Construction of Project 677 submarines is progressing. Diesel-electric submarine LADA. Are non-nuclear boats really that effective?

The lead boats of the series - Project 677 "Lada" - B-585 (sometimes the names B-100 and S-100, serial number 01570) and the head project 677E "Amur" ("Amur-1650") were laid down at the FSUE " Admiralty Shipyards "(St. Petersburg) December 26, 1997 In 1997, the submarine B-585 was named" St. Petersburg ". The boat was launched on October 28, 2004.

A series of submarines pr.677 is in production - in total, according to plans for 2009, it is planned to build 8 submarines of this type for the Russian Navy. According to the State Armaments Program for 2007-2015, it is planned to build 6 submarines of Project 677.

1. Submarine B-585 "St. Petersburg" pr.677 on the Neva in St. Petersburg on the Day of the Navy

2. Submarine B-585 "Saint Petersburg" pr.677 in Kronstadt, November 2010.

3. The quality and condition of the anti-hydroacoustic coating of the submarine B-585 "Saint Petersburg"

4. Full electric propulsion with a single all-mode electric motor 2 x 28DG direct current diesel generator from the Kolomna plant and JSC "Electrosila" with a capacity of 1000 kW, the generator uses an 8-cylinder V-shaped diesel D-49 with a piston diameter of 260 mm, a piston stroke of 260 mm and rotation speed up to 1000 rpm. Diesel generators are controlled remotely from a central station using a digital control system.

5. Autonomy - 45 days Guaranteed service life - 25 years Guaranteed service life before the first repair - 10 years Noise of the submarine - according to statements in the media, the noise level of pr.677 should be 50% of the noise level of the submarine of pr.877, which means the noise level is about 30 dBA

6.1 shaft and 1 7-blade fixed pitch propeller with saber blades

7. Crew - 35 people

8.1 shaft and 1 7-blade fixed pitch propeller with saber blades

10. External screw propeller RDK-35, submarine B-585 "Saint Petersburg"

11. Armament: 6 x bow 533-mm torpedo tubes with an air firing system and a device for automatic fast silent reloading "Murena" (2 TA of the upper tier are adapted for firing remote-controlled torpedoes). According to the TTZ for the creation of submarines, it was supposed to install 4 torpedo tubes with ammunition of 12 torpedoes. Ammunition - mines, 18 torpedoes (types SAET-60M, UGST and USET-80K), torpedo missiles "Shkval" and anti-ship missiles "Turquoise" (Club-S), launched from torpedo tubes or 22 mines of the type DM-1.

12. Device No. 1 of SJSC "Lira" - large-area bow quasi-conformal sound direction-finding antenna L-01 Onboard quasi-conformal sound direction-finding antennas GAS in the bow of the hull

13. General view and a fragment of quasi-conformal noise direction-finding antennas of the GAS (bow and side) of the SJSC "Lira"

Military operations at sea have a lot of peculiar features. It is not for nothing that the naval service has always been considered especially honorable, and the title "Admiral" has almost always been valued above that of a general. One of the features of water combat is that attacks can always be expected not only from enemy surface ships and aircraft, but also from under water.

German submarines became a real nightmare for the Allies during the Second World War, sending millions of tons of cargo and thousands of ships to the bottom of the Atlantic. The Soviet Union appreciated the German contribution to the development of the submarine fleet, starting in the post-war period expanded development in this direction.

When pronouncing the word "submarine", most people immediately have an association with a huge nuclear submarine, carrying a deadly cargo on board in the form of heavy ones that can bring huge problems to a potential enemy. At the same time, ordinary people forget that small diesel-electric submarines are no less valuable in the modern fleet. They are indispensable in sabotage, for covert landing of troops on the enemy coast.

One of the most successful projects was the Lada submarine. We will talk about it today.

General information

Ships of project 667 are designed to carry out reconnaissance and sabotage measures against enemy surface ships and submarines, to protect coastal areas from enemy assault forces, as well as to set minefields and other similar tasks. Thus, the submarine "Lada", the photo of which is in the article, is optimally suited for the tasks of modern warfare, which requires maximum mobility and stealth.

A feature of this series of submarines is the scheme of their construction, called "one and a half". The fact is that the case (made of AB-2 steel) has the same diameter along its entire length. Unlike large nuclear boats, the bow and stern have a well-defined spherical shape. Thanks to the bulkheads, the hull is divided into five independent compartments. There are three decks on the ship.

