One of the disadvantages of domestic fleet sometimes called the original system of replenishment of the ship’s composition, according to which the lead ship of each series is a test platform for testing and refinement of new weapons systems and radio electronics. Even after successful testing and mass introduction of new systems on the Navy ships, work continues on their improvement and modernization, as a result, ships of the same type significantly differ from each other in the composition of the equipment, which complicates their supply, repair and operation.
A vivid example of such an approach is the heavy nuclear missile cruisers of the 1144 Orlan Ave. Despite the modest series, all 4 cruisers actually belong to three different projects, and the head TARKR Kirov and the last TARKR Peter the Great are so different from each other that it’s time to talk about completely different ships:
The bow of the TARKR "Kirov" - the first ship built on the project "Orlan"
- On the cruiser "Kirov" to launch anti-submarine missiles "Metel" used a separate bow PU. The rest of the cruisers are armed with the Waterfall PLUR, launched through torpedo tubes.
- Kirov artillery - two mm 100 installations, on the remaining ships a new AK-130 was installed.
- The head "Kirov" differed from the other three cruisers of the series in the design of the C-300F launchers, due to the smaller dimensions of the first version of anti-aircraft missiles.
- On Peter the Great, one of the anti-aircraft complexes was replaced with C-300FM, a new command post was installed: the total load was reduced to 94 missiles, but it became possible to hit targets at a distance of 200 km
- Anti-aircraft defense systems: the first three ships were installed two SAM "Osa-M"; on “Peter the Great” - the multichannel complex “Dagger” (16 underdeck launchers, 128 SAM).
- The anti-aircraft artillery has changed: on the first two cruisers there were four AK-630 batteries, on the Admiral Nakhimov and Peter the Great - 6 Kortik complexes.
- For self-defense from torpedoes on cruisers originally installed RBU-6000; on "Nakhimov" and "Petre" they are replaced by RBU-12000 "Boa".
- Starting from the second building, a new CWS “Lumberjack-44” was installed at TARKR, the old EW “Gurzuf” complex was replaced with “Cantata-M”, the space communications complex “Tsunami-BM” - with “Crystal-BK”. From the third hull the ships were completed with an improved three-coordinate radar "Fregat-MA" with headlights, as well as navigation radar "Vaigach-U". Additionally, in order to enhance the capabilities of the Peter the Great Air Defense System, a radar for detecting low-flying targets “Tackle” was installed on its focus-mast on the right and left.
The bow of the TARKR "Admiral Nakhimov", the third ship of the type "Orlan"
The flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva Guards missile cruiser - the only one of the three existing cruisers of the 1164 "Atalant" project, equipped with the anti-ship missile system П-1000 "Vulkan", is truly unique. The main caliber of the two other cruisers, the Varyag and the Marshal Ustinov, is still the P-500 Basalt. If suddenly the Ukraine-launched missile cruiser (fourth ship, 1164), which has been quietly rusting near the extension wall in Nikolaev, has already been completed for 20 years, it is hard to even imagine what new and unusual systems will appear on its decks (however, it already has little to do with competent modernization).
No less interesting история the evolution of large anti-submarine ships of the 1155 project (cipher “Take away”), from which the Admiral Chabanenko BPC (1155.1 Ave.) miraculously was born: the Moskit supersonic anti-ship missiles, 130 mm caliber artillery, the Kortik anti-aircraft missile system and the anti-submarine missiles “Waterfall” -NK ". Instead of a hydroacoustic complex “Polynom”, the more advanced SJSC Zvezda-2 was placed on Chabanenko.
At the same time, "Admiral Chabanenko" was not supposed to turn into a unique ship; according to the improved 1155.1 project, at least 4 of new BOD should have been laid, but “dashing 90-e” struck and “Shepherd” remained in splendid isolation. At present, Admiral Chabanenko is serving for the protection of the Motherland, along with his “elder brothers” BOD pr. 1155, differing favorably from them in his article and the more powerful weapons.
