Project 21300 Delfin ["Dolphin"] Igor Belousov

"Igor Belousov", the leading rescue ship project 21300S, was laid down on 24 December 2005 at the "Admiralty Shipyards" in St. Petersburg. The vessel is designed to assist emergency crews of submarines lying on the ground or are on the surface, air, electricity and life-saving equipment on submarines and surface ships. In addition, it can be searched and inspect emergency facilities, including in the international maritime rescue units. On board the "Igor Belousov" is a set of new life-saving appliances, including submersibles and hyperbaric chambers.

Rescue ship Igor Belousov opens Project 21300 developed by the Almaz Design Bureau. The hull is made of high-strength alloy designed by the Prometei research institute for construction materials. Having a displacement of 5,000 tons and full speed of 15 knots, the ship is used for rescue of crew members of distressed submarines lying on the seabed or on surface. The ship will be equipped with manned and remotely-controlled deep-sea submersibles. The ship is named after Igor Belousov, Hero of Socialist Labor, engineer and Soviet minister of shipbuilding industry in 1984-1988.

Rescue ship "Igor Belousov," would be transferred to the Northern Fleet in 2013. The construction period repeatedly shifted to the right (originally planned entry into service in 2010), mainly due to problems with equipment suppliers. The contract for resuming of the ship’s construction suspended due to lack of financing was signed by Russian defense ministry and Admiralteyskie Verfi in Nov 2011. According to the contract, the ship was to join the Navy in 2014. JSC Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard (affiliate of United Shipbuilding Corporation), launched the rescue ship Igor Belousov of Project 21300 on on 31 October 2012.

Uncontrolled production process technology in the military-industrial complex eventually leads to overpricing. This has become a feature of the domestic defense industry enterprises, including those that design and manufacture products for naval rescue forces. So, for example, the creation of deep diving complex GVK-450 project 22020 (manufacturer and supplier of all components of Nizhny Novgorod CDB "Lapis", headed by M.Vaynerman). The rescuer "Igor Belousov" Project 21300 was delayed for 6 years and its price during this time increased from 800 million rubles to 2.5 billion rubles, which exceeds the value of their foreign counterparts by almost 2 times. The latter are slightly inferior as to the depth of operation compaared to the Russian systmes, but cost about $15 million (or 450 million rubbles). Given that the Bureau has positioned itself as a developer of complex deepwater and supplier of components (some of them for foreign production), it is, paradoxically, a provider of the entire complex, and therefore does not carry any warranty. As a result, to date, for the deep-water complex, which is a prototype model of the ship "Igor Belousov," really does answer to no one - not foreign companies, nor the developer "Lapis Lazuli."

The Russian shipbuilding industry is going through tough times. But the position and integrity of the Defense Ministry in this situation is clear. The money must be invested in real projects and development, and not to the implementation of long-term construction, which expire at the stage of production and the "pull" for decades budget money.

Recall that the construction of ocean-going rescue ship of a new generation of project 21300 "Dolphin" was due in part to the availability of new technology for deep submergence navy emergency service vehicles that can quickly and efficiently assist the crews of submarines of all classes and types, as already are in Navy ranks and those just being built. This is of particular relevance in the light of the tragic loss of the ASMC "Kursk". The problem flared up again in August 2005 after an accident mini-submarine AS-28 project in 1855 "Prize", which had to be rescued by the British remotely operated underwater vehicle.

In October 2005, the Office of orders and deliveries of ships, naval weapons and military equipment of the Defense Ministry announced the victory in the tender for the construction of a new rescue vessel shipyard "Admiralty Shipyards". December 24, 2005 at the boathouse "Admiralty Shipyards" in St. Petersburg, the laying of the rescue vessel which has the name "Igor Belousov," in honor of the shipbuilding industry of the USSR from 1984 to 1988.

The cost of building a rescue ship is not officially stated, but by some estimates it may reach a sum not less than $100 million. According to unofficial information from sources close to the Defense Ministry, the budget for the construction of a rescue ship is allocated 6 billion, and the industry demands from the Ministry of Defence as much again on the end of completion. It turns out, a rescue ship for the Russian Navy, built in domestic shipyards, will cost the budget as half of helicopter type "Mistral".

The latest rescue ship "Igor Belousov," which is currently being tested, will be part of the Russian Naval Fleet in the fourth quarter of 2015, Navy Commander Viktor Chirkov said 18 January 2015. "Igor Belousov" last year began to pass state tests, now it is also being tested in the fourth quarter of 2015 it will be in the Navy, " said Chirkov. It is planned that in the first quarter of 2015. "Igor Belousov" make the transition from St. Petersburg at the base area of the Northern Fleet, which begin public testing phase of deep-sea manned rescue apparatus and rescue equipment intended for emergency crews of submarines in distress.

On August 25, 2015, Igor Belousov rescue vessel of the Russian Navy rescue service left Baltiysk and laid the course into the Atlantic Ocean to perform tasks of the fourth stage of trials, says press center of Russia’s Ministry of Defence. The vessel had passed testing of all systems and assemblies before moving to the Atlantic during its trip from Baltiysk to the Baltic Sea.

The diving bell will be floated at the depth up to 450 meters. Broad technical means will be also tested. Remotely piloted underwater vehicle Panther Plus is supposed to be also tested at the depth of 1,000 meters. The crew and specialists will be involved in the second stage of interservice trials this September. The vessel was put on service in the Russian Navy by the end of 2015.

The sea-going salvage, SAR vessel "Igor Belousov" was built for the Russian Navy at Admiralty Shipyards and was designed to carry out rescue of the crews from stricken submarines submerged on the surface, to supply the stricken vessels with the air, electricity and life-saving equipment. The vessel features capabilities to conduct search and examination of stricken vessels or facilities in a given area, also as part of the international maritime rescue units.

Key characteristics: DWL length - 97.8 m, BWL - 17.2 m, depth amidships - 10.6 m, displacement – 5,037 tonnes. Seaworthiness: safety at sea - unlimited, while lowering / hoisting of a DSRV - sea swells of No 3 to 4, of a diving bell - No 5, maximum speed - 15 knots, economic speed cruising range - 3500 nm, complement - 96, accommodations for rescued people - 120 (60 - in pressure chambers).