Nuclear Submarines - 4th Generation
At present, Russia is building the submarines of the fourth generation (projects 885, 955). In their characteristics, including noise levels, they go at par the most modern foreign analogs. But due to unsatisfactory financing, the possibility of their quick completion is rather distant.
The improvement of the architecture of the submarine continues. Fourth generation ships of the “Seawolf” type (SSN21), created at the end of the Cold War, have the shape of a rotating body with a relative elongation of about 9 due to the transition to a larger diameter durable hull. However, the submarine type "Virginia" (SSN774) have an elongation of about 11.
In general, the contours of the fourth-generation ships remained virtually unchanged. The difference appeared in the shape of the cabin fence: a “tide” appeared in the bow part of the cabin fence - a fairing that prevents the formation of a retaining vortex, which is formed at the bow stitching of the cabin fence to the hull. The single-hull architectural type on the American submarines has been preserved.
Research on the appearance of the fourth-generation missile submarine has been conducted in the Soviet Union since 1978. The direct development of the rocket carrier of the 955th project (code “Borey”) began at Rubin Central Design Bureau under the direction of the chief designer V.N. Zdornova in the late 1980s.
It was decided to abandon the gigantic size and exotic layout of the Shark, returning to the "classic" scheme of a submarine with one strong hull. According to the original plans, the submarine was supposed to be equipped with an improved version of the D-11 missile system. However, a series of unsuccessful test launches of a modernized solid-fuel rocket forced us to reconsider the composition of the Yury Dolgoruky’s missile weapons.
The first domestic serial submarines of the fourth generation will be included in the military personnel: “Yuri Dolgoruky” and “Alexander Nevsky” of Project 955 “Borey”, and also “Severodvinsk” of Project 885 “Yasen”. The fate of all these ships was not simple - the Yuri Dolgoruky and Severodvinsk were laid back in the nineties, and both Boreas, moreover, still had to wait for the finishing of their main armament.
In 1998, at the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering, previously specialized in creating strategic ground-based solid-fuel missiles (Pioneer, Topol, Courier, Topol-M), as well as anti-submarine missile systems (Medvedka), the development of new rocket system. It was called the Bulava-30, and its main element was the intercontinental solid-propellant ballistic missile of the new generation, equipped with a warhead with divided parts.
The approximate characteristics of the project 955 submarine are: length - 170 m; average draft - 9 m; full displacement - 24,000 tons; maximum immersion depth - 450 m; underwater speed - 29 knots; surface speed - 15 knots; crew — 107 people; autonomy - 100 days. The Yuri Dolgoruky missile submarine cruiser, is destined to become the flagship of the Russian submarine fleet. The domestic press reported that the Project 955 submarine "will become the quietest atomic submarine in the world."
The fact is that the weapons of the Severodvinsk and related equipment are still being tested. These tests will continue until the flag raising ceremony itself. There were no complaints in the course of the tests, but in such works it is better to spend a little more time to check than to constantly identify and eliminate the shortcomings.
The new nuclear submarines will flow to the Northern and Pacific fleets. According to the current program of development of the Russian Navy, they should have nuclear ships in their composition. Other fleets, according to command, will be enough diesel-electric boats. But even in such a simple concept of retrofitting there are thin places. Not so long ago, it was announced that a brigade of diesel-electric submarines would be recreated in the Black Sea Fleet. It will include "Varshavyanka" 636th project. But the underwater prospects of the Baltic Fleet were in limbo. It was originally planned to send boats of the project 677 to the Baltic, but the failures of St. Petersburg forced, at a minimum, to postpone their construction and purchase.
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