Free Republic

The building of nuclear subs and other naval vessels takes no break despite the increasingly serious virus situation in Severodvinsk. Approximately 43 percent of all infections in the region of Arkhangelsk are registered in Severodvinsk, regional authorities recently announced. That indicates that there now are more than 2,000 cases in the city. The lion’s share of the people infected are affiliated with Sevmash and Zvezdochka, the two naval yards. Despite the introduction of protective measures, the virus has continued to spread among the local population of about 180,000. Only over the last week, more than 320 new cases have been...

The Russian state nuclear agency, Rosatom, said the experts had been testing a nuclear-powered engine. But it gave no further technical details. "These new systems have their origin in Soviet times - they've been taken off the shelves and given new investment." The five nuclear engineers who died were "elite" experts and "heroes" who knew of the risks and had conducted previous tests in "extraordinarily tough conditions", senior Rosatom official Valentin Kostyukov said. Soon after the blast the Severodvinsk administration reported a 40-minute spike in radiation in the city, and news of that prompted locals to buy up stocks of...

Following the sinking of one of the world’s largest dry docks on October 29 in a shipyard in the far northwest part of Russia, officials have finally admitted that they are unable to continue work on Russia’s sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, for the time being. While Russia’s shipbuilding industry is reportedly looking into alternatives, no timely and viable solution to continue retrofitting work on the Russian Navy’s flagship has emerged to date. “We have alternatives actually for all the ships except for [the aircraft carrier] Admiral Kuznetsov. Our enterprises are in operation, [including] the Nerpa [Ship Repair Factory],”...

‘Severodvinsk’ is too expensive for mass production It’s official. K-560 Severodvinsk, Moscow’s newest and most advanced nuclear attack submarine, has joined the Russian navy. That’s bad news for most countries that could conceivably face Russia in a conflict. The expensive, quiet, 13,800-ton Yasen-class submarine is arguably one of the most sophisticated in the world—and she’s just the first of her class. But the one country that doesn’t have much reason to worry is the United States, which has a significantly larger and more modern submarine force. The Yasen class is also an exception to the rule in Russia, where most...

A Russian nuclear submarine has caught fire in the northern province of Arkhangelsk ... The blaze started in the early afternoon local time when insulation between the craft’s inner and outer hull caught fire during welding. The submarine was the Oscar class K-266 Orel (Eagle), a similar vessel to the Kursk, which sank in the Barents Sea in 2000, claiming the lives of 118 men. A spokesman for the shipyard told Interfax there were no casualties and all crew and workers left the craft in time.

Russian Project 885 submarine during sea trials. One of the U.S. Navy’s top submarine officers was so impressed with Russia’s new Project 885 nuclear attack boats that he had a model of K-329 Severodvinsk built for his office. Rear Adm. Dave Johnson, Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) program executive officer (PEO) submarines said he had the model of Severodvinsk placed outside his office in a common area so that he could look at it every day on his way to his office. “We’ll be facing tough potential opponents. One only has to look at the Severodvinsk, Russia’s version of a...

Russia’s Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine Goes to Sea Trials Lajos F. Szaszdi October 19, 2011 It was reported early in October that Russia’s first fourth-generation nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine, the Severodvinsk, successfully conducted its first sea trials. In naval terms, a fourth-generation submarine belongs to the latest and most modern generation of submarines. The Severodvinsk is a Project 885 submarine of the Yásen’ (ash tree) class that has been described as “an undersea nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser.” Plans are for six or seven Yásen’ class submarines to be built, with the second vessel, Kazan, currently under construction. The Severodvinsk has significant characteristics...

Russia set to start construction of 3rd Graney class nuclear sub The construction of the third Graney class nuclear-powered attack submarine will begin in 2011, a spokesman for the Russian Navy said on Thursday. The first Graney class sub, the Severodvinsk, will enter service with the Navy by the end of 2011. The second vessel, the Kazan, is being built at the Sevmash Shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk. Graney class nuclear submarines are designed to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles or 5,000 km), with conventional or nuclear warheads, and effectively engage...

New Russian nuclear submarine will not enter serial production - paper A fourth-generation Russian nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine that was floated out on Tuesday is too expensive for serial production, a business daily said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in the northern port of Severodvinsk to attend the official float-out ceremony. The construction of the Severodvinsk, the first Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class submarine, began in 1993 at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, but has since been dogged by financial setbacks. Russia planned to float out the submarine on May 7 to mark the 65th anniversary...

Russia has delayed the launch of its new Graney class nuclear attack submarine, Severodvinsk, citing technical reasons. The multi-purpose nuclear attack submarine, the first of Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class attack sub, was earlier scheduled to be floated out on May 7, 2010. “The launch of the new Severodvinsk submarine has been delayed for technical reasons,” a source at the Sevmash shipyard which is constructing the ship, told RIA Novosti. The vessel will be floated out for sea trials later this year, the source said. It is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy by late 2010 or early...