Russia to Resurrect Titanium Submarines

[Razor]

Russia to Resurrect Titanium Submarines

MOSCOW, March 5 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Navy will refit, modernize and recommission two Sierra class (Project 945) titanium-hull nuclear-powered attack submarines by 2017, the Zvezdochka shipyard said on Tuesday.
The Sierra class has a light and strong titanium pressure hull, enabling these boats to dive to depths of up to 550 meters (1800 feet) and enhancing their survivability, as well as having a low magnetic signature.

Source: RIA Novosti

 

[W.G.Ewald]

During World War Two, high-strength alloyed steel was introduced, allowing for depths up to 200 metres (656 feet). High-strength alloyed steel is still the main material for submarines today, with 250-350 metres (820 to 1,148 feet) depth limit, which cannot be exceeded on a military submarine without sacrificing other characteristics. To exceed that limit, a few submarines were built with titanium hulls. Titanium is stronger and lighter than steel, and is non-magnetic. Titanium submarines were especially favoured by the Soviets, as they had developed specialized high-strength alloys, built an industry for producing titanium with affordable costs, and have several types of titanium submarines. Titanium alloys allow a major increase in depth, but other systems need to be redesigned as well, so test depth was limited to 1000 metres (3,281 feet) for the Soviet submarine Komsomolets, the deepest-diving military submarine. An Alfa-class submarine may have successfully operated at 1300 metres (4,265 feet),[2] though continuous operation at such depths would be an excessive stress for many submarine systems.[citation needed] Despite its benefits, high costs of titanium construction led to abandonment of titanium submarines idea as the Cold War ended.

Submarine hull - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[cobra commando]

Aircraft-carrier 'killers' to be repaired in Russia

The Ministry of Defense and Zvyozdochka shipyard (Little Star) in Severodvinsk signed a contract for repair and upgrade of the nuclear submarines of the Northern Fleet "Carp" and "Kostroma" Project 945 (code "Barracuda") built in 1970s and 1980s and decommissioned long time ago. However, despite the apparent "old age" the submarines made of very expensive titanium are still superior to their foreign counterparts in terms of a number of characteristics.

According to expert shipbuilders that shared their comments with Pravda.Ru, the hulls of the titanium submarines have not deteriorated over the years. This expensive metal is very resistant to corrosion, barely rusts and does not break down over time. However, all or nearly all of the "stuffing" of the submarines will have to be replaced.

Former member of the Mobilization Department of the Navy, retired Captain of the first rank Sergey Vasyutin shared his thoughts with Pravda.Ru:

"I have no doubt that the decision of the Ministry of Defense could dumbfound even the most advanced Western intelligence. Indeed, it came quite unexpectedly even for Russian specialists. At one time, it was naval intelligence that prompted the U.S. administration which of the submarines of the Soviet Union and then Russia had to be included on the list for the disposal under the agreement on strategic arms limitation.We, with our own hands, albeit mainly with the American money, "cut" the overwhelming number of our strategic nuclear submarines, many of which were multipurpose nuclear submarines. But the intelligence forgot about the titanic boats, considering that the country would be unable to recover them because of excessively complex and expensive "titanium" technology. Yet, these boats have survived to this day. Incidentally, the boats of the "titanium" project were built with modernization in mind, which is not true for NATO ships. These boats will still serve Russia in the ocean. Once, these boats were called "killers of aircraft carriers." The main objectives of these submarines were monitoring of strategic submarines and aircraft carrier battle groups and the guaranteed potential elimination of the enemy at the start of the conflict.

According to the media, it is expected that the multipurpose nuclear submarine of project 945 "Barracuda" and 945A "Condor" with titanium case after upgrading will be comparable in terms of technical capabilities with the submarine project 885 "Yasen-M", that is, with the newest Russian technology."

At one time sailors feared that titanium boats would simply "devour" floating piers made of ordinary steel. The combination titanium-iron is very dangerous as iron rapidly gets corroded and degraded under the influence of titanium. However, scientists have found a way out: the case of titanium submarines when they were not in the sea was covered with special protection in the form of iron welded structures that titanium was "eating", leaving the piers alone.

So far Russia utilized only one nuclear submarine with a titanium case, the so-called "Golden Fish" of Project 661 - the first of this family, built in the 1960s. This is the speediest boat that during trials showed full submerged speed of over 42 knots. This record has not yet been broken.

