New weapons and new features. Modernization of the nuclear submarine "Tigr" and the entire "animal division"
Nuclear submarine K-154 "Tiger" at the pier
Over the past few years, Russian shipbuilders have been implementing a program for the repair and modernization of nuclear submarines pr. 971 "Shchuka-B". Several ships of this type are now on the stocks, and the necessary measures are being taken on them. Technical readiness is being restored, and part of the equipment is being replaced. Together with other nuclear submarines, K-154 "Tiger" from the Northern fleet. The other day, current plans for it, as well as some features of the current modernization, became known.
Ship under repair
The large nuclear submarine K-154 was laid down at the Northern Machine-Building Enterprise in May 1989, and in July 1993 it was launched. In the last days of the same year, the nuclear submarine under the name "Tiger" began service in the 24th division of submarines of the Northern Fleet. In the future, the submarine repeatedly went on patrol, participated in fleet maneuvers, and also underwent the necessary repairs.
In 2019, the Tiger arrived at the Nerpa shipyard (a branch of the Zvyozdochka Center in Snezhnogorsk). Then it was reported that the submarine will undergo scheduled repairs and modernization with the replacement of part of the equipment. The nature of these updates was not specified. Also mentioned was the expansion of combat capabilities through the integration of the Caliber-PL missile system. The return of the submarine to the CSF was planned no earlier than 2022.
New information about the progress of work at the Nerpa shipyard appeared a few days ago. This information, obtained from unnamed sources in the defense industry, was published on July 15 by the TASS agency. At the same time, he failed to get an official comment from the enterprise conducting the work.
One of the sources told TASS that the repair of the K-154 will be completed in 2023. By the end of the year, the boat will return to service. Another source recalled the modernization of the weapons complex and confirmed that the Tiger would also carry modern cruise missiles.
K-157 "Vepr" after repair, 2020
Thus, the last news about the "Tiger" as a whole correspond to the information disclosed at the beginning of the repair and modernization. As previously reported, work on the nuclear submarine will be completed after 2022 and will improve its main characteristics and combat capabilities. It follows from this that the repair work as a whole is proceeding in accordance with the previously appointed schedule, or, in the worst case, slightly behind it.
Animal Upgrade
The nuclear submarine K-154 "Tiger" is assigned to the 24th division of submarines of the Northern Fleet. Together with her, five more ships, Project 971, serve in this formation. All these submarines bear the names of dangerous animals, which is why their formation is unofficially called the “animal division”.
Over the past few years, a major program of repair and modernization of the Shchuka-B submarines from the KSF has been implemented. In this regard, only three ships out of the six available are now in service. The rest are at the Zvyozdochka and Nerpa factories. However, their return to full service is only a matter of time.
The first in the “animal division” were the modernization of the K-335 Gepard and K-157 Vepr submarines. From 2015 and 2020 they serve, regularly go to sea and solve assigned tasks. During the upgrade, they received new devices and units. According to some reports, these boats also became the first representatives of Project 971 to receive the Caliber-PL missile system.
The upgraded ship K-328 "Leopard" will return to service next. Back in 2011, he got up for repairs at Zvyozdochka. For various reasons, the events were seriously delayed, and the submarine was taken out of the boathouse only in 2020. At that time, it was reported that she would return to the KSF combat strength in 2021, but then the dates were postponed. The Leopard is now expected to be in service until the end of 2022.
The withdrawal of the nuclear submarine K-328 "Leopard" from the boathouse, December 2020
Also this year, Zvezdochka is to hand over to the fleet the upgraded nuclear submarine K-461 Volk. Its repair began later, in 2014. As in the case of the K-328, problems of various kinds arose, and the project did not meet the originally scheduled deadlines. However, the updated work schedule is being successfully implemented, and in the coming months the Wolf will continue to serve.
Thus, the program for the modernization of the nuclear submarine pr. 971 from the Northern Fleet turned out to be quite complicated and took longer than planned. However, all problems and difficulties were successfully resolved. Despite all the negative factors, "Leopard" and "Wolf" will soon be tested after repair and will be accepted by the customer.
