Posted on 01/22/2016 4:54:39 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
There are no plans to discontinue the construction of Project 677 Lada-class diesel-electric submarines (SSK) yet, Deputy Navy Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov told journalists on Thursday. The second and third submarines, the Kronstadt and Velikiye Luki, will be delivered later than scheduled in 2019 but the Russian Navy says the class is much quiter compared to the Project 636 Kilo-class.
Lada class Diesel Electric Submarine (SSK) Project 677
"The Navy will decide on how many Project 677 Lada submarines it needs based on the outcome of the operational evaluation of the Kronstadt and Velikiye Luki submarines. The termination of the family’s construction is not on the agenda now," Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov said.
The advanced design of the follow-on Kalina fifth-generation diesel-electric submarine will inherit the best features of Projects 636 and 677. "Preparations for the designing of the radically advanced Kalina diesel-electric submarine are under way. The Kalina will embody the best characteristics of Projects 636 and 677," the admiral said.
There have been media reports that the funds will be used to pay for the Kalina program and the construction of Project 677 diesel-electric boats will end after the Kronstadt and Velikiye Luki submarines have been built.
The Project 677 Lada-class fourth-generation diesel-electric submarines are much quieter than the preceding Project 636 ones, Russian Navy Shipbuilding Department chief Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Tryapichnikov told the Russian News Service radio in an interview. "There is the well-designed Project 677 Lada-class submarine. It is in the operational evaluation with the Northern Fleet. There are some issues with it, but once they have been ironed out, the opeval completed and the design documentation and operating manuals amended, it will be a formidable submarine with an acoustic signature lower by an order of magnitude than that of the current Project 636 submarines," Tryapichnikov said referring to the Project 677 lead ship, the St. Petersburg.
"Both Ladas, the Kronstadt and Velikiye Luki, are expected to slip behind schedule to 2019," a source in the Russian Navy Main Staff told TASS, citing an adjustment of the governmental defense procurement order as the reason.
The source stressed that the second and third submarines in the series were being made "with due account taken of the shortcomings revealed during the Northern Fleet’s operation of the Project 677 lead ship, the St. Petersburg." As for the fitting of the subs with the air-independent propulsion plant (AIP), this will not be the case. "We have to wait until it [AIP] has passed its sea trials," the source said. The Russian Navy planned to have its Project 677 submarines equipped with AIPs to enable them to remain submerged for a longer time, thus making them less vulnerable. However, an AIP can be developed in 2020 at the earliest. The Rubin Design Bureau and Krylov State Research Center are planning to launch the development of a prototype AIP for diesel-electric submarines and a floating testbed as well. If the funds are provided from 2016 onward, the testing of the AIP plant on the floating testbed can start not earlier than 2018.
The Russian AIP design is unique because hydrogen required for power generation is obtained by means of diesel fuel reforming onboard the submarine. Hydrogen is not stored onboard and is produced as much as needed, which increases the safety of the propulsion plant. Ordinary diesel fuel, which is standard for all diesel-electric submarines, is used for generating hydrogen. It needs no extra component and, hence, extra reservoir for storage. There is also no need for special infrastructure on shore to generate and store hydrogen. To cap it all, the AIP features low noise and high efficiency.
Lada??? Same company the brought them that wonderful automobile?
All that junk sticking out of the top of the conning tower is bound to make it super stealthy quiet while submerged. /s
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