Sierra class submarine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sierra class submarines Class Overview
Class Type	attack submarine, nuclear-powered
Class Name	NATO reporting code. Russian class names: Barrakuda [I] / Kondor [II].
Preceded By	Mike-class SSN, Victor III-class SSN
Succeeded By	Akula-class SSNs
Ships of the Class
Sierra I: K-239 Tula, K-276 Krab (decommissioned) Sierra II: K-534 Pskov, K-336 Nizhny Novgorod, K-123 Mars (cancelled)

The Sierra class is the NATO reporting name for two types of nuclear-powered submarines that were originally constructed by the Soviet Union in the latter years of the Cold War. The Sierra I units were completed in the mid-1980s, while the two modified Sierra II boats entered service in 1992 and 1993. Their Soviet Designations are Project 945 Barrakuda (Sierra I) and Project 945M Kondor (Sierra II). Project 945 was initiated in March 1972, under the direction of Chief designer N.E. Kvasha of TsKB-112 Lazurit and was an enlarged version of the Alpha class submarine with a titanium hull. Because of this, these ships are very expensive and the Akula class superseded them due to their lower cost.

The hulls of all the boats were built at Gorki and towed to Severodvinsk for final outfiting. All the ships served in the Soviet Northern Fleet and are now assigned to the Russian Northern Fleet. While only one is considered to be completely operational, the first hull of the series is due to be brought for repair at the Zvezdotshka shipyard in 2007.

[edit] General Characteristics

Displacement:
- 5200 tons surfaced, 10,100 tons submerged (Sierra I) ,
- 7200 tons surfaced, 10,400 tons submerged (Sierra II)
Length: 107m (Sierra I), 110m (Sierra II)
Beam: 11 m (I) - 12.3 m (II)
Draught: 9.5 m
Machinery: 1 shaft nuclear,
- 1 OK-650 190 MWt pressurized-water nuclear reactor, 47-50000 hp
Speed:
- 18 knots surfaced,
- 35-36 knots submerged
Endurance: 50 days
Diving depth: 700 m
Armament:
- 4 - 533mm torpedo tubes,
- 4 - 650 mm torpedo tubes
Crew: 65 (31 officers, 34 ratings)