It should be noted that the situation with the repair of the "Tiger" is much simpler and gives reason for optimism. This submarine was sent for repairs just three years ago, and the work is already nearing completion. The delivery of the ship had to be postponed to the next year, but against the background of the previous Pike, this does not look critical.
Technical potential
Ships pr. 971 "Pike-B" are multi-purpose nuclear submarines of a double-hull design with missile and torpedo weapons. Such submarines have a length of approx. 110 m and a width of 13,6 m. Displacement in the surface position exceeds 8,1 thousand tons, underwater - approx. 12,8 thousand tons. Crew - 73 people, incl. 31 officers.
The power plant of the submarine was built on the basis of the OK-650M nuclear reactor with a thermal power of 190 MW. The movement is carried out with the help of one propeller with a drive power of 50 thousand hp. There are folding columns with additional electric motors for maneuvering. In a submerged position, the nuclear submarine develops a speed of 33 knots.
Initially, the Pike-B was equipped with the MGK-540 Skat-3 sonar system and the MRCP-58 radar. Some of the ships received target detection stations along the MNK-200-1 wake. All ships received a navigation system, various means of communication, etc. According to various sources, in the course of the current modernization, a part of the radio-electronic and hydroacoustic equipment is being replaced.
In the bow compartment, 533-mm and 650-mm torpedo tubes are placed in two tiers, four units each. The submarine carries up to 12 650 mm torpedoes or up to 28 smaller 533 mm torpedoes. Part of the torpedoes can be replaced by mines. The first submarines of the series carried S-10 Granat missiles, but then from such weapons refused. For self-defense, the crew has several MANPADS and small arms.
In the latest upgrade, it is proposed to use the Caliber-PL complex with a wide selection of missiles for various purposes. Thanks to this, the combat capabilities of the Shchuk-B will increase dramatically. Depending on the composition of the ammunition, they will be able to attack ground targets at ranges up to 2,5 thousand km, as well as fight submarines and surface ships.
Soon
Despite all the difficulties of the last decade, Russian ship repairers managed to establish all the necessary processes. As a result, the modernization program for the Project 971 nuclear submarine from the KSF is now moving forward successfully and is nearing completion.
According to current plans, this year the 24th submarine division will again receive two Pike-Bs. The third ship, still under repair, will be handed over to her by the end of next year. Accordingly, by the beginning of 2024, the "animal division" will fully restore its combat strength.
"Leopard" before launching
In addition, the combat potential of the compound will increase. After a long break, "Pike-B" will again receive missile weapons. In this case, we are talking about a multi-purpose missile system with a wide range of ammunition and high performance characteristics. Modern Caliber missiles will be used on at least three submarines of the division, which will seriously improve its strike capabilities.
Such a modernization of the weapons complex will bring the old ships of project 971 as close as possible to modern submarine cruisers of project 885 "Ash". This will improve the combat capabilities of submarine forces without waiting for the construction of the entire series of modern "Ash". The last of the nine submarines of this type are expected only by the end of the decade, and the modernization of boats of project 971 is already underway.
It should be recalled that not only KSF has "Pike-B". Submarines of this type were also built for the Pacific Fleet. Thus, the nuclear submarine K-419 "Kuzbass" is now serving and fulfilling its assigned tasks. K-295 "Samara" is located at the Zvezdochka shipyard and is also undergoing modernization. K-152 "Nerpa" returned from India last year and is now preparing for continued operation. Instead, the foreign Navy will soon be given the K-331 submarine (formerly Magadan), which is also being repaired at Zvezda.
The restoration and renewal of KTOF submarines will also have obvious positive consequences. The Far Eastern "Pike-B" with new weapons and equipment, like the ships of the Northern Fleet, will ensure the solution of all expected tasks in the foreseeable future, up to the appearance of newer multi-purpose nuclear submarines.
Reason for optimism
Thus, the latest news about the work on the K-154 "Tiger" submarine - like previous reports about ships of the same type - is a reason for restrained optimism. The ship repair industry coped with all the problems and reached the desired pace of work.
Now it can be argued that in the coming years the Northern and Pacific Fleets will receive five modernized submarines of project 971. Another one will be repaired and sent to a foreign tenant. The characteristics and combat capabilities of the ships will grow noticeably, and this will have a positive effect on the overall potential of our submarine forces.
Information