Feature 1 | RUSSIA
presumably in tactical exercises. The older submarines remain viable,
indeed in April 2011 the Delta IV class RFS Ekaterinburg successfully launched what was reported as a Sineva, although later reports stated it was the first launch of a new weapon ‘Lyner’ or ‘Liner’ with a second test from RFS Tula in September. Tis is an updated version of the Sineva and but can carry up to 12 MIRV and will be used to update the Delta IV. Nevertheless, the old submarines are
expensive to run with Russian sources putting the annual cost at 180 million roubles per ship and in December RFS Ekaterinburg caught fire while in dry dock in Murmansk. She lost much of her anechoic coating, sonar system and torpedo compartment where the fire broke out and will take at least a year to repair, officially at a cost of 500 million roubles, although, press sources have suggested, it will be a billion roubles.
Revised spend Russia is not neglecting its attack submarine fleet either, both nuclear- and diesel-electric powered. Te first of the new Yasen (Project 885) or Graney class was acquired under a 48 billion rouble Soviet-era-style contract which saw the Severodvinsk yard lose money. Tey sought 106.8 billion roubles for the next vessel, RFS Kazan, because this was the realistic cost. Te dispute appeared to be resolved in November as part of the 10-year defence modernisation programme when it was announced 280 billion roubles would be spent on designing an improved Yasen (Project 885M) and an improved Borey (Project 955A), equipment and maintenance, as well as building five nuclear submarines, both Boreys and Yasens. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin
said in January 2012 that his country would build six submarines a year from next year, but this seems optimistic. Trials problems have delayed the first Yasen, RFS Severodvinsk, which is now scheduled to join the fleet at the end of the year. Admiral Vysotsky stated in August that the Russian Navy plans to receive 8-10 Yasens by the end of this decade and construction of a third began last year. Tere are plans to upgrade the Oscar (Project 949) class attack submarine with Oniks and Klub
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Problems building new units mean that the Russian fleet is now much smaller than it was.
surface-to-surface missiles at Northern and Pacific Fleet yards. Te Zvezdochka shipyard completed a five-year refit of RFS Voronezh which entered dry-dock in October 2006 for emergency repairs of its main turbine and for nuclear refuelling, the ship rejoining the fleet in November. Te Russian Navy hopes to receive up
to 10 Kilo (Project 877) and Lada (Project 677) class diesel-electric submarines by 2020. In November the Admiralty yard launched a Lada and laid down the keel for the Kilo class RFS Rostov on Don and has orders for another five. Te Black Sea Fleet, which has only one, is scheduled to receive six Kilo/Lada class boats by 2016. Missile-armed fast attack craſt are not
being completely neglected with the Gorki yard in the Volga town of Zelenodolsk now building the second vessel in the Project 21631 class of small missile craſt. Work
on the first-of-class, RFS Grad Sviyazhsk, began in August and is scheduled to be completed in 2013, the requirement being for five hulls. Six Buyan (Project 21630) patrol boats will also be built. There is some activity providing
auxiliary and support craſt. Te Admiralty yard is building the rescue ship RFS Igor Belausov, for completion in 2013, and the neighbouring Severnaya yard is building a Project 18280 intelligence ship. In December the Zvezdochka shipyard
laid the keel for a 6300tonne Project 20180TV Bulava-missile transport ship, RFS Akademik Kovalyov. The design is based on a salvage tug design, and is due to enter service in 2014. Meanwhile, the Pacific Fleet received in November the Vostochnaya yard’s hydrographic vessel RFS Viktor Faleyev which is scheduled to enter service later this year.WT
The Russian destroyer Admiral Chabanenko with the Royal Navy’s HMS Dauntless behind her. Warship Technology May 2012
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