Russian modernized Japanese TV and as a result got a vacuum cleaner.
There were several reasons for the current situation: first, the constant lag of high-tech industries from the shipbuilding industry; As a result, when the hull of the new ship was already swaying in the water, most of the weapons and radio electronics were not yet ready. To saturate the hull volumes, it was necessary to install systems of the previous generation, which over time were sometimes replaced with the promised new ones.
The second reason is the lack of a clear doctrine of the Navy, when the priorities of the Navy were completely changed with every redeployment of personnel in the Admiralty and the shipbuilding industry. The ships were laid, dismantled on the stocks, re-laid. The atomic destroyer through the 10 years of "modernization" on the board of designers turned into the monstrous nuclear cruiser "Orlan" ...
And the third reason is the lack of a tradition of “test-ship laboratories”. Here we mean the test benches for ballistic missile submarines that are not filled with water, but the presence of real test ships on which any prospective system can be installed. The “test ship” can go out to sea and make a thorough “run-in” of the system in real sea conditions.
The rich and strong Soviet Union did not feel any inconvenience from such metamorphoses — every time sufficient funds were allocated to service and modernize the entire vast fleet of different types in time.
The real problem came with the collapse of the USSR - funding was cut to a critical value, and new ships are built too rarely to use them as "test sites" - you need to quickly replenish the current fleet.
In modern Russia, the question is often asked: is it not wasteful to use a ship worth half a billion dollars to run in promising systems? After all, it is no secret that most of the weapons planned to be installed on the new frigate 22350 Ave. Admiral Gorshkov did not undergo any testing on the Navy ships, therefore numerous "childhood diseases" and "inconsistencies" of the most complex and expensive equipment are not excluded, will require major changes in subsequent ships of the series. What is very expensive. At the same time, the head Admiral Gorshkov himself risks remaining a “experimental ship” for a long time.
Fears of the author are not in vain, the head corvette “Steregushchy” did not escape the fate of the “test site” - the first two units of the series were built according to 20380 Ave., the third “Boky” corvette (released on October 10 2012 sea trials) was already built on the modified 20381 project , with the installation of a new version of the X-35U Uran-U missile system and vertical launchers of the Redut air defense system. You will laugh, but the sixth ship of the series is being built according to an even more modified 20385 project: the number of cells in the Redut system is increased to 16, instead of the Uran-U anti-ship missiles, the Caliber cruise missiles will appear!
It's just great that the capabilities of Russian corvettes will increase many times, but two questions remain: 1. Why these changes could not be implemented in the original project? 2. “Steregushchy” type corvettes are the most up-to-date type of warships of the Russian Navy and the only one of all new projects already adopted for service. It is these ships that will have to protect the sea lines of our Fatherland in the near future and such experiments with their design are completely useless. Perhaps, for a start it is worth practicing on less valuable ships?
Here's what you can drastically upgrade ??
And what about them?
In foreign fleets, it looks a little different. Since 2003, the Royal Navy of Her Majesty has received six completely identical "fighting dragons" - destroyers of the Dairing type. But where things are more serious in the US Navy - laying the ships in large series, the Americans have no right to make mistakes. If any critical flaw suddenly emerges, dozens of destroyers will have to be rebuilt again.
USS Oldendorf (DD-972) - a destroyer of the Spruence type
However, everything is also very conditional here: for example, the destroyers of the Spruens type initially had a strange margin of strength and stability, about a quarter of the hull volumes were reserved for the installation of advanced weapons systems. At first, a huge empty ship was a lot of fun for foreign experts - it’s a big one and can’t do anything! In this mode, half of the series of 30 destroyers was built, the decks of the ships gradually “overgrown” with new systems - the Garpun missiles, the Phalanx anti-aircraft guns, etc., when in the middle of the 80's the Navy unexpectedly happened. The United States has adopted a new Mk.41 VLS universal launcher and a Tomahawk cruise missile. Volumes in the bow of the ship were reserved for this weapon - the modular design allowed, with minimal changes, to install an OHM on the 61 launching cell, in which Tomahawks' predatory bodies froze in anticipation (looking ahead a bit, I’ll say that the situation was calculated by American engineers in advance - in the midst of the construction of the “Spryuans” Mk.41 has already passed extensive tests on the “test ship”).
