Project 949 Antey / Oscar - Program
In the 1960s, the development of the 3rd generation underwater missile carrier began in the USSR. He was called to become a threat to the carrier groups of NATO countries, and above all the United States. For a new, more powerful and long-range missile complex, a new carrier was also needed - a submarine that would conduct salvo fire from surface and underwater position with 20-24 missiles. The project was given the index "949" and the cipher "Granit". Works at the Rubin Design Bureau were headed by Pavel Pustyntsev, but he died in 1977. Igor Baranov was entrusted to complete the project.
The head submarine of the K-525 “Arkhangelsk” series was launched in 1980. Soon, a decision was made on enhanced exploitation to explore the capabilities of the project. Various tests, including the multi-day stay under the ice and the launch of the Granit cruise missiles were successful. In total it was planned to build 20 submarines of this class, but in the end they limited themselves to two.
Soon work began on the modernization of the submarine, and from the very beginning they were headed by Igor Baranov. APL 949A "Antey" became the top class of submarines - "aircraft carrier killers." She grew the length and displacement. This made it possible to place weapons and internal equipment more effectively. In total, 11 submarines of this class were adopted.
To manage the impact of its resource problems, the Russian Navy, in the early 1990's, made a series of hard choices aimed at preserving its core submarine force capabilities. These included early retirements of older and less capable units, strict controls on operating tempo, and focused maintenance on its best submarines. The first Oscar I units were decommissioned in 1996, though the Russian Navy continued to invest in new construction. In the late 1990s it completed several new submarines of the larger third generation Oscar II SSGN.
Considering the importance of the Oscar II submarines for the Russian Navy, the level of confusion concerning the designations and status of the units of this class verges on the astonishing. There is almost complete disagreement among all authoritative sources concerning the correlation between pennant number, name, construction sequence and current status. Allowing for the unavoidable uncertainties inherent in assigning "commissioning" dates, most sources are in general agreement as to the unit chronology and pennant number chronological sequence of the first ten units, through K-141 Kursk. There is however, rather general disagreement among sources as to the names associated with these units, and the status of particular units.
All sources agree that at least eleven of the Oscar II submarines were built between 1985 and 1999 at the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk. Some Western sources suggest that construction was suspended on a thirteenth unit, and that as many as 15 units of the Oscar II class were planned, but Russian sources maintain that the Oscar-II class was never intended to consist of more than twelve vessels.
A fourth-generation follow-on to the Oscar was planned, but reduced defense spending forced the cancellation of the project.
Operational Status
Considerable confusion exists as to the names of some units. During the Cold War essentially no information was publicly available concerning the names of Soviet submarines, and with the end of the Cold War the Russian Navy has exibited an annoying tendency to rename ships [a very un-American practice]. And unlike the American practice, in which hull numbers are generally assigned in a consecutive numerical sequence which corresponds to the chronological sequence of construction, the pennant numbers assigned Russian submarines [eg, K-141] do not conform to an apparent set pattern.
Generally these vessels are named for Russian cities. K-456, yard # 649, Vilyuchinsk [not Viliuczinsk] is named after the closed city -- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy-50. The Vilyuchinsk-3 Nuclear Submarine Base is the Pacific Fleet's main nuclear submarine base on Kamchatka. It is located across Avacha Bay from the much larger city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The town was founded in 1968 and is 404 km² in area. It is to host a modern base for the submarine forces of the Pacific Fleet, designed for the new Borei strategic submarines. This boat is nicknamed "Kosatka", the proper name for "killer whale" [Kosatka dravá (Orcinus orca)] in Russian. "Kasatka" is a Russian word for "darling" and it's also the name of a type of bird.
In January 2004 Sevmash started dismantling the two Oscar-I Granit subs K-525 Arhangelsk and K-206 Murmansk in the dock-chamber of the Zvezdochka. These two are financed by the UK under the Cooperative Threat Reduction program. As of 2006 it was reliably reported that Oscar class submarines No 605 and 606 had completely dismantled, leaving the 3-compartment unit for each boat. These were the two units of the Project 949 Granit Oscar-I class submarines. The UK had successfully financed to time and cost the dismantlement of these two Oscar class submarines at Zvezdochka, and in mid-2005 dismantlement of a third submarine was under way at the Nerpa shipyard.
