Hear the market instead of a bell
It so happened that two articles that appeared with a fair amount of time played in unison. And it turned out, as it were, both about nuclear powered ships, and about diesel-electric submarines. Thanks to everyone who agrees with the stated point of view, thanks to those who objected objectively. It was really interesting. When the second article in the comments is nice.
But, with your permission, I will continue the topic and even develop it somewhat. To be honest, I like the sound of the marketplace and the viscous funeral ringing of the bell is completely unpleasant.
So, at one time I allowed myself to express the opinion that since we are not able to build aircraft carriers, cruisers and destroyers (they were BODs in our classification), then there’s nothing ... to tell tales on the forums. And we must build what else we can. That is, nuclear submarines that are capable, if not protect us, then at least of high quality revenge.
And then a moment surfaced (by submarine), which I did not immediately think about. Guilty, correcting myself.
Yes, an atomic submarine just does not catch. The transition of Borea to the Far East through half the world showed this perfectly.
But even such a perfect weapon, like a nuclear submarine, has vulnerabilities. As an example - when moving to a place of basing or vice versa, when leaving it on combat duty. Not for nothing in Soviet times, our "potential" constantly put their boats on duty precisely in the places where our boats were likely to leave.
In general, the boat, which (especially) goes on duty, must be covered, and not just covered, but like that. so that those wishing to track where our missile carrier will go, the head is swollen from problems.
In the past, considerable forces were involved for such an operation (I will not be afraid of the word). Out to sea one strategic submarine was provided by 4 to 8 small anti-submarine ships, 2-3 large anti-submarine ships, several diesel-electric submarines and up to an anti-submarine regiment aviation.
And such a force could well drive all the "observers" away into the sea and enable our ship to calmly break away from everyone who wants to peep and eavesdrop.
It turned out, no matter what they say. One undetected submarine missile carrier is already a lot. And if a few? How can one sleep peacefully in the USA (for example), knowing that somewhere in the ocean there are undetected Russian submarines?
In case of exacerbation - difficult.
Yes, today American boats near our shores have become much smaller, they now have another "potential competitor" appeared, however, they are still locally present.
And here the key is in the presence of anti-submarine forces. And here sadness and longing begin, because the anti-submarine forces in our fleets are an openly wretched sight.
Unfortunately, you cannot say otherwise; the main burden of anti-submarine service in our country navy assigned to the ships of project 1124.
Yes, 50 years ago, they were just beautiful boats. But - alas, FIFTY years ago. Today, the remaining Albatrosses, the freshest of which 1994 of the year of construction, are already a little outdated. And there are not so many of them left, age, alas, is doing its job.
With BOD, large anti-submarine ships are still sadder. Just look at the payroll.
Baltic Fleet BOD - 0, IPC - 6.
Black Sea Fleet. BOD - 0, IPC - 0.
Northern Fleet. BOD - 5 (3 in service, one under repair, one awaiting disposal), IPC - 6.
Pacific Fleet. BOD - 3, IPC - 8.
Yes, there are still new corvettes, we will talk about them in a separate line.
So far, here in the figures is all that remains of the Soviet fleet. So-so inheritance, but this could not be.
From the 12 BOD of the 1155 project in the ranks, thank God, another 6 and one under repair. From the 88 built by the IPC of the 1124 project to the 22 system. But the cancellation is just around the corner, eternal ships do not exist.
So the issue of ensuring the entry and exit of nuclear submarines from bases is a matter of the very near future. The main anti-submarine force of our fleet is old, as I do not know what.
We are not talking about underwater surveillance systems. They say that if they exist, then on paper, or as scrap metal at the bottom. Damaged by "fishermen" in 90.
The third component that I would like to talk about is anti-submarine aviation. Let’s leave the corvettes and frigates for later, simply because not everything is so sad there.
Today, Russian anti-submarine aviation is about the same pain as cruisers and destroyers. That is, it seems to be, on paper, but in reality ...
However, it is easier to evaluate precisely by the numbers.
Aircraft.
Tu-142. Of the more than hundreds of aircraft released, 22 somehow remained in service. One squadron in the Northern and Pacific fleets. The youngest - 1994 year of birth. 25 years ...
By the way, the Indians, who actively used the Tu-142, solemnly carried out their planes to retire in the 2017 ...
IL-38. Of the 65s released in Soviet times (the youngest - 1972 of the year of release), 22 remained in service.
Be-12. Of the 141 aircraft operate on the Black Sea 4 (four). All of them were officially withdrawn from service in the 1992 year and are operated "until the resource is depleted."
That's all with airplanes.
Helicopters More precisely, a helicopter.
Veteran (issued since 1980 year) Ka-27PL. In the ranks of the 63 machines, part (near 20) was upgraded to Ka-27M, all helicopters that will survive to this point will probably be upgraded.
I emphasize very boldly that neither anti-submarine aircraft nor anti-submarine helicopters are produced in Russia. We finish Soviet outfits, carefully patching and tinting.
How functional it is - I do not presume to judge. But the fact that transferring money to develop stupid atomic destroyers and aircraft carriers, which there will be nobody and nothing to guard - is utter stupidity, I hope it will not cause disputes and condemnation.