Impressive hydrodynamic performance is ensured by a specially designed, particularly streamlined hull. The retractable devices have exactly the same obstacle that characterizes the ships of the project 877, but the stern tail is made cruciform, and the front rudders are mounted on the fence. This is done so that they create as little interference as possible during the operation of the sonar equipment with which the submarine is equipped. In this sense, the Lada project is a real benchmark: it is extremely quiet, it is extremely difficult to detect it by means of sonar and hydroacoustics.

Submarine armament

The main means of defense and attack are six devices for launching torpedoes of 533 mm caliber, and two shafts on the upper deck are intended for firing guided munitions. The standard ammunition includes 18 torpedoes. Most often the submarine "Lada 677" uses ammunition of the universal type (SAET-60M, UGST), special torpedoes to destroy enemy submarines. On board can be cruise missiles, as well as 22 mines of the DM-1 model. There is a possibility of combat use of anti-submarine missiles of the Shkval type.

The firing system allows both single shots and salvo firing from six mines at the same time. The Murena complex is responsible for reloading the torpedo tubes, which allows the entire operation to be carried out in a fully automatic mode. The whole process is completely controlled from the command post, which is equipped with the submarine. The Lada project was the first in the Soviet Union to develop a non-nuclear submarine that would use so many sophisticated and highly efficient automation.

To protect the boat from enemy combat aircraft, the crew can use six Igla-1M MANPADS. Coordination of the work of all combat systems is ensured through the use of the "Lithium" system. Thus, the submarine "Lada", the armament of which we have painted, with its small dimensions, is a way to deliver big problems to any enemy.

Sonar complex

The Lira complex, which includes powerful sensitive antennas, is responsible for sonar reconnaissance. The installation includes three antennas at once, one of which is located on the bow of the submarine, and two are mounted on its sides. Engineers have maximized their diameter for the sake of accurate measurements of underwater noise. So, the front antenna takes up almost the entire space on the bow of the submarine. In case of damage to the onboard equipment, there is a manufactured sonar equipment that the submarine "Lada" (project 677) can tow behind itself on the march.

Navigation system

The navigation system is of the inertial type. Responsible for providing data on the exact location of the ship, as well as for determining the optimal speed at which the weapons on board can be used with maximum efficiency.

The system includes periscope equipment of the UPK "Parus-98" type, which includes the following elements:

Non-penetrating commander's periscope, "Parus-98KP". Has daytime and low-level channels (optical and TV). The magnification varies from 1.5 to 12X, there is a possibility of video recording of the observed data.
Optronic mast, non-penetrating type "Parus-98UP". In fact, it is a multifunctional universal periscope. The structure includes two channels (daytime and low-level), the magnification is the same as that of the commander's telescope, there is a highly efficient

Thus, the submarine "Lada", the performance characteristics of which we have briefly described, can be used with equal success in day and night conditions. She always remains invisible to the enemy.

Other elements of the navigation system

The most important element is the radar system of the KRM-66 "Kodak" radar model. Includes active and passive radio channels, can work in a combined mode. With active use, a specially protected, hidden one can be activated. It gives a complete picture of the environment surrounding the submarine (including the surface), but at the same time does not unmask the ship. In this sense, the submarine "Lada" (Project 677) is in many ways a unique object, which has no analogues in the world, no matter how hackneyed this expression may sound.

Digital communication system of the "Distance" model. Allows you to exchange information via a bi-directional secure channel for transmitting information with coastal command posts, ships and aircraft (provided that they are at periscope depth). When it becomes necessary to send an emergency message from a great depth, an exhaust towed antenna is used. This equipment is housed in a particularly robust housing that can protect it even in the event of hostilities. Simply put, "Lada" is a very tenacious boat.

Finally, the Appassionata navigation equipment complex. Contains an inertial navigation system, as well as a GPS / GLONASS satellite navigation module. The accuracy of location determination when using it is extremely high, but depends on the proximity of the location of the correction for a particular "provider".

Power point

The "heart" of the submarine is a diesel-electric power plant, made according to a scheme that provides for the movement exclusively on electric propulsion. This is what makes the Lada submarine different from its foreign counterparts. TTS (transport and technical systems) of foreign ships of this class can provide propulsion only on a diesel engine.

The diesel engine is located in the fourth compartment. To generate electricity, two 28DG brand generators are used, coupled with rectifiers with a capacity of 1000 kW each. Energy is stored in two groups of storage batteries. Each of them contains 126 elements (they are located in the first and third compartments). The total aggregate power of the entire plant in peak condition is 10580 kW / h. The working motor is electric and is excited by permanent magnets. SED-1 brand, specific power is 4100 kW.