None of the designers or admirals could clearly explain to the country's leadership why the submarine should "fly" across the ocean that fast. The authorities were downright terrified with the construction cost of the boat - 222 million rubles. The boat was not produced as a series.

At full underwater speed the boat made so much noise that it could be easily heard at the other end of the ocean. When the boat was cut to pieces in Severodvinsk in 2010 the cost of the disposal proved to be terrifying as well as Titanium is not that easy to cut. Russia now has four titanium nuclear submarines (in addition to mini-boats for deep-sea research), two Project 945 "Barracuda" - K-239 "Carp" and K-276 "Kostroma" and two boats of modernized Project 945A "Condor" - K-336 "Pskov" and K-534 "Nizhny Novgorod." In 1989, a fire destroyed a unique titanium submarine "Komsomolets" with more than a kilometer deep dive

During construction of "Barracuda" boats and its modifications built in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), the mistakes made in the design of the construction of "Gold Fish" were taken into account. Despite the high price, the Soviet Union decided to still make a few titanium bodies, perfectly preserved over a few decades.

First icebreaker "Carp", then - "Kostroma" will be repaired in Severodvinsk and returned to the Navy. In the final period of work on the second submarine another contract will be signed - for repairs and modernization of the two other titanium nuclear submarines - "Pskov" and "New York", which are still not completely removed from the Russian Navy.

According to economists repair and upgrade of titanium submarines is approximately two times faster than building new ones. The financial costs are lower as well. In this situation it is quite ridiculous to blame the Defense Ministry of the effort to save money. In terms of certain characteristics the Russian boats of this class still surpass NATO submarines, first of all, in terms of depth. The invisibility, the main quality of any submarine, now depends on the shipbuilders and how well they will be able to "stuff" modernized boats with new equipment and weapons.

Incidentally, the strength of titanium Soviet-built submarines was demonstrated in 1992, when Russian "Kostroma" faced in the Barents Sea with the U.S. submarine "Los Angeles." The Russian ship had relatively minor damage to the exterior, while the American boat had to be decommissioned.

Andrey Mikhailov

Aircraft-carrier 'killers' to be repaired in Russia - English pravda.ru

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Re: Aircraft-carrier 'killers' to be repaired in Russia

Incidentally, the strength of titanium Soviet-built submarines was demonstrated in 1992, when Russian "Kostroma" faced in the Barents Sea with the U.S. submarine "Los Angeles." The Russian ship had relatively minor damage to the exterior, while the American boat had to be decommissioned.

Los Angeles Class perhaps?

Was the "decommissioning" an actual result of the collision?

The statement above is not supported by these accounts.

U.S. and Russian Subs Collide Under the Ice in Barents Sea - Los Angeles Times

Preventing Submarine Collisions

U.S. and Russian Subs in Collision In Arctic Ocean Near Murmansk - NYTimes.com

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Re: Aircraft-carrier 'killers' to be repaired in Russia

Maybe a separate incident.

Submarine incident off Kildin Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

USS Baton Rouge (SSN-689) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[pmaitra]

Threads merged.

 

[average american]

Thieves make off with 14 tonnes of titanium from Sayda Bay submarines

Part of: The Russian Northern Fleet, Theft of radioactive materials in Russia, Theft of radioactive materials in the ex-Soviet republics



Irradiated submarine reactor compartments docked at Sayda Bay.

Bellona


Related articles
Tour of Northern Russia's Sayda Bay radwaste dump for reporters and NGOs shows improvements(08/08-2010)
ST. PETERSBURG—Fourteen tonnes of titanium metal was stolen from laid up submarines at the Kola PeninsulaÂ’s Sayda Bay—where approximately 50 irradiated hulls, some still loaded with spent nuclear fuel, bob and rust at dockside—by a well organized group that could have included local shipyard workers and even police, officials said Wednesday.

UPDATED May 12th: New information on how much titanium Sayda Bay is missing


This latest theft, said authorities is part of some 30 tonnes of titanium that has disappeared from bulkheads on decommossioned subs at Saida Bay over the past five years.
Thieves make off with 14 tonnes of titanium from Sayda Bay submarines - Bellona

 

[pmaitra]

There is an interesting thread on Titanium: http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/economy-infrastructure/46265-titanium-titan-amongst-metals.html