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Sierra-class submarine

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A Sierra II-class submarine underway
Class overview
NameSierra class
BuildersKrasnoye Sormovo, designed by Lazurit
Operators
Preceded byAlfa class, Victor class
Succeeded byAkula class
Built1979–1992
In commission1984–present
Planned5
Completed4
Cancelled1
Active4
General characteristics
TypeNuclear attack submarine
Displacement
  • Sierra I:
  • 7,200 tons (surfaced)
  • 8,300 tons (submerged)
  • Sierra II:
  • 7,600 tons (surfaced)
  • 9,100 tons (submerged)
Length
  • Sierra I: 107.16 m (351.6 ft)
  • Sierra II: 110 m (360 ft)
Beam
  • Sierra I: 12.28 m (40.3 ft)
  • Sierra II: 14.2 m (47 ft)
Draft
  • Sierra I: 8.8 m (29 ft)
  • Sierra II: 8.8 m (29 ft)
Propulsion
  • Sierra I & II: 1 × PWR, 190 MW (HEU <= 45%[1])
  • 2 × 1,002 hp (747 kW) emergency motors
  • 1 shaft, 2 spinners
Speed
  • Sierra I & II: 10 knots (18.5 km/h) (surfaced)
  • Sierra I: 34 knots (63.0 km/h) (submerged)
  • Sierra II: 32 knots (59.3 km/h) (submerged)
RangeEffectively unlimited, except by food supplies
ComplementSierra I & II: 61 & 72
Armament
  • Sierra I & II:
  • 4 × 650 mm (26 in) torpedo tubes (only Sierra I)
  • 4 × 530 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes ( 6 x Sierra II)
  • SS-N-21 Sampson SLCM
  • SS-N-15 Starfish anti-submarine weapon: 200 kt depth charge or 90 kg HE Type 40 torpedo
  • SS-N-16 Stallion, 200 kt depth charge or 90 kg HE Type 40 torpedo
  • Minelaying configuration: 42 mines instead of torpedoes

The Sierra class, Soviet designations Project 945 Barrakuda and Project 945A Kondor, (NATO reporting names Sierra I and Sierra II respectively), are a series of nuclear-powered attack submarines intended for the Soviet Navy and currently in service with the Russian Navy.

The class resembles the Alfa-class submarine in having a light and strong titanium pressure hull which enables the submarines of the class to dive to greater depths, reduce the level of radiated noise and increase resistance to torpedo attacks. It is powered by a single OK-650 pressurized water reactor.

The upgraded version, the Sierra II class was specifically developed for search and destroy missions against US nuclear submarines. It has speeds and diving depth greater than its American counterparts at the time it was designed. It has also improved quieting and sonar.[2]

Versions

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Project 945 Barrakuda (Sierra I)

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Project 945

The first submarine of the Project 945, Carp, was laid down in July 1979[3] at the Gorky shipyard and was launched in August 1983 before being transferred to Severodvinsk for fitting out. It was laid up in 1997. The next hull to be built was Kostroma, which was launched in July 1986 and was commissioned in September 1987. K-276 Kostroma was put into a drydock after its 11 February 1992 collision with the US submarine Baton Rouge in the Barents Sea, off Kildin Island.[4][5] The submarine was repaired on 3 June 1992 and was renamed Krab on 6 April 1993, but in 1996 its original name Kostroma was restored.[6][7] The Sierra I class was also fitted with a releasable escape pod for the crew.[8] The pod is covered by a V-shaped casing on the port side of the sail.

Project 945A Kondor (Sierra II)

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Project 945A

The Project 945A has a considerably larger sail which is 5 m (16.4 ft) longer than the Sierra I class. The sail also has a curious flat, square leading edge. The masts are offset on the starboard side to make way for two escape pods in the sail. The starboard side also has a 10-point environment sensor fitted at right angles to the front end of the sail. Also, the Sierra II class has a much larger pod on its after fin. The pod houses the Skat 3 passive very low frequency towed sonar array.[citation needed]

Of the two existing submarines of type Sierra II, the Pskov was in overhaul between 2011 and 2015 according to the Russian website Deep storm.[9] The aforementioned website acknowledges activity of Nizhniy Novgorod under the command of Captain 1st Rank Alexey Ananko at in both 2008 and 2013.[10]

Both Nizhniy Novgorod and Pskov took part in large exercise in October 2019.[11][12]

Project 945AB (Sierra III)

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Project 945AB

The single submarine of the Project 945AB was laid down in March 1990 but was scrapped in November 1993 before completion.[13]