The selected engine power and battery capacity are not accidental. The fact is that it is with this ratio that accelerated loading of batteries becomes possible, which practically halves the presence of the submarine at periscope depth. Since the generator does not include a brush collector, the maintenance and operation of the entire installation is greatly simplified and becomes much safer. In this respect, "Lada" is a boat ahead of its time in many ways.

The main scheme of the engine

The all-mode electric propulsion system plays the role of the main mover in all stowed states of the ship. In principle, we have already said that the movement on only one diesel course is not provided in principle. has seven blades, made according to a special, low-noise technology. This state of affairs was largely achieved due to the saber-shaped blades, which produce a minimum level of noise when driving. In addition, the submarine has two external steering columns of the RDK-35 brand.

The maximum attainable surface speed reaches 21 knots. In a submerged position, the submarine does not accelerate over 10 knots. The cruising range is about 6,000 miles, but when driving economically, you can increase the resource by about another 650 miles.

On the living and working conditions of the ship's crew

The crew includes 35 people. To rescue people in the event of an emergency, the KSU-600 rescue system is provided. It assumes remote automatic release of PSNL-20 life rafts. There are only two of them, they are located in the superstructure for retractable devices.

The living area on the submarine is located in the third compartment. Unlike the surface ships of the USSR and the Russian Federation, very good living conditions have been created for the crew. Double cabins are intended for the personnel. Each officer is assigned a separate room.

Meals are taken in the wardroom, combined with the pantry. Food supplies, depending on their characteristics and storage requirements, are located in refrigerated and uncooled pantries. In recent years, a new type of galley equipment has been installed on the submarines of this series: with a very compact size, it provides the preparation of a full and varied food allowance for the crew.

Fresh water supplies are stored in food grade stainless steel tanks. You can replenish the supply of fresh food water directly in field conditions. For this purpose, desalination plants are provided, which use heat from running diesel engines for operation. In general, with the normal course of the campaign, the water reserves are quite enough to provide not only domestic, but also technical needs. Fully loaded with everything necessary, the submarine remains autonomous for 45 days.

Further operation and prospects of the ship

As is often the case, the Lada submarine has not coped very well with the test of time. The fact is that its technical characteristics do not meet modern requirements for this class of ships. So, at the moment there is an intensive work on the creation of anaerobic power plants. At the end of 2012, India, a long-standing strategic partner of our country, expressed a desire to purchase six such boats of the 677 Lada project.

Simply put, the country needs such diesel-electric submarines that could be on military campaigns for as long as possible, without the need to rise even to periscope depth. The submarine "Lada", the air-independent power plant of which will be brought to perfection, will be able to make many-month "swims". It should be noted that scientific research in this direction is proceeding quite successfully.

What's new?

A lot of innovations will be introduced into the design of a well-proven ship. The developer is the famous enterprise CDB MT "Rubin". In mid-2013, it was finally decided that the Lada submarine would continue to be in service with the Russian Navy. In a modernized version, of course.

Domestic specialists paid much attention to the modernization of on-board electronic systems. The automation of the torpedo launcher was completely rethought, the mechanics of the electric power plant were almost completely redone (taking into account the use of modern technologies).

Navigation did not remain "bypassed" either: considering how many new solutions were incorporated into it, we can safely say that this system has been created anew. It is not surprising that such a Lada submarine will inevitably attract the attention of foreign customers.

The first to leave the stocks is "Kronstadt". Oddly enough, but the former "old women" who were preparing to completely write off, today have become one of the most advanced non-nuclear submarines in the world. It is safe to say that, provided that the pace of work is maintained, they will be gladly purchased not only by the domestic Navy, but also by many foreign customers, supporting the country's budget.

However, today it is Russia that needs as many Project 677 Lada boats as possible, since these ships are an excellent means of protecting sea borders and coasts, which our country has in abundance.

15.11.2014 ,

The news is seemingly insignificant, but in fact, very important.

If on nuclear-powered submarines our continued presence at the forefront with the adoption of the Boreyev and Yasen is no longer in doubt, then with non-nuclear submarines the situation is a little more complicated. I will try to clarify it with an excellent example, which is the Project 677 non-nuclear submarine Lada.

"St. Petersburg", project 677

Why don't we focus on nuclear powered ships?

... how are the Americans? Because:

The nuclear-powered ship is redundant for many tasks.
Because of the reactor, nuclear-powered ships have to implement costly and technically complex solutions to achieve an acceptable noise level. And for submarines, the one who makes less noise won. Modern diesel boats run under water on electric motors and do not make more noise than the environment, for which, for example, "Varshavyanka" was nicknamed the "black hole".
The price is radically lower for non-nuclear submarines.
The nuclear vessel requires an appropriate service infrastructure, which not every country can pull.
NATO countries that produce diesel boats allow the Americans not to bother themselves, but to buy or rent them as needed. We do not have such an opportunity.
Non-nuclear submarines have an export potential incomparable with nuclear-powered submarines.

