case should turn the modernized "Condors" and "Barracudas" into a thunderstorm of the seas; in terms of their set of characteristics, the old nuclear-powered ships will not be inferior to the submarines of the new, fourth generation.
« This decision of the Main Command of the Navy, supported by the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, seems to be justified, since it is about twice as fast to repair and modernize existing submarines, including titanium ones, than to build new ones. This will require less financial costs ” - source of the Ministry of Defense.
The representative of the Ministry of Defense emphasized that the decision to return titanium submarines to the permanent readiness forces of the Navy was made back in January, and the first stage of work on the modernization of the B-239 Karp nuclear submarine will begin in the summer of 2013. It was noted that the Russian Defense Ministry returned to the idea of restoring four titanium submarines in connection with the problems of saturating the Navy with new ships. First of all, this concerns delays in the construction of fourth-generation multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 885 Yasen.
Nuclear submarine K-239 "Karp", photo from a Norwegian aircraft, November 1, 1984.
Nuclear submarine "Karp" in our days. The boat was withdrawn from the Northern Fleet in 1998
Multipurpose nuclear submarine B-239 "Karp"(formerly K-239) project 945 "Barracuda" (Sierra-I according to NATO classification). Designed to search for and track submarines and surface ships of a potential enemy, strike at sea targets.
Bookmark - 1979, launching - 1981, commissioning - 1984;
Crew: 60 people;
Surface / underwater displacement - 6000/9600 tons;
Length along the design waterline (DWL) - 107.16 m;
Power plant: 1 OK-650A reactor thermal power 180 MW, 4 steam generators, 2 turbogenerators, 2 battery groups, 2 DG-300 diesel generators with 750 hp each. with a fuel reserve for 10 days, 1 main propeller, 2 trolling motors of 370 kW each, two trolling propellers.
Working depth of immersion - 480 meters;
Maximum diving depth - 550 meters;
Armament:
- 2 torpedo tubes of caliber 650 mm, ammunition load of 12 "long" torpedoes and PLUR;
- 6 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition load of 28 torpedoes, PLUR "Waterfall" and high-speed ones;
- MANPADS for self-defense.
* all the data given are valid for a submarine that has not undergone modernization.
The Barracuda and Condor are not simple ships - the titanium hull opened absolutely amazing prospects for Soviet submariners. First of all, the high strength and low density of titanium made it possible, with the usual ratio of load articles (the mass of the hull is about 40% of the standard displacement of a submarine), to achieve almost twice as much strength.
As a result, the Barracuda had a 1.5-2 times greater working depth than any of the Soviet boats of the previous generation and promising foreign analogues - it could dive into the abyss to a depth of half a kilometer, while maintaining the possibility of using torpedo weapons in the entire range working depths and speeds! "Condor" plunged even deeper - up to 600 meters.
For comparison, their peers, multi-purpose American submarines of the Los Angeles type, rarely worked at depths of more than 250 meters. The maximum depth for an American submarine is called within 450 meters.
Of course, the combat capabilities of modern boats are determined not only by the speed and depth of immersion, but the magnificent combination of large working depths and high underwater speeds of the Soviet Condors and Barracudas is worthy of all praise.
Separately, it is worth mentioning reliability and durability - titanium is not subject to corrosion, the titanium cases of 30-year-old Barracudas still retain their original “brilliance” under a layer of decayed sound-absorbing rubber coating. Finally, one more important advantage titanium case - a radical reduction magnetic field boats.
There is only one drawback - the high price and the complexity of manufacturing a titanium case ... but, fortunately, we no longer face such a problem. Engaged in the manufacture of titanium cases Soviet industry, superboats were built many years ago - which means you just need to change the "stuffing" and thank the USSR for its great heritage.
The strength of these nuclear submarines is best described by the incident near Kildin Island, which occurred in February 1992: the Russian submarine K-276 Kostroma (the same “titanium” project 945) accidentally collided with the American submarine Baton Rouge patrolling in the Barents Sea ( USS Baton Rouge SSN-689). At that moment, when the "Baton Rouge" was at periscope depth, she suddenly came under a ramming attack from a pop-up Soviet submarine- "Kostroma" hit its wheelhouse right in the center of the corps of the American spy.
Damage to the nuclear submarine "Kostroma"
Out of surprise, both submarines jumped to the surface, the American sailors broke into a cold sweat - if the Kostroma had passed a meter higher, it would have hit the "American" with its bow. For all schedules Russian boat was supposed to break through the flimsy side of the Baton Rouge with its titanium hull, drowning the “probable enemy” right at the entrance to the Kola Bay. However, Russian submariners were not at all attracted by such prospects - a strong blow to the bow of the boat could lead to the detonation of the warheads of the torpedoes, while destroying both opponents.
The ending of the tragicomedy is obvious: "Kostroma" has healed its lacerated wounds and again returned to fulfilling its assigned tasks in the ocean. "Baton Rouge" independently reached her native base, but the damage received (first of all, microcracks and internal stresses that arose in the hull) made the repair of the boat impractical. Baton Rouge stood in reserve for a couple of years until it was finally decommissioned in 1995. Evil tongues claim that at the time of the collision, a fire broke out on board the Baton Rouge, possibly there were human casualties.
The international conflict was quickly resolved: the Americans said that at the time of the collision, Baton Rouge was in neutral waters outside the 12-mile zone of territorial waters Russian Federation. On this they agreed. And on the wheelhouse of the nuclear-powered ship Kostroma, a five-pointed star appeared with the number “1” inscribed in it - this is how submariners kept count of their victories during the Great Patriotic War.
B-336 "Pskov" in Ara Guba ( Kola Peninsula), 2004
On the starboard side, the consequences of a fire in the SRZ-82 dock are visible.
A star with the number "1" is lit on the front of the cabin. The account is open.
