Tuesday 16 June 2020

Pass Kazan: the latest submarine is being prepared for state tests

Oleg Kuleshov

Pass Kazan: the latest submarine is being prepared for state tests | Articles | News

Translated by google


The submarine of the Ash-M project will become the carrier of the Zircon hypersonic missiles

Alexey Ramm
Bogdan Stepova

The Kazan multipurpose nuclear submarine is being prepared for state trials. It is expected that they will be held in the fall. This is the first production submarine of the fourth generation of the improved project 885M "Ash-M". In the arsenal of Ashenes there will be the latest Zircon hypersonic missiles - military sailors are now actively testing them. Experts note that state testing is the most important stage in testing all equipment, mechanisms and weapon systems of a ship. After their completion, the nuclear submarine is considered ready for military service.

Willingness of Ashen

The Navy has already agreed on a plan of state tests that precede the delivery of the ship, Izvestia sources said. It is expected that they will be held in the fall and will last at least two months. If all goes well, the submarine will enter the Northern Fleet at the end of the year.

At the same time, Izvestia's interlocutors did not rule out that the deadlines could be shifted to 2021. The Kazan inspection will be carried out with particular care, as in fact a new project ship is being commissioned.

Delays in working on this submarine have already occurred. Initially, the transfer of the submarine to the fleet was planned for 2019, but according to the results of the mooring tests, it was found that a number of auxiliary units and assemblies did not meet the requirements of the tactical and technical specifications of the Ministry of Defense. As a result, they decided to send them for revision.

It is extremely difficult to predict the deadlines for delivering a ship with the latest weapons systems, as well as the most modern equipment, mechanisms and devices , said Rear Admiral, Former Submarine Commander, Hero of Russia Vsevolod Khmyrov.



“It happens that the deadlines are delayed,” the expert noted. - During state tests, all mechanisms, equipment and weapons systems are checked for compliance with the specification qualities presented by the Ministry of Defense. If necessary, draw up work schedules that the crew and the delivery team follow when correcting the shortcomings.

Earlier, Izvestia wrote that the Kazan submarine of project 885M Yasen-M compared to its predecessor, Severodvinsk project 885 Ash, was shorter by 10 m, and the living compartment was cut by 4 m. Such changes in the design was made possible through the use of more advanced and compact electronic weapons and automation equipment. The first updated submarine received a more pointed nose, which most likely indicates that an antenna of the sonar complex was placed at the tip. And closer to the central post compartment, anti-torpedo launchers appeared. Also, the submarine significantly increased the size of the forage.

In addition, the number of torpedo tubes at Kazan decreased from ten to eight. It is noteworthy that for the first time in the history of Russian shipbuilding on projects 885 and 885M they are located not in the bow of the ship, but near the compartment of the central post. At the same time, the number of vertical missile silos on the submarine increased from eight to ten.

Whale jump

State testing is the final and most important stage of testing a submarine before handing it over to the fleet. By this time, mooring and sea trials have already been completed, explained the chairman of the Club of Sailors-Submariners of St. Petersburg, the captain of the first rank of the reserve Igor Kurdin.

“ During state tests, they check the operation of all ship systems in all conceivable and inconceivable modes ,” the expert told Izvestia. - They are carried out according to a pre-approved plan, and the acceptance of the nuclear submarine is carried out by the state commission. One of the important stages is the practical firing of rockets and torpedoes, which will be in service with the ship. The submarine is also immersed to maximum depth. Moreover, it takes a long time and gradually - the submarine at certain points is delayed in order to check the operation of the equipment at a specific depth.



Emergency ascent is mandatory, during which all tanks of the main ballast are blown. With this maneuver, the boat takes off up to the surface of the sea - it is also called the “whale jump”. The sight is beautiful, but for the jump to take place, the boat must work like a clock. Finally, in the course of all these stages, the ship’s control system is checked, the expert said.

During the tests, noted Igor Kurdin, not only crew members are present on board the boat, but also representatives of the submarine manufacturer and its contractors responsible for the development of this or that equipment. They make sure not to miss even the most, at first glance, minor glitches.

On board - Zircons

Multipurpose "Ash" of both projects will have powerful weapons. Submarines will be equipped with Caliber cruise missiles, anti-ship Onyxes and, according to plans, the latest hypersonic Zircons. The last ammunition develops a speed of about 8–9 Machs and can hit at a distance of more than 500 km both surface and ground targets. These missiles will penetrate any air defense - a speed of Mach 2.5 is considered the limit for interception by modern air defense systems.



Now the Navy is actively testing the Zircons. It is known that in January, the frigate of project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov from the Barents Sea hit this target with ground munitions at one of the military training grounds of the Northern Urals. Earlier, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Alexei Krivoruchko said that tests of the Zircon sea hypersonic cruise missile this year will be carried out not only on board frigates of project 22350, but also from submarines of project 885M, which include the Kazan nuclear submarine.

Earlier, Izvestia wrote that the submarines of the project 885 and 885M Ash will be able to strike with Zircons, while under the ice. Exercises took place in the Northern Fleet, during which the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine made an Arctic trip, completed ascent and dive, and conducted training launches of cruise missiles. The Ministry of Defense approved the final plan for the deployment of the nuclear submarine of project 885M Yasen-M. Of the seven submarines that will arrive at the Navy, five will be sent to the Northern Fleet.


Navy confirms 5 new attack submarines will sail for Northern Fleet
A powerful multi-purpose Russian submarine of the Yasen-M project was launched
Russian Navy To Be First To Field Hypersonic Cruise Missiles On Submarines
Russian Navy to get six submarines in 2020 for first time over past 28 years
Delivery of Russia’s First Yasen-M Attack Submarine Pushed to 2020
Hypersonic Zircon will be tested from the Kazan submarine in 2020

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