Why not stay at Varshavyanka?

Varshavyanka is a very successful diesel-electric submarine project, the third modernization of which is now being carried out for the Black Sea fleet, and the export version is being sold abroad. For example, the third of the six ordered boats should get to before the beginning of 2015.

"Varshavyanka", project 636

But ordinary diesel boats, which include "Varshavyanka", with all the undoubted advantages (the main of which is low noise) there are several fundamental disadvantages:

Time spent under water- just a few days. And the cruising range under water is 400 miles. Then the batteries are discharged and it is necessary to float up in order to charge them with the help of diesel engines. Therefore, classic diesel boats are not called underwater boats, but diving ones.
Due to the need to save energy, the speed under water is low, usually around 3 knots (~ 5.5 km / h). Critical when chasing.
The lack of energy also causes restrictions on equipment and weapons.

Lada (project 677) - a long-awaited breakthrough?

The boats of this project should replace the well-proven and hit sales of the eighties and nineties, largely due to the export of which our maritime military-industrial complex survived the nineties.

Project 677 has been developed since the early 90s, but for obvious reasons, it is only now being brought to the point where it becomes a submarine capable of influencing the balance of power at sea.

Submarine "Saint Petersburg", project 677

So let's look at what is so good about "Lada".

Armament

In addition to the traditional mine-torpedo armament (6 torpedo tubes 533 mm, 18 torpedoes or mines), it shoots from all 6 torpedo tubes missiles("Varshavyanka" is only of the top two).

In addition, the 677th project is the world's first non-nuclear submarine equipped with specialized launchers for cruise missiles (10 vertical launchers in the middle of the hull).

Export version of project 677 - "Amur-1650"

These missiles can be:

operational and tactical,
anti-ship,
long-range cruise missiles designed to engage strategic targets deep in enemy territory (generally a new application for non-nuclear submarines).

Moreover, all this variety can be released in one gulp, which increases the likelihood of hitting a target and which other non-nuclear submarines cannot.

Straightaway the areas of application are significantly expanded.

Other innovations

To reduce the noise of the boat, vibration isolators and an all-mode propeller motor with permanent magnets are used.
Reducing the displacement from 2350 (the figure for the project is 636.3) to 1765 tons, as well as the number of the crew from 52 to 35 people. This made the boat more compact and less visible.
Significant, at times, lowering the level of the acoustic field (despite the fact that even the "Varshavyanka" continue to be one of the quietest submarines in its class.
Decrease in non-acoustic fields.
The service life of the equipment has been doubled on average.
Lada is equipped with a new generation of radio electronics. The control of the ship, its weapons and mechanisms is summarized in unified automated system and is carried out from the consoles at the command post.
The hull of the boat is covered with "Lightning" material, which absorbs sonar signals.
The "Lada" has a modern hydroacoustic complex"Lyra" with antenna systems, which in their area are equal to those used on nuclear submarines and surpass those on diesel-electric submarines of Project 636. That allows you to detect the enemy earlier, and this is equivalent to victory in the confrontation with him.
"Saint Petersburg", the lead boat of Project 677 has been in service since 2010 and most of the innovations have been tested and debugged.
Lithium-ion batteries... They can be easily installed in place of the standard lead-acid one, while the boat will receive a longer duration of diving. “Experimental work has been carried out, funding has been allocated and the manufacturer is working on the production of a standard unit. If it is ready on time, it will find its place on the serial hulls of the fourth generation submarines. "

As a result we have a boat capable of submerging to 300 meters, having a full underwater speed of up to 21 knots and an autonomy of 45 days, which is an excellent successor to the Varshavyanka. But one innovation can make this boat an absolute leader in its class in the world. Namely, an air-independent power plant (VNEU).

Air-independent power plant (VNEU)

From the name it follows that this installation does not need air to generate electricity, like diesel engines. Consequently, the boat does not need to float to recharge the batteries. More precisely, it is necessary, but much less often.

Time spent under water increases 10 times, up to 25 days.

In fact, the Swedes began to use such power plants, all of whose boats are now being produced with similar power plants.

And also the Germans with the project 212/214. That is, here we are in line with new developments.