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) - Ticonderoga type missile cruiser
Subsequently, the Ticonderoga missile cruisers and the Arly Burk destroyers grew from the Spryuans. “Ticonderoga” and “Spruense” are so close in design that they can easily be confused from some angles. Modern “Arly Berki”, in spite of the appearance that has changed beyond recognition, is internally also in many respects similar to the “Spruans”. On the other hand, it is not correct to speak here about any deep modernization - changes in the design of Ajis cruisers are so significant that Spryens, Ticonderoga and Arly Burk are three different projects with the most standardized equipment.
Where is the blurred line between literate evolution and the construction of ships in a "discord"? Probably, specialized ships-laboratories can give an answer; test ships, used now in all fleets of the world.
A boat that does not fit in the ocean
29 in October 2010 of the year in 05: 30 Moscow time the successful launch of the Bulava ballistic missile from the board of the Dmitry Donskoy submarine located in the White Sea. Warheads delivered to a given area of the Kura test site in Kamchatka ...
You probably had to read a similar chronicle of events more than once. Test launches of the Bulava submarine-launched missile submarine are carried out from the onboard of the TK-208 “Dmitry Donskoy” heavy strategic missile cruiser, the last remaining submarine of the 941 “Shark” project.
Currently, the submarine cruiser is disarmed, a special launch cup designed for a light Mace (20 tons instead of the standard Р-37 rocket weighing 39 tons) is inserted into one of its 90 launchers. In 2008, Dmitry Donskoy turned into a multifunctional launch stand, the engineers had the opportunity to conduct test launches in real conditions far from the coast, from a surface or underwater position.
It was on this ship that the fate of the Bulava was decided, and the crew of the “test cruiser” showed a lot of effort to ensure successful launches of the new Russian wonder-rocket. From the point of view of the Russian Navy, the upgrading of the last “Shark” to the test bench looks quite reasonable - vseravno TK-208 could not use its standard weapons - the huge outdated P-39 rocket was removed from service. And you see, it would be strange to build underwater strategic missile carriers of the 4 generation Borey, having a raw Bulava rocket in their hands. Only numerous test launches from the onboard test bench "Dmitry Donskoy" allowed to bring the capricious rocket to the required state of reliability.
The further fate of the Dmitry Donskoy submarine is unknown: it does not make sense to leave such an extremely large boat in the fleet's combat fleet — the Borey, like any modern foreign SSBN, with a three-fold submerged displacement, carries the same number of ballistic missiles. On the other hand, an “extra” submarine may for a long time become a stand for testing new Russian underwater-based ballistic missiles.
American "Orlan"
Having entered service in March 1945 of the year, the Norton Sound hydro-avian carrier for several months was senselessly plowing the expanses of the Pacific Ocean - all the hot naval battles had been completed by that time and the ship was doing the routine work of patrolling the Katalin patrols, in the fall it arrived in China, where it took place service in the occupying forces in Japan and China. A year later, Norton Sound completed its inglorious cruise and returned to the United States, where fate had prepared him a generous gift. Unlike its sisterships, the Norton Sound turned into a ship-laboratory and then probably no one imagined, this quickly outdated vessel will last even long 40 years, fulfilling the most sophisticated and responsible tasks.
Canvases of phased antenna arrays are clearly visible. In the stern - launcher Mk.26
After the first reconstruction, the Norton Sound became the first US Navy bomber carrying a regular test launch of Lark anti-aircraft missiles and Aerobee meteorological rockets to study the upper atmosphere and radiation belts of the Earth in near space. The program ended in 1950 with the enchanting launch of a five-ton Viking rocket, which delivered a container with scientific equipment to an altitude of 170 km.