Sources generally agree that at least two and probably three of the initial nine Oscar II units were inactivated in the late 1990s. As of late-2000 three were laid up awaiting refueling or disposal. Considerable confusion surrounds the identity of the third and fourth units -- Krasnoyarsk] was reportedly deactivated in 1998, but sources differ as to whether this name was assigned to K-119 or K-173.
The active Northern Fleet units are homeported at the Zapadnaya Litsa base (Bolshaya Lopatka). The disposition of units between the Northern and Pacific Fleets is uncertain. As of September 1997 Bellona placed six units in the Northern Fleet, four in the Pacific. As of September 2000 the warships1.com analysis also placed 4 units in the Pacific Fleet, and the remaining 6 in the Northern Fleet. However, World Navies Today reported that ten active units [as of late 2000] are evenly divided between the two fleets [but the unit list seems rather unreliable, casting doubt on this assessment]. The two sources appear to disagree on the location of K-119 Voronezh. Jane's reported eight active as of August 2000. In 2001 there were reported to be 9 active submarines of this class, five in the Northern Fleet and four Pacific Fleet submarines, including K-132 Belgorod, commissioned in 1987.
As of 2002-2003 Naval Technology reported that three hade been decommissioned, with two Oscar II submarines active with the Northern Fleet and five with the Pacific Fleet. World Navies Today reported that there were eight active units as of March 2002. [As of August 2003 Periscope reported only three in commission, but this seems wrong.] As of January 2003 it was reported that there were 6 Six Oscar II SSGNs operational.
Reporting is very sparse, but one might conjecture that the unit withdrawn from commission was K-512 St.Georgy Pobeditel, since on 04 March 2004 it was reported that K-433 Svyatoy Georgiy Pobedonosets [Saint George the Victorious], a 667BDR DELTA III class SSBN, had returned to service. It seems improbable [even in Russia] that two ships with effectively the same name would be in commission simultaneously, though it seems quite sensible that the Russian navy would want to have one ship with this illustrious name in commission.
As of 2007 the International Institute of Strategic Studies reports that there were seven Oscar IIs in service, with one additional unit "in reserve". This suggests that possibly of yard hull numbers 617, 618 and 619, [the 1st, 2nd and 4th Oscar II] one might have been written off, one remains "in reserve" while one has been restored to active service.
As of 2008 the International Institute of Strategic Studies reports that there were five Oscar IIs in service, with one additional unit "in reserve" and one "in refit" for a total of seven units, down from eight the previous year. There is some uncertainty as to whether K-119 remains assigned to the Northern Fleet, or whether it is possibly serving in the Pacific Ocean.
Russia had a series of seven multipurpose nuclear submarines of the fourth-generation Project 885 Yasin ["Ash"], which will replace the submarines of the third generation in the future.
Modernization and Upgrades
The status of a twelfth Oscar-II [K-530 Belgorod #654] was initially uncertain, as some sources suggest it was comissioned in late 1999, while most agree that outfitting was suspended after it was launched in September 1999 [the boat might eventually serve as a replacement for the Kursk ]. On 20 July 2006 Russia's defense minister said the ministry would not allocate funds to finish building a nuclear submarine in the same class as the Kursk submarine and hinted it could be sold. "The Defense Ministry does not need the Belgorod nuclear submarine," Sergei Ivanov said. "Therefore it will not finance its further construction." The Oscar-II class Belgorod was laid in July 1992. Its construction, frozen in 1990s, was resumed after the K-141 Kursk nuclear submarine of the same class sank about 100 miles from the Russian northern port of Murmansk. Ivanov said several options were being considered for the submarine to be commissioned by another country. "We are considering options to finish the submarine's construction, but not for the Defense Ministry," he said. The submarine was reported to be 80% complete and to require $100m to finish construction.
Belgorod will still be completed. But not as a multipurpose PLA, but as a special submarine designed for testing various systems. Probably the t two years when information about the plans of the command on the K-139 was extremely scarce, the shipbuilding designers were engaged in finalizing the original 949A project for those very special purposes.
