Russian submarine Orel (K-266)

Career (Soviet Union, Russia)
Name: Orel
Namesake: City of Orel
Builder: Sevmash (Shipyard 402), Severodvinsk
Laid down: January 19, 1989
Launched: 22 May 1992
Commissioned: 30 December 1992 [1]
Status: Undergoing modernization
General characteristics
Class and type:Oscar II class Submarine
Displacement:13,400 t, 16,400 t
Length:154.0 m
Beam:18.2 m
Draft:9.0 m
Propulsion:2 nuclear reactors OK-650b, 2 steam turbines, 2/7-bladed props
Speed:32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) submerged, 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) surfaced
Test depth:300 to 1,000 m (980 to 3,280 ft) (by various estimates)
Complement:44 officers, 68 enlisted
Armament:24 x SS-N-19/P-700 Granit, 4 x 533 mm and 2 x 650 mm bow torpedo tubes
Notes:Home port:

The Orel (K-266) is a Project 949A Antey nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine (SSGN) (NATO codename Oscar II). She is one of three Oscar II submarines still serving in the Russian Northern Fleet, all assigned to the 11th Submarine Division, berthed at Guba Bolshaya Lopatka (part of Zapadnaya Litsa, also known as Zaozersk), on the Kola Peninsula northwest of Severomorsk.

History

She was laid down at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk on 19 January 1989. From 1991-1993 she was known as Severodvinsk, but was renamed Orel on 20 March 1993 (some sources say 6 April 1993) and entered service with the Russian Navy that same year.[2]

The Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that Orel is to be overhauled in 2013. She is to have her shaft-line changed to correct problems during construction that left her very easily tracked by sonar. Additionally, her P-700 Granit (NATO codename SS-N-19 Shipwreck) antiship submarine launched cruise missiles (SLCM) will be replaced by more modern, supersonic, P-800 Oniks (NATO codename SS-N-26) antiship SLCMs.[3]

2015 fire

Whilst in dock at the Zvezdochka shipyard on 7 April 2015, it was reported that a fire broke out "in the ninth section of the sub close to the stern".[4][5] The fire was caused by insulation materials catching fire during welding. It was reported the submarine did not have nuclear weapons or fuel on board at the time.[6]

References

  1. ↑ http://warfare.be/?linkid=1720&catid=243&type=ssgn
  2. ↑ A. S. Pavlov, Ударная сила флота. Проект 949А типа (Strike Force of the Fleet. The Project 949A type). (Yakutsk: Sakhapoligraphsats, 2001). http://www.tinlib.ru/tehnicheskie_nauki/udarnaja_sila_flota_podvodnye_lodki_tipa_kursk/p9.php. Accessed 25 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Подводный ракетный крейсер К-266 "Орел" пройдет модернизацию (Cruise Missile Submarine K-266 Orel Will Undergo Moderization). http://www.i-mash.ru/news/nov_otrasl/27479-podvodnyjj-raketnyjj-krejjser-k-266-orel-projjdet.html. Accessed 25 January 2013)
  4. ↑ "Nuclear submarine on fire". Barents Observer. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Nuclear submarine catches fire at Russian shipyard". RT. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Russian nuclear submarine 'on fire' in Arctic dock". BBC News. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.

See also