1950 year. Launch of the Viking suborbital rocket
And then the paranormal began: it was no coincidence that I compared the “Norton Sound” with the Soviet “Orlan” in the title of the chapter - the entire range of naval armaments and radio-technical systems was installed on the ship in 40 years. It was the “Norton Sound” that tested the Terrier, Tartarus, Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles, the Mk.26 universal beam launcher, the Mk.45 x-mmX lightweight artillery launcher mm ... In addition to testing conventional weapons, “ Norton Sound "in 127 had three times to fire into space the Argus missiles with nuclear warheads: the whole world enjoyed the kinds of giant fireballs at an altitude of 1958 km ... Reconstruction ..." Norton Sound "received a Typhoon BIUS and advanced radars ... A year later result is obtained T: CIU "Typhoon" turned out to be useless "wunderwafl" ... To hell CIU, again reconstruction ... "Norton Sound" tests gyroscopes and EW systems, the results are positive ... reconstruction ... In 750, the first prototype of the Ejis system was installed there were radars with PAR. The story ended in the 1971 year, when two modules of the vertical launcher Mk.1981 VLS were installed on the ship that was stupefied with such a “modernization”.
Photo 1975. Radars AN / SPY-1 not yet installed, but visible nasal 127 mm naval gun Mk.45
USS Norton Sound was withdrawn from the fleet at the end of 1986, and dismantled for metal. It's a pity. From the ship would have been a great maritime museum of the Cold War.
Japan has too much money?
The Japanese went the furthest in the development of test ships. Before massively building warships, the Land of the Rising Sun built a moving model of promising destroyers of the Murasame type on the scale of 1: 1. Simply put, the Japanese built a real ship, which, being deprived of armaments, can perform only research and experimental tasks in the interests of the technical center of the Naval Self-Defense Forces of Japan.
Asuka Auxiliary Ship Experimental (ASE-6102)
On the one hand, this approach to business inspires respect for Japanese shipbuilders. This is real quality and attention to detail! On the prototype of the destroyer, complex tests of samples of naval weapons, ship systems and technologies are carried out. A comprehensive assessment of stealth technologies and hull lines is being carried out at Aske, and the Canadian exhaust gas cooling system is installed to reduce thermal visibility. The ship has an original power plant, to reduce acoustic noise, propellers are driven by electric motors - there is no need for long shafts and support bearings.
From the "high-tech systems" on a strange destroyer, an automated survival control system was installed: all spaces of the ship are equipped with sensors, from which information about damage, hot spots, water flow and other malfunctions goes to a central command center. The system allows operators to assess the development of an emergency situation and take adequate measures in a timely manner. Aska is also equipped with OYQ-7 BIUS, which is the Japanese equivalent of Aegis.
A good full-size layout?
On the other hand, no one has yet thought of building a specialized experimental ship — too irrational and wasteful. Usually, ships and vessels that have served their time and have become unnecessary turn into an “experimental stand”. It is all the more strange that ultramodern Japan, already living in the XXII century, could not test all the necessary systems by computer simulation. As a graphic illustration, the Boeing-787 wide-body airliner was completely designed and tested on a computer. Although, of course, the Japanese know better - perhaps in the truth, it is impossible to determine the ship's EPR in real conditions or the noise of the ship power plant on a computer. In the end, the ASE-6102 "Asuka" is a complete copy of the modern destroyer URO-type destroyer of the type "Murasame" (the capabilities of the "test ship" even surpass the combat destroyers due to the presence of the Idzhis BIUS) Mk.48 to launch the ESSM 32 anti-aircraft missiles.
During natural disasters, the ship is periodically involved in search and rescue operations, and when the sun shines brightly on the horizon, Asuka is often open to visiting by curious Japanese and guests of the country.