Russian submarine B-585 Sankt Peterburg

Sankt Peterburg in 2010
Career (Russia)
Name: B-585 Sankt Peterburg
Namesake: City of Saint Petersburg
Ordered: Unknown
Builder: Admiralty Shipyard
Laid down: 26 December 1997
Launched: 28 October 2004
Commissioned: 6 May 2010
Status: in active service, as of 2015
General characteristics
Class and type:Lada-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement:2,800 tons submerged; 1,675 tons surfaced[1]
Beam:7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)[2]
Draft:6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)[1]
Speed:10 knots (12 mph; 19 km/h) surfaced; 21 knots (24 mph; 39 km/h) submerged[3]
Range:1,050 kilometres (650 mi) submerged at cruising speed[2]
Endurance:45 days[2]
Test depth:300 m (984 ft)[2]
Complement:35[3]
Armament:6 x 533 millimetres (21.0 in) torpedo tubes for 18 x torpedoes or missiles or 44 x mines[1][3]

B-585 Sankt Peterburg (Russian: Б-585 «Санкт-Петербург»; named after Saint Petersburg) is the lead boat of the Lada class of the Russian Navy. The Lada class is the fourth generation of diesel-electric submarines designed and constructed in the former Soviet Union and Russia to replace the Kilo class. Construction of the boat started in December 1997, and she was launched in October 2004. After undergoing a series of sea trials, Sankt Peterburg was commissioned in May 2010. However, the Russian Navy decided not to accept the Lada class after it was discovered that the boat's propulsion and sonar systems were inadequate. After design corrections the submarine was accepted. In 2014, Sankt Peterburg joined the Northern Fleet.

Background and construction

Sankt Peterburg is first boat of Rubin Design Bureau's Lada class, of which a total of eight were expected to be procured by the Russian Navy. A less capable version, the Amur class, is marketed for export. Designed during the 1990s, the Lada class is intended to be the successor to the larger Kilo class.[1] The Kilo class is considered to be one of the quietest diesel classes in operations, giving rise to the nickname "Black Hole".[4] Among the expected capabilities improvements of the Lada class over its predecessor were the incorporation of improved anechoic coating (to minimize sonar contact), extended cruise range, and the upgrade to newer weapons for anti-submarine and anti-ship operations.[4] Lada-class boats can also conduct reconnaissance and defend naval facilities and sea lanes.[2]

Amid a severe shortage of funds experienced during the 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union,[5] the keel of Sankt Peterburg was laid down on 26 December 1997, in Saint Petersburg by Admiralty Shipyard.[1][6] The company specialises in submarine construction, having built more than 300 boats,[6] including the Victor and Alfa-class nuclear-powered submarines. By 2006, two more of Sankt Peterburg‍ '​s sister boats, Kronshtadt and Sevastopol had had their keels laid down.[7] Sankt Peterburg was launched on 28 October 2004, to coincide with the 300th anniversary of Sankt Peterburg's founding, before undergoing several sea trials, to validate her systems, until 2009.[8][9]

As of 25 February 2008, Sankt Peterburg was part of the 13th Brigade of Ships Under Repair and Construction (military unit number 22875), Leningrad Naval Base.[10]

Operational history

On 6 May 2010, Sankt Peterburg was commissioned into the Russian Navy, signalling the official start of her operational service. The boat thereafter underwent combat training with the Baltic Fleet and participated in a naval parade and an exercise.[2][11][12][13] At the same time, she continued sea trials until late 2011.[12]

Despite having been commissioned, in November 2011 the Russian Navy decided that the Lada class would not be accepted into service, as Sankt Peterburg had fallen far short of requirements during trials.[3] According to Izvestia, the main drawback was the propulsion unit's inability to produce half of the expected power, along with the inefficiency of the sonar system. With the construction of the other two Lada-class submarines being halted, the Russian Navy ordered additional Improved Kilo-class submarines.[14] The decision to reject the Lada class was confirmed in February 2012 by Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, who stated, "The Russian Navy does not need the Lada in its current form."[15] Sankt Peterburg would remain an experimental prototype.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Project 677 Lada class Project 1650 Amur class Diesel-Electric Torpedo Submarine". Federation of American Scientists. 7 September 2000. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "St. Andrew's flag flies over new sub". Rusnavy.com. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Russian Navy May Waive Lada Class Submarines". Rusnavy.com. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Russian Navy to commission first Lada class diesel sub in 2010". RIA Novosti. 20 March 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  5. ↑ Vego, Milan. "The Russian Navy revitalized". Armed Forces Journal. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Project-677 submarine set for final sea trials – shipyard". RIA Novosti. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  7. ↑ "Russian shipbuilder to start making 4th-generation submarine". RIA Novosti. 10 December 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  8. ↑ Kramar, Vladislav (12 November 2004). "Подводный охотник" вышел в плавание ["Underwater Hunter" went to sea]. Nezavisimaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "Final sea trials set for Russian Lada sub". United Press International (UPI.com). 23 January 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  10. ↑ Журнал «Власть» № 7(760) от 25.02.2008. Military Unit number is via warfare.ru, http://warfare.be/?catid=321&linkid=2225&title=western-military-district---osc-west. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  11. ↑ "Russian Navy Waives Further Construction of Project 677 Lada Submarines". NavalToday.com. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Submarine St. Petersburg to continue trials in 2011". Rusnavy.com. 24 December 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  13. ↑ Военно-морской флаг поднят на подлодке "Санкт-Петербург" [Naval flag hoisted on a submarine "Saint Petersburg"] (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  14. ↑ Thalmann, Denis (23 November 2011). ВМФ отказался от новейших подлодок проекта "Лада" [Navy refused to newest submarine project "Lada"]. Izvestia (in Russian). Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  15. ↑ "Russian Navy to Drop Lada Class Subs – CinC Vysotsky". RIA Novosti. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2012.

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