Aborted Barrakuda (Sierra I) modernization

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Modernization of the Carp and Kostroma of Project 945 for the Russian Navy was anticipated in the 2010s, but in the event, was not completed. A January 2013 contract for refit and recommission of the two submarines was signed with the Zvezdochka Shipyard, Severodvinsk, with the refit expected to take three years.[14] Originally expected that the submarines would be transferred to Zvezdochka before end of April 2013 with the overhaul beginning in summer 2013. Plans included that Zvezdochka would carry out the refit, repair mechanical parts, and replace nuclear fuel and all electrical equipment of the submarines. The submarines were also expected to receive a new sonar, combat information management system (BIUS), the GLONASS navigation system and new armament consisting of the Kalibr cruise missiles.[15] However, in March 2015 it was reported that the final decision on the modernization of submarines Carp and Kostroma had not yet been made due to cost issues.[16][17][needs update]

Units

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# Name Project Laid down Launched Commissioned Fleet Status Notes
B-239 Carp 945 20 July 1979 29 July 1983 29 September 1984 Northern Fleet Reserve[18]
B-276 Kostroma 945 21 April 1984 26 July 1986 27 November 1987 Northern Fleet Reserve Projected repairs "indefinitely suspended" as of July 2018[citation needed]
B-534 Nizhniy Novgorod 945A 15 February 1986 8 July 1989 26 December 1990 Northern Fleet Active as of 2019[11]
B-336 Pskov 945A 29 June 1989 28 July 1992 17 December 1993 Northern Fleet Active Overhaul completed in 2015.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Marine Nuclear Power:1939 – 2018" (PDF). July 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ^ Polmar, Norman; Moore, Kenneth J. (2004). Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines. Washington, DC: Brassey's. p. 283. ISBN 978-1-57488-594-1. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Подводные лодки. Проект 945" [Submarines. Project 945]. Deepstorm.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  4. ^ Shaw, John D. (3 August 2006). "Submarine Safety" (PDF). International System Safety Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2006.
  5. ^ "Уникальные подводные лодки проекта 945 "Барракуда" с титановым корпусом возвращаются в строй" [Unique submarines of Project 945 "Barracuda" with titanium hull return to service]. Center for Political-Military Studies (in Russian). 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  6. ^ "945 Sierra class". Warfare.be. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013.
  7. ^ Torbin, Alexander (29 December 2015). "В состав Северного флота вернули титановый подводный истребитель" [Titanium attack submarine returns to Northern Fleet]. Civilia.info (in Russian). Archived from the original on 25 February 2016.
  8. ^ Galbraith, David. "12 real escape pods". OObject. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Подводная лодка К-336, Б-336, "Окунь", "Псков". Проект 945А" [Submarine K-336, B-336, Okun, Pskov. Project 945A]. Deepstorm.ru (in Russian).
  10. ^ "Подводная лодка К-534, Б-534, "Зубатка", "Нижний Новгород". Проект 945А" [Submarine K-534, B-534, Zubatka, Nizhny Novgorod. Project 945A]. Deepstorm.ru (in Russian).
  11. ^ a b Sutton, H. I. (26 October 2019). "Russian Submarine May Test New Weapons Off Norway This Week". Forbes.
  12. ^ Rogoway, Tyler (29 October 2019). "Russia Sends Ten Subs Into North Atlantic In Drill Unprecedented In Size Since Cold War". The Drive.
  13. ^ Apalkov, Yu.V (2003). Korabli VMF SSSR [Ships of the Soviet Navy] (in Russian). Sankt-Peterburg: Galeja Print. ISBN 5-8172-0076-7.
  14. ^ Nilsen, Thomas (5 March 2013). "Brushes dust off 25-year old sub". Barents Observer. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  15. ^ "ВМФ России вернет в строй подводные лодки с титановыми корпусами" [The Russian Navy will return to service submarines with titanium hulls]. Flotprom (in Russian). Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Многоцелевая Атомная Подводная Лодка Проекта 945 "Барракуда"" [Project 945 Multipurpose Nuclear Submarine "Barracuda"]. БАСТИОН (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  17. ^ Mardasov, Anton (3 March 2015). ""Карп" второй свежести: Стоит ли модернизировать титановые субмарины советских годов постройки?" [Carp's second life: Should we upgrade our Soviet-era titanium submarines?]. Svobodnaya Pressa (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  18. ^ "Sierra I Class Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine". Military-Today.com.

Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sierra class submarines.
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