Russian submarine, already 20-years old, finally moves towards final sea trials

The Severodvinsk (K-329) is a Yasen-class (Project 885) attack submarine designed in the waning days of the Soviet Union and laid down in 1993. Yes, folks… 1993. The keel on this boat is already 20-years old and it hasn’t been accepted into service yet. Budget constraints and technical snafus have resulted in this Cold War behemoth spending 20-years in various states of construction and testing. The current plan (subject to further cock-ups) is to commission the Severodvinsk in December 2013. Вопросы есть? Вопросов нет!

АПЛ “Северодвинск” в скоро приступит к госиспытаниям в Белом море

Ранее в СМИ появлялись сообщения, что ВМФ РФ якобы отказывается принять АПЛ “Северодвинск” в свой состав в этом году из-за технических проблем. В ОСК эти сведения опровергали.

© РИА Новости. Владимир Родионов

МОСКВА, 28 окт — РИА Новости. Головная многоцелевая атомная подлодка (АПЛ) “Северодвинск” (проект 885, шифр “Ясень”) в ближайшее время начнет государственные испытания в Белом море, сообщает пресс-служба “ПО Севмаш” в понедельник.

Ранее в СМИ появлялись сообщения, что ВМФ РФ якобы отказывается принять АПЛ “Северодвинск” в свой состав в этом году из-за технических проблем. В ОСК эти сведения опровергали.

“”Северодвинск” приступает к государственным морским “экзаменам””, — говорится в сообщении. На предприятии не уточнили дату выхода лодки в Белое море.

Как сообщил ранее генконструктор КБ “Малахит” (разработчик этих АПЛ) Владимир Пялов, подлодка после проведения успешных госиспытаний должна быть принята на вооружение до 25 декабря 2013 года.

В настоящее время на заводе “Севмаш” в Северодвинске строится вторая подлодка проекта 885 — “Казань”. Ее передача флоту запланирована на 2015 год. Третья лодка “Новосибирск” заложена в 2013 году.

http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20131028/973166957.html

Russian Navy *STILL* doesn’t want to accept delivery of the K-329 Severodvinsk

The Russian Navy still doesn’t want to take delivery of the Yasen-class ‘Severodvinsk’, which was laid down in 1993 and originally scheduled for delivery in 1998. The phrase “plagued with problems” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Controversy about readiness of new high-tech sub

Media reports claim navy refuses to accept Russia’s brand new “Severodvinsk” multi-purpose submarine, while United Shipbuilding Corporation says testing will be completed and the sub delivered by year-end.

photo: military-today.com

BarentsObserver’s reporting about delivering of “Severodvinsk” is becoming a multiple-year row of headlines entitled “ready by year-end.” The submarine, of which the construction started 20 years ago, was originally scheduled for commissioning in 1998. Eleven years later, the plan was to deliver the sub in 2010. Rescheduled to 2011. Rescheduled to 2012. Rescheduled to 2013. And today, a new dispute between the builder and the navy about the sub’s readiness has emerged.

The newspaper Military Industrial Courier this week reports that navy sailors are not at all satisfied with the technical readiness of the submarine after the last few months of test sailing in the White Sea.

There are problems with the bearing liners of the propeller shafts. The shafts, connected from the turbine that run by steam from the reactor, can’t increase the speed the way it should without risking that the liner falls apart.

“Tests again show unresolved technical problems. It is too early for the fleet to take over the vessel. Now we have prepared a report on the test results to the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, where our arguments about the causes of failure are,” a senior naval officer says to Military Industrial Courier under condition of anonymity.

The newspaper sources also lodge claims that not everything works well with the weapons onboard either, including problems with firing the supersonic cruise missiles.

In total, “Severodvinsk” has been on 14 sea trails since her maiden voyage in 2011. The last test trials started on May 27 and where supposed to continue until mid-August, but the sub had to return to the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk on July 19 to fix some technical problems. On July 30, the submarine again set sail for the White Sea. Another round of tests is scheduled for November and December.

On Tuesday, United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), owner of the Sevmash yard, issued a press-release strongly disproving any technical problems.

“All tests were successful according to the plan…,” the press-release from the USC reads and continues:

“The nuclear submarine performed four trial runs, starting navigation on May 30, which is a record for testing in the White Sea. All of the trial runs, envisioned in the plan, were successfully performed, and all tactical-technical characteristics of the weapon systems and military hardware, installed aboard the submarine, including the speed and maneuverability characteristics, and the technical parameters of the main power plant, have been proven.”

A state commission will after the coming sea trails decides the technical readiness of the submarine and sign the transfer to the navy. “Severodvinsk” will sail for the Northern fleet with submarine bases on the coast of the Kola Peninsula.

http://barentsobserver.com/en/security/2013/10/controversy-about-readiness-new-high-tech-sub-09-10