Ten years - and no boat!
interesting news. The Main Headquarters of the Russian Navy proposed not to restore the nuclear submarine K-152 "Nerpa" of Project 971U ("Pike-B"), which returned from India, where it was leased.
This is what happened: the K-152 “Nerpa” boat was leased to the Indian Navy on January 23.01.2012, XNUMX. In Indian navy served under the name S 72 Chakra-2, and 10 months before the end of the lease it was returned to Russia.
In general, leasing is essentially a lease with or without the right to buy. Basically, in the world this means rent with subsequent purchase, but in our version this did not happen.
The cause was an emergency that occurred in April 2020, when a high-pressure air cylinder exploded on board the submarine. Both hulls of the boat were damaged, and sonar and radio-electronic equipment were also damaged.
After this, the Indian side returned the boat from rent ahead of schedule. 10 months ahead of schedule, paying almost $2 billion in fees.
However, there is information that before returning the boat, Indian specialists carried out repairs on both hulls. After that, in 2021, “Nerpa” on the surface and accompanied by ships of the Pacific Fleet came to Vladivostok.
And now the Navy Commander-in-Chief, for financial reasons, considers the repair and modernization of the Nerpa inappropriate.
What does this indicate?
Some respected experts in this field have started talking about the fact that the Russian Navy is experiencing serious problems with the repair of the Project 971 nuclear submarine. If this were exactly the case, then the refusal to repair the Nerpa would be objectively justified.
However, statistics on the repair and modernization of Project 971 nuclear submarines indicate the opposite.
K-419 "Kuzbass". Pacific Fleet Renovated at the Zvezda plant from 2009 to 2016. Replacement and modernization of life support systems, radio and hydroacoustic equipment.
K-317 "Panther". SF. She underwent a major overhaul from 2006 to 2009 at the Nerpa Shipyard. Replacement of batteries, hydroacoustic complex, modernization of control and communication systems.
K-157 "Vepr". SF. Renovated in 2018-2020.
K-335 "Cheetah". SF. Renovated in 2014-2015.
At the same time, nuclear submarines of Project 971 of both the Pacific and Northern fleets are currently undergoing repairs of varying complexity at the factories.
K-331 "Magadan". Pacific Fleet Since 2015, under renovation and modernization for the leasing program for India. After the transfer (if one takes place), the name “Magadan” will be transferred to another boat.
K-295 "Samara". Pacific Fleet Since 2015, it has been undergoing repairs at the Zvezdochka plant.
K-461 "Wolf". SF. Since 2014, it has been undergoing medium repairs and modernization at the Zvezdochka shipyard. Delivery is delayed (2017).
K-154 "Tiger". SF. Since 2019, repairs and modernization have been carried out at the Nerpa shipyard.
K-328 "Leopard". SF. Since the end of June 2011, it has been at the Zvezdochka Center undergoing repairs and re-equipment. In December 2020, it was launched after repairs and modernization. Delivery (2020) is delayed.
In general, it turns out that out of the 10 boats remaining in stock, 4 boats are in service and 5 are under repair. “Nerpa” seems to be suspended.
You may get the wrong impression that things are really very bad with the repair of THESE submarines. But let’s be objective: what are we generally good at today? In which place in which industry?
Problems are absolutely everywhere and in everything, starting from personnel, which is the main problem in the country. “Effective managers” in the management of companies, who have no idea what the companies are doing and the remnants of Soviet personnel in production, whom no one is in a hurry to change. Unfortunately, it is not prestigious to be a worker today. Thanks to years of advertising on TV and the Internet.
The fact that Zvezdochka in general and Nerpa as a branch in particular cope with the repair of such complex devices as nuclear submarines is generally at the level of a labor feat.
It is possible and necessary to talk about problems at ship repair yards, but we will not do this within the scope of this article. It is enough to understand that our factories are still able to cope with such tasks as repairing nuclear submarines, although the deadlines for completing the work look daunting. But, I repeat, this is not the factories’ fault. The boats have been repaired and will continue to be repaired. The only question is how it will look in terms of the time factor.