The preliminary conclusion is very disappointing. We carry the Soviet anti-submarine defense, and when we bring it to the end, we can just relax. Dozens of nuclear destroyers and nuclear aircraft carriers would be launched in the hope that the enemy would not shoot them like ducks, for fear of spoiling the world's oceans.
Well, that’s just what comes to mind, because you can wheeze for a long time about who is cooler, “Ash” or “Virginia”, but the Americans have something to oppose to “Ash”, but with what we will defend ourselves from “Virginia”, I honestly speaking, not entirely clear.
The layout is so-so. 170 of American Orions, though not of the first freshness either, but a figure ... Plus almost 80 of Viking, carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft still serve. In general, also not a fountain, but a little more optimistic than ours.
Well, almost 400 anti-submarine "Sea hawks" from the company "Sikorsky" - there is generally nothing to say. A helicopter is much more dangerous for a submarine than an airplane.
Plus, American planes and helicopters can easily be put together in one fist and tightly close any area of the world's oceans. What does not shine for us from the word "completely." We are here, unfortunately, not even in the position of catching up, we, perhaps, are behind forever.
Well, the inability to produce anti-submarine aircraft and helicopters themselves. No, maybe we can, but for some reason we don’t. There are probably more serious goals, such as forums, international demonstration competitions, where the winner is known in advance and similar atomic destroyers.
In such unpleasant conditions, the right decision would be to build in large quantities modern small, but multi-functional ships that could fight enemy submarines and cover the exit from the bases of their boats.
Strange, but we have such a project. He initially had and has a number of shortcomings, but the ship and with them looks quite good for himself. Yes, we are talking about the ships of the 20380 project. Ships are indeed not without flaws, but there is potential, and most importantly, what is imputed to them in terms of weaknesses.
The main drawback of the project is the impossibility of launching rocket attacks along the coast and equipping with "Caliber". Therefore, they quickly made the 20385 project, in which these “Gauges” already exist.
You know, here is the complete feeling of the commandment "do not make yourself an idol." It is impossible to place the "Caliber" - that's it, you need to landfill.
In reality, the light has already wedged on these "Gauges" ... The whole world will be defeated only because every pontoon can launch them.
But if you look seriously, without caliber hysteria, then 22380 is a very successful and (most important) not very expensive replacement for Albatross. The ship simply asks for a PLO niche, since it was literally stuffed with everything that was needed so that the enemy’s submariners would not get a headache.
If you carefully read the combat set in 22380, it is, of course, much cooler than that of 1124. But this is also natural, between the ships of 30 years.
It is clear that in the short term we most likely cannot afford to develop a new IPC project of the 1124 type. But it would be nice, because something like the BOD of the 1155 project does not shine at all, and it is doubtful that we really need ships of the far ocean zone to solve the above problems.
This is exactly where 22380 / 22385 would be useful. They could easily take on the responsibilities of the BOD and, in the slightest degree, close the hole in the anti-submarine defense.
Why could they? Yes, because for this they need to be built in sufficient quantities. And today, both series of 22380 and 22385 corvettes seem to be all finished, and such ships will no longer be laid.
And instead of them? Instead, the issue of the scandalous 20386 project, which is larger in terms of displacement, much more expensive in terms of money and frankly weaker in armament, has not yet been removed from the agenda.
Much has been said about the stupidity called "the 20386 project", I won’t repeat it. The main thing on this topic is that at a greater cost than the 20380 and 20385 project corvettes, it does not have radical advantages over them like an anti-submarine ship, and the 20385 corvette is also inferior in weaponry.
And if it weren’t inferior - with the location of our fleets, which are completely unable to work together, it is necessary to have as many ships as possible capable of operating against enemy submarines. And for this they should be as cheap as possible, and not more expensive.
Especially annoying is the fact that even potentially anti-submarine corvettes are not ordered from us right now. Yes, the last ships of the 22380 and 22385 projects were laid in the 2016 year, and all, silence.
Meanwhile, the topic is serious. Who, excuse me, will guard / protect from the submarines the Storm mentioned not by night? Coffin type "Leader"? Which displacement is greater than the Peter the Great?
God forbid ...
But the question is who will guard our submarine missile carriers at the entrance and exit - this is the question. Yes, we have them. Yes, these are good and dangerous ships. But who said that generals and admirals gathered from mental hospitals work against us? No, the pros are sitting there too. And it is unlikely that they will continue to sit and wait until our "Ash" and "Borey" come to shock positions and launch everything that is.
On the contrary, they will tear to pieces to prevent this from happening.
In conclusion, this is what happened. If we put aside all the options for huge and useless troughs such as an atomic carrier, an atomic cruiser and an atomic destroyer, it would be much more useful to finally master the production of diesels and turbines for smaller ships.
I understand that today shipboard gas turbine is something for us from the realm of fantasy, but ... You can’t shove the reactor everywhere. Like Caliber.
Our submarine strategic forces definitely need cover to ensure the normal execution of tasks by nuclear submarines. And these are not aircraft carriers and cruisers that can serve as targets for enemy submarines, they are anti-submarine ships that can nullify all the efforts of potential enemy submarines in any area of our control zone.
As a result - fewer stupid projects, more business projects! I would like to hear the market, not the funeral bell in our fleet.
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