Just like the Germans, it is based on an electrochemical generator. Electricity will be generated by converting chemical energy into electrical energy without movement and combustion... When oxygen and hydrogen combine, electricity is generated silently, and the only by-product of the process is distilled water. The efficiency of such an installation reaches 70 percent, and the noise level of an anaerobic submarine is lower than natural sea noise. But in addition to this, we use additional improvements.

In order not to carry high-purity hydrogen on board the submarine, the installation provides for obtaining hydrogen in the volume of consumption through the reforming of diesel fuel. Therefore, the Russian VNEU will be much more economical than its German counterpart.
Fuel cells are also used to enrich the diesel power plant with oxygen.

There are two ways to develop mechanisms for recharging batteries in a submerged position. Electrochemical generator (ECH) or Stirling engine. The Stirling engine used by the Swedes is considered more promising. We apparently use ECH, like the Germans, but with the exception of an expensive structure for storing and charging fuel cells on board with hydrogen. The choice of technology obviously took into account a large number of factors, some of which are not obvious to outside observers.

In combination with the other above-mentioned advantages, Lada becomes out of competition.

In addition, during its production, it will be possible to vary the configuration depending on the wishes and capabilities of the customer.

Competitors

There are enough competitors:

Germany, project 212/214

Sweden, Gotland

France, Scorpene

Are non-nuclear boats really that effective?

Examples of the effectiveness of non-nuclear submarines:

In its first exit from the base in Kamchatka, the first Pacific Ocean "Varshavyanka" (Project 877 submarine), just accepted by the fleet, discovered an American Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.
In October 2006, a Chinese Song-class submarine surfaced in close proximity (five miles) to the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk (CV-63) as the strike group maneuvered off the Okinawa Islands. The boat was discovered visually by the pilot of one of the flying aircraft, fulfilling a training mission. This case became another evidence of the insufficient effectiveness of the anti-submarine defense of the aircraft carrier formation, even in relation to Song-class submarines, which ONI considers less dangerous opponents in comparison with projects 636 and 677
During an exercise in the Caribbean, the crew of the German Type 212A submarine was able to unnoticed the defense system of the American aircraft carrier Enterprise and simulated the launch of a torpedo fan. In another case, the reputation of an American underwater predator suffered - a multipurpose Los Angeles-class submarine, around which the Germans cut several circles, but the Americans did not notice anything.
During exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, Israeli submarines of the Dolphin type (modification Type 212) conditionally "sunk" half of the US Sixth Fleet.
in 2003, the Gotland demonstrated unique capabilities in the fight against its most dangerous enemy - enemy submarines. A Swedish submarine tracked down and sank a French nuclear submarine and an American SSN-713 Houston submarine during an exercise in the Mediterranean.
During the Joint Task Force Exercise 06-2 naval exercise, the Gotland "melted" the entire seventh carrier strike group led by the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan.

Asymmetric response

The boat has been under development for a very long time. The first copy was adopted for service with a conventional diesel engine. When designing the boat, many problems arose, both financial and technical in nature. In addition, due to a lack of funds, it was necessary to link the fate of the lead boats with the problems of trial operation, fine-tuning, and troubleshooting.

But the news indicated in the epigraph suggests that soon the Russian Navy will receive this boat with all its latest technologies (including VNEU).

We need such boats. And we can get them guaranteed, as the epic with "Mistrals" shows, only by doing it ourselves. Our military-industrial complex has coped with this task by creating a non-nuclear submarine that is truly competitive at the world level. And what is no less important - by creating a cooperation of enterprises for its production.

Project 677 - LADA

now, according to project 677, in addition to "St. Petersburg", "Kronstadt" is being built, and a state contract for "Sevastopol" is to be signed. These boats are built without VNEU.
VNEU will most likely be starting from the fourth boat. According to the plan in 2016 in the form of an additional compartment.

MOSCOW, June 28 - RIA Novosti, Mikhail Sevastyanov. By building a large series of Lada-class diesel-electric submarines with an air-independent (anaerobic) power plant, Russia will actively develop non-nuclear submarine forces. This conclusion can be drawn from the statements of representatives of the main command of the Navy and the shipbuilding industry of the defense industry, made on Wednesday in St. Petersburg.

Very large series

On the first day of the work of the Eighth International Maritime Defense Show IMDS-2017, held in St. Lada-class submarines will become the main project for the Russian non-nuclear submarine forces; the series of these submarines "will be very large"; modernization of project 677 involves equipping submarines with anaerobic (air-independent) power plants.

Military expert: aircraft carriers are "expensive", but Russia needs themThe Russian Navy will build a new aircraft carrier. Military expert Andrei Golovatyuk on the air of Sputnik radio noted the need for the development of the country's aircraft carrier fleet in modern conditions.