As of 2012 Russia had three unfinished Oscar-class submarines laid down in the period 1992-1994. It is possible that work on one had been resumed at Sevmash. Then Commander of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky in February 2012 told RIA Novosti about plans to reconstruct the “Belgorod” for a ‘series of special missions’.
According to submarine.ru the submarines are expected to remain in service past the year 2020, though the existing Granit missile armament needs replacement. "Complex "Granit", established in the 1980s, already is obsolete. ... At the same time, rapid development of a new missile complex currently is not possible for economic reasons. The only real military capability by maintaining domestic forces is obviously an upgrade of the establishment of a set of "Granit" to be posted on PLARK 949A in the course of their planned renovation and modernization. An estimated battle effectiveness modernized missile complex, currently in the design, should increase about three times compared with RK "Granit" already in the armament. Refurbishment of submarines to be carried out directly at the team sites, with the time and costs of the program should be minimized. As a result, the current group submarine project 949 A will be able to function effectively until the end of the 2020 decade. Its potential to further increase as a result of ships equipped with the CD version of "Granit" capable of high accuracy of engaging surface targets, with no nuclear equipment."
A fire broke out 16 September 2013 on the K-150 Tomsk nuclear-powered submarine, which was at Zvezda for a complex refit since 2009, due to the breakdown of cooling plant at one of the reactors. 'Radiation in the area of the emergency incident onboard the Tomsk is normal, the reactor had been out of operation since the submarine began undergoing repairs in 2011,' a source in the Far East fleet told RIA Novosti.
The submarine was undergoing maintenance operations at a dock in Russia’s far eastern Primorye Territory. The fire erupted during welding operations on the submarine, when rubber insulation and old paint inside the sub’s main ballast tanks started burning and filled part of the inside compartments with smoke. The welders torch apparently the culprit, rubber sound-proofing insulation within the Tomsk having been afire, firefighters responding to the blaze successful in their efforts, the warship the remainder of which apparently still seaworthy. The K-150 Tomsk is an Oscar II class submarine.
'According to preliminary data, the reason for the fire was violation of welding procedures', it was claimed. 'There was neither burning nor open flames onboard the Tomsk nuclear submarine, which was undergoing repairs at the Zvezda shipyard,' said a defence Ministry statement cited by Interfax. 'A spark landed on a fixture of diving ballast tanks and the space between the light and pressure hulls of the submarine filled with smoke while repairmen of the Zvezda ship repair plant were doing welding work near the light hull's flood valve.'
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is in charge of the defense sector, said on 28 September 2013 he “gave instructions” to relieve the director of the Zvezda shipyard, Vladimir Averin, of his duties.
Russia’s Zvyozdochka shipyard in the country’s northwest and the Zvezda Far Eastern plant will be able to modernize about ten project 971 and project 949A nuclear submarines, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Chirkov said on 19 March 2015. "This actually means recommissioning a grouping of multi-purpose nuclear submarines with upgraded characteristics, which will operate in the Northern and Pacific Fleets," the Navy chief said on occasion of Submariner Day.
Profound modernization will leave only the hulls of these submarines intact, the Navy chief said. "All armament and vital systems will be new," he said, adding new hydro-acoustic and navigation equipment, control and communication systems would be installed on submarines. "The service life of project 971 and project 949A multirole nuclear submarines will be almost doubled while improved tactical and technical characteristics will help considerably increase the efficiency of the use of these submarines in the Russian Navy’s submarine fleet," Chirkov said.
Renovation of multipurpose nuclear submarines (NPS) of the third generation will nearly double their lifetimes. As reported 17 March 2017 in an interview with the newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda" Commander of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Korolev, it is about 971 projects, "Pike-B" and 949A "Antey". "The life of submarine project 971 and 949 will increase by almost half, and improved performance characteristics will significantly increase the effectiveness of their use in the battle of the submarine forces," - he said. [Careful observers will note that "double" and "increase by almost half" are two different things - assuming a nominal life expectancy of 30 years, it would seem the upgrade would add 15 years]
Until 2020, the Center for ship repair "Zvezdochka" in Severodvinsk and the plant "Zvezda" in Bolshoi Kamen (Primorye) will perform for the Russian Navy "substantial amount of work" in repair and modernization of nuclear submarines 971 th and 949 th project, he reminded the commander in chief. As a result, the Navy submarine force will receive a group of multi-purpose nuclear submarines, which will carry out the tasks in the Northern and Pacific fleets. "They will be equipped with the most advanced life-support systems, sonar and navigation systems, systems management and communication", - said the King.
