The Russian economy may be on the ropes, but the armed forces know where their priorities are. Like the United States, they are reducing the size of their military forces, cutting back on operations, and deferring procurement of new equiprnent, but research and development is still being funded, allbeit at a reduced rate. In the Russian Navy, submarines still have pride of place, and details of the next class of SSN are now changing from rumor to reality. Some of the information comes from US Navy or NATO sources, who arc doing their best to remind everyone that the Russians are not building submarines for entertainment. The publication pictured on the cover is a perfect example, detailing the technology available for export, and who is buying it. And a lot of people are. The rest is coming from the Russians themselves, who are now campaigning for export dollars, and sometimes even co-development money. They have been showcasing several new sub designs, either as examples of their technological skills or as items for sale. Nuclear subs are not a common export item, although the Indians continue to be interested in nuclear sub technology. The Russians made great strides in the 1980s and have not slowed down a bit. The Akula class, which is actually the Project 971 Bars class has been followed into service by an even quieter Improved Akula, entering service in the early 1990s. While there are few details available, a graph in the ONI Sub Proliferation book claims that it is as quiet as an Improved Los Angeles class. Severdovinsk, laid down in 1993, is half a notch quieter still, placing it between the Improved Los Angeles and the Seawolf classes in quieting. Radiated noise is only a part a sub's design, however. Project 885 Severdovinsk is fitted with a spherical bow sonar, similar to the BQQ-5 sonar fitted to the Los Angeles class. it also has a towed sonar, probably a second generation set based on the time since the first generation appeared on the Victor III and Sierra classes. The equipment is probably not as powerful as the US BSY-1 system, but it is a step up from the cylindrical bow sonars fitted in earlier classes. Like US subs, the Luge bow sphere has left no room forward for torpedo tubes, so they have been moved to a midships location, and reduced from eight to six. Four of these are 533mm and the other two are 650 mm. The torpedo room holds 24 to 30 weapons. In addition to all the standard wireguided and wake-homing torpedoes, two new weapons have appeared. The first is the "Shkval" a torpedo, in that it is launched from a tube and travels through the water. It is rocketpowered, though - an underwater missile. Details are sketchy but is has a widely quoted speed of 200 knots, with R&D trying to push it over 580 knots. Range is quoted as 5.5 nm. It is unguided, and depends mostly on kinetic energy to kill its target. At present, because it is unguided, it could only be used on surface ships. The "Region" design agency is looking for funds to develop a guided version. The unguided version is complete, and may be in Russian service. The second weapon is in final development. A sub-launched missile, the Novator Alpha (NATO SS-NX-27) uses the body of the SS-N-21 Sampson, a missile very similar to the US Tomahawk. After a submerged launch from a 533mm tube, it uses to the surface and ignites. It has a range of 108 nm and flies at sea-skimming height (VLow altitude) at 455 knots. At about 11nm fiom the target, a final stage ignites and propels the warhead up to Mach 2.1, or 1380 knots. At this speed it covers 11.5 nm in one Tactical Turn, sprinting through the envelope of most point-defense systems. This reduces its exposure time and makes it a harder target during that time. It has q 200 kg (40 dp warhead), and is a VSmall target. Sevenkvinsk's design has one more feature in common with the Improved Los Angeles design - vertical launch tubes. Aft of the sail (the US boat has them in the bow) the Russian sub carries 8 missile tubes, like one row of an SSBN's Sherwood Forest. Each tube carries four P-800 Yakhont [SS-NX26] antiship missiles. This 164-nm missile has a cruise speed of Mach 2 - 3, but a terminal attack speed of Mach 3.5. It can fly at Low altitude all they way to the target, or it can extend it range (probably to the 164 nm figure) by going to High altitude, then diving back down. The final altitude during an attack is VLow. The warhead is probably in the 250 kg range. Although details are limited, it is in production, and can be launched from surface ships and coastal batteries as well as from subs. Although typed as an SSN, the Russians describe the design as a "multipurpose submarine," and the VLS tubes give her a better punch than the Oscar SSGN. Diesel sub design is also moving forward. The Kilo (Project 877) has been exported to Iran, India, and China as the Project 877EKM, which is virtually identical to the Russian Navy version. The follow-on to the Kilo is the Project 636, which has already entered Russian service, and two or three boats will be sold to the Chinese as well. It is an evolutionary development of the Kilo, with better sonar, fire control systems, and quieting. Of course, the Kilo was bad enough. Specifications for the Project 636 design are provided in the Harpoon Form 10 on page 12. A follow-on to the Project 636 is Amur, so far a paper study. It would be as technologically advanced as Severdovinsk. The Russians will not build these boats in huge numbers, but they are entering service. More frightening is that other navies, not necessarily friendly to die West, can buy this first line technology. Severdovinsk SSN Displacement: 12500 subm In Class: 0+1 Damage Points: 162 In Service: 2000 Damage Modifier: 1.00 Speed: 20/35 Propulsion: Nuclear Crew: ?? Weapons: Total Mounts: 5 PB&SB(2)2 533mm TT w/24-30 weapons F, D PB&SB(1)2 650mm Tr F, D PB&SB(4)8 VLS w/4 Yakhont D Sensors: Spherical bow array, Flank array, Towed passive array (2nd gen) M Periscope radar J Remarks: Project 885. Described by the Russians as a multipurpose submarine. Keel laid 21 Dec 93, will launch 1996-97. Advanced hull coating and quieting. Midships torpedo tubes. Can fire both 533mm and 650mm torps, both wire guided and wake-homing, and Novator Alpha SSMs from TT. Will succeed Akula class, has a steel hull. Speed and displacement estimated. Damage and Speed Breakdown: Damage Points: 0 41 81 122 146 162 Surface Speed: 20 15 10 5 0 Sinks Subm Speed: 35 26 18 9 0 Sinks BT Back to The Naval Sitrep #3 Table of Contents Back to Naval Sitrep List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1995 by Larry Bond and Clash of Arms. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history and related articles are available at http://www.magweb.com