The general director of the St. Petersburg Admiralty Shipyards, which build Lada-class submarines, Alexander Buzakov, specified that the fourth and fifth submarines of this project will be built within the next five years.

Non-nuclear answer to America

"By building a large series of diesel-electric submarines of the 677 Lada class with an air-independent power plant, Russia will actively develop non-nuclear submarine forces," said Mikhail Nenashev, chairman of the All-Russian Fleet Support Movement (DPF), Ph.D. ...

In his opinion, this will be the Russian response to the US message about the development of the direction associated with American conventional weapons. "If we consider underwater air independence from a geopolitical point of view, our diesel-electric missile-torpedo boats are also one of the vectors for the development of non-nuclear weapons," the DPF chairman believes.

He noted that now in the Russian Navy, sea and ocean tasks are being successfully solved by diesel submarines of the Varshavyanka class of projects 636.3 and 877. "They have proven their effectiveness, in particular, by the strikes of the Kalibr-PL missile systems against the targets of international terrorists in Syria. And for a long time they will serve the cause of the defense of our country and fulfill the tasks of maintaining international security, "Nenashev said.

"There were a lot of problems with the boats of Project 677, in particular with the St. Petersburg. But Russian submarine building is developing despite difficult times. A lot of developments that are now being tested are used on Project 677, known as Lada, - the only boat "Saint Petersburg" so far, which is undergoing final tests in the Northern Fleet. A lot of systems are used, primarily related to navigation, radar support, electronic warfare, cyber security, "the military expert emphasized.

The Navy will continue the construction of non-nuclear submarines "Lada"Earlier it was reported that the diesel-electric submarine "Kronstadt" will be launched in 2018. The lead submarine of Project 677 "Lada" - "Saint Petersburg" - has been in trial operation in the Northern Fleet since 2010.

According to him, due to the trial operation of "St. Petersburg", the project has been significantly changed.

"Already the submarines of Project 677" Kronstadt "and" Velikie Luki "will become carriers of many new systems associated with lower noise levels, increased stealth, more accurate navigation support, improved living conditions. The tactical and technical characteristics of missile and torpedo weapons on board will also increase. And, most likely, they will indeed be equipped with an air-independent power plant, "Nenashev said.

He clarified that if the anaerobic power plant, which has been developed in Russia for quite a long time, can be installed on Project 677 submarines, the Lada may not float much longer than the Varshavyanka, which fill the batteries every day. "By the way, new developments in this area are on the way - power plants operating almost on the principle of a reactor," added the DPF chairman.

Promising "Lada"

Russian diesel-electric submarines (diesel-electric submarines) of project 677 of the "Lada" type belong to the fourth generation of non-nuclear submarines. They are designed to combat submarines, surface ships, defeat coastal targets of a potential enemy, lay minefields, transport subunits and special-purpose cargo.

Project 677 submarines are highly automated and have a low noise level. They can be armed with Kalibr-PL complex cruise missiles, torpedoes, missile-torpedoes, Igla anti-aircraft missiles.

The surface displacement of the ship is about 1.8 thousand tons. The immersion depth is up to 350 meters. The maximum underwater speed is more than 20 knots (one knot is 1852 meters per hour). The number of the submarine's crew is just over 30 people.

The lead submarine of the series, St. Petersburg, was laid down at the Admiralty Shipyards of the Northern Capital in 1997; after the transfer to the Navy in 2010, it is in trial operation in the Northern Fleet. The second ship of Project 677 - "Kronstadt" - was laid down in 2005, the third - "Velikie Luki" - in 2006. Then the construction of these submarines in St. Petersburg was frozen and resumed in 2013. The contract for the construction of the fourth and fifth submarines of the series for the Russian Navy until 2025 is planned to be concluded in the near future.

Up to two weeks without surfacing

Submarines of the "Lada" type are planned to be the first of the Russian non-nuclear submarines to be equipped with air-independent power plants (VNEU), the main advantage of which is to increase the stealth of the submarine. The submarine gets the opportunity to stay under water for up to two weeks without surfacing to charge the batteries, while diesel-electric submarines of projects 636 and 877 of the Varshavyanka class are forced to surface every day.

VNEU developed in Russia is fundamentally different from foreign ones by the method of producing hydrogen: the plant itself provides for its "withdrawal" in the volume of consumption by reforming diesel fuel. Foreign submarines are loading transported supplies of hydrogen on board.

In Russia, the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering is most productively engaged in the development of an anaerobic installation and a lithium-ion storage battery, which significantly increase the duration of non-ascent submarine sailing of non-nuclear submarines, where they create a full-scale operating model - a modernized version of the Lada-class submarine.