In early 2014, the K-266 "Eagle" submarine of Project 949A "Antey" from the Northern Fleet entered the dock of the Zvezdochka enterprise for modernization. The upgrade project "949AM" provided for the replacement of a number of systems and the installation of new weapons. Instead of anti-ship missiles P-700 "Granite" it was now proposed to use the newer P-800 "Onyx". Among other things, such rearmament has led to a threefold increase in ammunition. Despite all the measures taken, the repair of the boat was delayed. About its completion was announced only in October 2017.
According to the 2018 plans of the Ministry of Defense, in the foreseeable future, a total of four submarines will be updated for the 949AM project. Now the K-132 Irkutsk, K-442 Chelyabinsk and K-186 Omsk are being rebuilt at different plants. It was expected that all the required work will be completed in the first years of the 2020s. Several other submarines of the 949A project will maintain the existing equipment and armament complex based on the Granit rocket.
The Omsk nuclear-powered submarine cruiser returned to its permanent base in Kamchatka after a long repair at the Zvezda Far Eastern Plant. This was reported on 09 august 2019 by the press service of the Eastern Military District for the Pacific Fleet (Pacific Fleet). "The nuclear submarine cruiser Omsk has returned to the permanent base in Kamchatka after repairs and modernizations that were carried out at the Zvezda Far Eastern Plant in the city of Bolshoi Kamen for four years," the report said.
According to the report of the commander of the underwater cruiser Denis Sharypov, the material part of the ship is serviceable, the personnel are healthy and ready to perform the tasks. "Representatives of the command, relatives and friends met at the submariners' pier. Rear Admiral Eduard Mikhailov, chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Forces, traditionally handed the commander of the cruiser a roasted pig," the district press service said.
The nuclear-powered cruiser Omsk was handed over to the Pacific Fleet after completing all technical work on June 29 as part of the program of the V International Military-Technical Forum Army 2019 in Vladivostok. The cruiser solved a number of test problems in the waters of the Sea of ??Japan, including performed a deep-sea dive.
The service life of nuclear submarines of projects 971 and 949 will be almost doubled due to a timely and rational approach to repair, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, commander of the Navy , said in an interview with Red Star on 18 March 2020. “We will continue to repair and modernize various volumes of nuclear submarines. Work will be carried out on projects 667 BDRM, 971, 949. I note that as a result of such a rational and logical approach to underwater ship repair, the service life of 971 and 949 nuclear submarines will be almost doubled," said the commander in chief.
It was reported in October 2020 that the Russian Navy planned to reactivate the "Irkutsk" submarine in the 949A Oscar II class in stock. It is reported that if everything goes according to plan, the Russian Navy will re-accept this giant nuclear submarine with a displacement of more than 20,000 tons in 2023, so that this once legend will be revived. Judging from the history of the "Irkutsk", the submarine was completed and put into service at the end of 1988. However, due to the large-scale disintegration after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, it served less than ten years in 1997. Afterwards, it was immediately sealed for future use. Until in 2020, this submarine had been in inventory for 23 years.
In fact, the Oscar II-class submarine may have been a major problem for aircraft carrier battle groups in the last century, but today, its granite anti-ship missile high-altitude assault model is not feasible. First of all, the capacity of 24 bombs is no longer a "saturation attack" that the aircraft carrier cannot defend. If Russia insists on launching this submarine, in addition to a series of improvements to basic electronic equipment, the biggest change is actually to use " "Onyx" anti-ship missiles and "caliber" cruise missiles are used to replace "granite". In the future, they may even be rearmed with the most advanced "zircon" hypersonic missiles.
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