Multipurpose nuclear submarine B-336 "Pskov"(former K-336 "Perch") project 945A "Condor" (Sierra-II according to NATO classification). Designed to search for and track submarines and surface ships of a potential enemy, strike at sea targets.
Bookmark - 1989, launching - 1992, commissioning - 1993.
Crew: 60 people;
Surface / underwater displacement - 6500/10400 tons;
Length along the design waterline (DWL) - 110.5 m;
Double-hull design, durable titanium hull, consists of 6 compartments;
Power plant: 1 OK-650B reactor, thermal power 190 MW, 4 steam generators, 2 turbogenerators, 2 battery groups, 2 DG-300 diesel generators, 750 hp each. with a fuel reserve for 10 days, 1 main propeller, 2 trolling motors of 370 kW each, two trolling propellers.
Maximum speed in a submerged position - 35 knots;
Working depth of immersion - 520 meters;
Maximum diving depth - 600 meters;
Armament:
- 2 torpedo tubes of caliber 650 mm, ammunition load of 8 "long" torpedoes and PLUR;
- 4 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition load of 32 torpedoes, PLUR "Waterfall" and high-speed ones;
- MANPADS for self-defense.
* all data given are valid for a submarine that has not undergone modernization
The range of wristwatches is presented huge amount different brands that offer models for every taste. Especially popular among buyers are accessories, the material for the manufacture of which is titanium. And there is nothing strange in this, since they are an indispensable attribute of a modern person who is used to constantly being on the move and leading an active lifestyle. Thanks to unique technical specifications titanium products can be used even in adverse conditions. Under no circumstances will they let their owner down, which has made them the number one choice for many.
The main advantages of titanium watches:
1. Strength.
Titanium is one of the very strong metals. Therefore, products made from this material are particularly impact resistant and durable. They are not prone to deformation and scratches on the surface of the case.
2. Hypoallergenic.
Unlike steel, titanium does not cause irritation on the skin in the form of an allergic reaction. That is why many people who suffer from skin diseases opt for titanium watch, which do not provoke the appearance of an allergic rash or other damage to the hand cyst.
3. Low thermal conductivity.
Many owners of titanium accessories note that they are "warm" to the touch. This sensation arises due to such a property of titanium as low thermal conductivity. This phenomenon is explained quite simply: titanium is able to quickly heat up from the human body and maintain comfortable temperature, despite temperature changes in environment. It is convenient and pleasant to wear such a watch, no matter what the weather is outside, whether it is a hot summer or a cold winter.
4. Lightness.
Another unique property titanium - lightness. It is no secret that watches made of this material are very similar to steel ones, so they give the impression of massiveness. In fact, their weight is usually in the range of 100 grams. This quality is especially important for those people who wear watches all the time, and therefore, due to their impressive weight, they may feel discomfort in the wrist area.
Why choose a titanium watch?
Titanium accessories look very original and elegant. They have great appearance and a lot of functional advantages that distinguish them from other models. Manufacturers guarantee a long period of operation of such watches, placing special emphasis on their strength and resistance to shock. The use of titanium made it possible to make the case very hard, which reliably protects it from dents and scratches. Such watches will never cause a feeling of fatigue in the hand and will give only positive impressions from their use.
models made of titanium modern market not so many, so each of them can be called unique. The most famous and popular are, as well as some models of Casio, Citizen and Romanson. Boccia watches enjoy great respect among buyers, therefore, when making a choice, it is worth paying attention to Special attention this particular brand, as one of the best and most recommended in the world.
Flagship premium smartphone Gresso Regal R1
Gresso, a company that occupies a worthy place in the production of premium phones, presents new model smartphone brand Regal R1. For 3 thousand dollars, connoisseurs will purchase an exclusive device in a case made of high-quality titanium alloy self made. The phone is equipped with a full screen with a diagonal of 5” and a resolution of 1920*1080.
The phone's dimensions of 143.2*10.2*8.8 mm make it possible to compete with similar devices in the class of the thinnest of the most luxurious. The Gresso Luxury Minimalism concept fully combines trendy design and advanced technology based on high-tech materials in this model. The filling of the device reflects modern technical requirements and includes a 4-core processor 1.5 GHz, 2 GB random access memory and built-in memory of 32 GB.
Gresso R1 competes with classmates not due to cheaper components or savings on assembly, but due to the use of high technologies and unique materials in its manufacture. The thinnest body made of 8.8 mm thick titanium, a wide screen with a maximum Full HD resolution, two 13 MP cameras - the main one and a 5 MP one on the front side will satisfy any needs of the owner. How do you feel about the fact that the company attracts buyers with a smartphone for $ 3,000? This model embodies all the necessary qualities of a stylish, luxurious premium phone: reliability, quality, prestigious unique design, exclusive materials.
The body material is grade 5 titanium, which allows it to withstand overloads that are inaccessible to analogues. Widescreen Full HD screen armored with glass Gorilla Glass, installed memory of 32 GB and a 13 megapixel camera underlines the high class of smart.
The production of the body of the apparatus on special equipment lasts 8 hours, while using titanium, which has unique characteristics thanks to which it is used in the aircraft industry and in the space industry.
Such a case will withstand extreme temperatures and loads that are not subject to budget models. Given Gresso's history of premium phones that cost well over $50,000, the Regal R1 has a special appeal with a $3,000 price tag. A limited edition of 999 copies will emphasize the status of the owner, each copy is marked with an individual engraved number.
The highlight of the smartphone lies in the execution of the case, the edges and the back panel, which are made in the style of "brushed aluminum". High-quality grade 5 titanium and thoughtful design give the phone an exclusive, expensive and premium look, embodying the success and self-sufficiency of the owner. The final processing of the case is carried out within three hours by hand by one master.