VNEU will also be installed on Project 677 submarines of the "Amur" type intended for foreign customers. This should significantly increase the export potential of Russian-made combat submarines.

The development of the Russian submarine fleet is of interest to the foreign press, including Chinese publications. At the same time, new publications affect both successful and not the most successful projects. For example, the Chinese Internet publication Sina.com recently told readers about the construction of Russian Project 677 Lada diesel-electric submarines. His article described the progress of the project, its results and difficulties. In addition, the Chinese authors tried to assess the prospects for the new boats and the plans of the Russian command in relation to them.

On October 15, a publication appeared on the Sina.com portal with the loud title “俄罗斯 13 年才研制出这型潜艇为何仅建造 3 艘就被放弃” - “Russia has been creating these submarines for 13 years. Why were they abandoned after the construction of the third? " The title of the article recalls the events of recent years and the well-known failures of the 677 project, due to which such boats have lost the chance to become the main ones in their class.

At the beginning of the article, the authors remind that not so long ago the submarine "Kronstadt", built according to the project 677 "Lada", was launched in St. Petersburg. This ship is important for the Russian fleet, but still has specific features. It is equipped with a traditional diesel-electric power plant and has not received a more advanced air-independent system. The authors also point out that back in 2016, the Russian command announced plans for diesel-electric submarines of project 677. The construction of such ships will be completed after the delivery of the third. As a result, the main non-nuclear submarines of the fleet will be representatives of the project 636.3 "Varshavyanka".

The reasons for abandoning the Lada project are well known. Russia spent large sums on the development and construction of such submarines, but the finished lead ship turned out to be far from ideal. He had a lot of problems associated with the lack of necessary technologies. The lead boat of the "Lada" type was laid down in 1997. Launching took place in 2004, and until 2010 she could not get into the fleet. Thus, a new "sword" for the fleet was "forged" for 13 years.

The authors point out that the Soviet Union in the past had a developed submarine construction industry, but various organizations from its composition were distributed among the Union republics. After the collapse of the USSR, a significant part of these enterprises left the military sphere. In addition, some of the important organizations went to Ukraine, and due to persisting political contradictions, Russia does not have access to them.

In connection with these problems, Russia had to take action. For the construction of diesel-electric submarines of project 677, it was necessary to reconstruct many production lines and train qualified personnel to work on them. As a result, a special situation developed. Russia, in general, did not want to abandon the Lada project, but technological and financial problems forced it to suspend work for some time.

The Chinese publication asks the question: what new technologies did Russian designers use in the promising 677 project?

First of all, Sina.com points to the outstanding Russian achievements in the construction of double-hull submarines. In addition, the publication explains the features of the architecture of the enclosures. It recalls that the double-hull design provides for an inner, robust casing that absorbs water pressure, and an outer, lightweight casing of lesser strength. Ballast tanks and various equipment are located between the hulls. A single-hull boat has only a solid hull with all the necessary units.

Both submarine architecture options have their own advantages. So, a two-hull submarine is stronger, develops a higher speed and floats faster. At the same time, it has less internal space. The single-hull design for the same submarine dimensions provides 40% more internal volume, which can be used to install equipment or improve the working conditions of the crew.

Diesel-electric submarines of the project 677 "Lada", according to the original plans, should serve for three decades. At this time, they are planned to be repaired and modernized. To create a modernization potential, the project uses a special version of the boat architecture. Most of the ship is single-hull, while the stern has a light hull. This idea itself became a departure from tradition. In addition, its implementation required to cope with some difficulties.

The second key element of the Lada project is the Lithium automated combat control system. During its development, new approaches and solutions were used. ASBU has a modular architecture, and its individual components interact through a common bus. All means of observation and detection of the submarine transmit data to a central computer responsible for their processing. This raises high demands on the performance of systems.

The diesel-electric submarines of project 677 also differ from other Russian submarines in the increased number of detection equipment. For example, the antennas of the sonar complex are placed on the bow of the hull, along the sides and in the stern. Many of the samples used as part of the onboard equipment complex were developed specifically for the "Lada".

At the same time, as noted by the Chinese authors, the power plant of the new boats turned out to be "raw". According to the initial plans, the Lada were to be equipped with an air-independent power plant that would increase the basic running characteristics. When it was created, Russian scientists and engineers focused their efforts on the study and development of fuel cells. In 2011, the Russian industry created the so-called fuel cells. third generation. Such devices were tested on board the B-90 Sarov submarine. According to the plans of the past, boats of the "Lada" type were supposed to receive two sets of fuel cells and a diesel-electric installation. The result should have been a combined plant that combines the basic qualities of the basic systems.