Now we go further.
The phrase flashed in some media that the fleet has no money. This is exactly how they explained the phrase “The Main Command of the Navy, for financial reasons, considers the repair and modernization of the Nerpa inappropriate.”
However, there is a presence of the second side of the coin. “The fleet does not have money for repairs” and “The fleet does not have THAT kind of money for repairs” are similar phrases, but the meaning is completely different.
Let's take another look at the chronology of events:
- there is an emergency on the boat;
- the boat is being repaired by Indian specialists;
- the boat is returned to the lessor ahead of schedule, before the appointed time, refusing to repurchase;
- the boat has been at the shipyard for two years;
- The High Command of the Navy considers it inappropriate to repair the boat.
What can you see here? Yes, in principle, everything is simple: the Indians understood perfectly well that by allowing such an accident, they had practically disfigured the boat to the point of inoperability. Therefore, having somehow patched up the “Nerpa”/“Chakra”, the Indians hastened to return it to Russia.
The way the boat sailed to Vladivostok already indicated that not all was well on it. Otherwise, why send an entire detachment of two tugs, a rescue vessel and a tanker after her? It's simple: there were doubts that the boat would get there on its own.
After the Nerpa was safely dragged to Vladivostok, an analysis of what the Indians had done began. The fact that their shipbuilders patched up the main and light hulls does not make the boat combat-ready.
Is almost two years to carry out troubleshooting a lot? Considering what a complex system it is, a nuclear submarine, no, not much. And obviously, the amount of restoration of the boat exceeded all calculations, and quite significantly.
Here we must understand that the decision was not made in a hurry. The boat is not that old, quite the opposite. Yes, the K-152 “Nerpa” was laid down back in 1993, but it was launched on June 24, 2006, and put into operation on December 29, 2009.
It is clear that the fate of the boat was not decided in a couple of hours of debate. Just taking and scrapping a boat that is not even twenty years old is an unforgivable waste. Apparently, the Indians mutilated the Nerpa so badly that, indeed, its restoration may be impractical. It is also quite possible that it is easier and cheaper to build a new boat than to repair the Nerpa to condition.
It is not for nothing that since the return of the Nerpa, it has been laid up at the Zvezda shipyard in Bolshoy Kamen; in April 2022, nuclear fuel was unloaded on the boat. Perhaps, indeed, the boat has already been sentenced.
But here’s another reason for thought.
In March 2019, another Russian-Indian agreement was signed in New Delhi on the long-term lease of another Project 971 nuclear attack submarine from the Russian Navy to India, with the cost of the agreement estimated at $3,3 billion.
The boat under the Indian designation “Chakra III” will be transferred after repairs and modernization and will join the Indian fleet presumably in 2025 under the same name “Chakra” as two other nuclear submarines leased from the USSR and Russia. The lease term is not known exactly, but will be at least 10 years.
Apparently, the Indian nuclear submarines of the Arihant type, on which the command of the Indian fleet is relying, cannot be fully operational for some reasons unknown to us. And this is pushing India into the arms of Russia in terms of leasing Russian nuclear submarines. Yes, for decent money, but...
Of course, 3 billion 300 million dollars is a hefty figure. But here’s a question of no less importance: will the former “Magadan” also return from India in tow and be scrapped, like the “Nerpa”?
If we really have problems with factories, is it worth throwing away nuclear boats like that? Yes, “Magadan” is almost 20 years older than “Nerpa”, but still. This is a boat that can serve Russia. Of course, earning foreign currency in such quantities is also a service, but the question is: who needs it more?
In general, the situation is ambiguous and requires additional information. But in general, it’s a shame that a nuclear submarine, having served for 14 years, will be scrapped because of crooked Indian sailors. Dollars, of course, are good, but combat-ready boats are much better. And with us it’s not that it’s amazing, but rather quite the opposite.
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