However, in the course of long-term tests, Russian specialists have established that the existing fuel cells have a lot of problems, and this increases the risk of an accident. Soon after the start of the tests of the lead submarine of the Saint Petersburg project, the shortcomings and defects of its power plant began to appear. Russian officials have repeatedly argued that the fuel cells are inadequate. Their characteristics turned out to be insufficient, because of which the power plant could not deliver the required power.

It was precisely because of the shortcomings of the power plant that the “Saint Petersburg” boat could not start service on time. In addition, all this led to a revision of plans for the construction of the following ships. The construction of the second submarine was postponed indefinitely.

Sina.com notes that during the development of the 677 project, Russian specialists abandoned many successful and proven design solutions. Instead, new ideas for Russian shipbuilding were used. Their use was directly related to the desire for high performance and new opportunities. When creating completely new components and assemblies, engineers had to make a difficult choice. In some cases, it was necessary to reduce the characteristics of the device or to redesign it, which negatively affected the reliability and safety.

As a result, financial difficulties led to the fact that the Russian industry was unable to complete the development of fuel cells with the required characteristics. In this regard, the command had to abandon the further construction of submarines of the "Lada" type.

It is this situation that the Chinese authors call the reason that the Russian navy ultimately decided to build ships of the 636.3 Varshavyanka type instead of Project 677 submarines. Project 636.3 was a modernized version of the older project 636M. From the point of view of a number of technologies "Varshavyanka" was not inferior to the newer "Ladas". During the development of the new project 636.3, the designers had to transfer ready-made ideas, solutions and components from the existing project 677 into it. At the same time, ready-made components and technologies were used in Varshavyanka, which led to cost savings.

Nevertheless, as reminds Sina.com, the Russian fleet does not plan to completely abandon the non-nuclear submarines of the Project 677 "Lada". In fact, Russian industry is developing both submarine projects. The Varshavyanka serial project is being modernized, and the Lada is being improved. In the foreseeable future, the third submarine of Project 677 will be completed. Chinese authors suggest that its appearance could have interesting consequences. If during its construction the designers and shipbuilders manage to fulfill all the requirements, but the project 636.3 will cease to be the main support of the non-nuclear submarine fleet of Russia.

The specific project of the non-nuclear submarine 677 "Lada" is well known in our country and is not a secret for the foreign press. Moreover, once again it becomes the topic of publication in a foreign edition. Now the Chinese media have shown interest in the protracted Russian project, and this is a fairly large Internet publication.

Apparently, the reason for the appearance of a new publication from Sina.com was the recent launching ceremony of the first serial Lada-class submarine. The submarine "Kronstadt" was laid down in 2005, but later its construction was suspended for several years. After re-laying, construction continued, and now the ship is preparing for future tests. In the near future, the third submarine of the project, Velikiye Luki, will also be launched.

The Chinese authors in their article briefly revealed the history of the Lada project, and also indicated its main problems, due to which the fleet and industry had to revise their plans more than once. In doing so, however, they made a serious mistake. Sina.com claims that the construction of diesel-electric submarines of project 677 will be limited to only three units. However, even last year, official statements were made, according to which the number of such ships will increase, possibly even several times.

In June last year, at the level of the command of the Russian Navy, statements were made about the imminent construction of two new submarines of the "Lada" type. In the near future it was planned to sign a contract for them. However, almost a year and a half has passed, but the required agreement has not yet appeared. The third and fourth submarines of Project 677 will be built until 2025, after which new ships of the same type will replace them in the workshops. However, the exact plans for the second half of the twenties and the following periods have not yet been announced.

According to current plans, at the beginning of the twenties, the diesel-electric submarines of project 636.3 "Varshavyanka" in the amount of 12 units will become the basis of the non-nuclear part of the submarine forces of the fleet. By the same time, the fleet will receive the first three "Ladas". A little later, two more boats of Project 677 will appear. This means that for a long time the "Varshavyanka" will retain their special status, and the duration of such a period is still unknown. Such prospects for boats of project 636.3 directly depend on the success of project 677.

The exact number of Project 677 diesel-electric submarines planned for construction in the near and distant future is probably not yet determined. At the same time, plans are known to build an alternative in the form of "Varshavyanka". The Chinese edition Sina.com believes that in a certain development of events, the existing and under construction "Varshavyanka" will cease to be the main support of the non-nuclear submarine fleet. Depending on the success of further work, the new "Lada" can become both an addition and a replacement for the existing ships.