Earlier this month, a story about Russian submarine activity made a few headlines. Part of that was the misleading title, which said that "Russian Submarine Activity at Highest Level Since Cold War." Quite a few people noted that this cannot possibly be true - Russia simply doesn't have enough submarines to maintain a level of activity that would be comparable to that during the Cold War. Indeed, the actual quote, attributed to Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, Commander of NATO's Maritime Command, was that Western sub commanders are reporting "more activity from Russian submarines than we've seen since the days of the Cold War" (emphasis added). That's quite a different matter - it is quite possible and even likely that Russian submarine activity today is at its highest level since the early 1990s.
I thought it might be a good occasion to publish a chart that I prepared as part of a project on HEU use in Russia. It shows the change in the number of submarines in service from the early years of the Soviet program to the end of 2015. It is an estimate, of course, so it should be treated as such. Since the chart was about HEU consumption, the submarines are grouped by generations that correspond to generations of nuclear reactors. I assumed that the reactors on Project 955 and Project 885 submarines are essentially third-generation reactors.
Also, it should be noted that the number of operational submarines that can actually go on patrol, is somewhat smaller. Of the 42 submarines included here, as many as 19 are undergoing overhaul. This number includes 13 ballistic missile submarines and 27 cruise-missile and multipurpose submarines. It also includes Project 09786 Orenburg and Project 09787 Podmoskovye submarines that appear to be carriers of deep-submersible stations. The stations are in the "special purpose submarines" category. It includes seven of them, even though the exact operational status of these stations is not always clear.
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Pavel, curious to the before mentioned Project 09786 Orenburg and Project 09787 Podmoskovye submarines. Are these converted Yankee-Class “stretched” boats or the submarines of the Uniform-Class? Forgive my NATO designations. Can you provide a named working list of the other 40 nuclear submarines you referenced in your post? And, yet another request. I was unclear of your term “station”. I’m assuming you are referencing small, deep diving, “conventional” powered submersibles that are transported by the Orenburg and Podmoskovye for special missions. For my clarification, these seven or so “stations” are not nuclear powered, correct?
The Russian nuclear submarine force is a topic worthy of much discussion.
Frank Shuler
USA
Project 09786 is Delta III Stretch, 09787 is Delta IV Stretch. Yes, the "stations" are (believed to be) carried by larger submarines. And they are nuclear-powered. I'll try to put together the submarine table later.
I remember reading(I can't remember where) that ballistic missile subs can launch their missiles from home base(without being on patrol).
Yes, Delta III and IV subs can launch their missiles from the pier. Not sure about subs with solid-propellant Bulavas.
This author has some interesting tables availiable:
https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/65488/227305704.1e/0_130c25_2a88ec3d_orig
(overall readiness)
https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6435/227305704.1d/0_12c4ec_cfb98282_orig
(Akula series readiness)
So I would add that the readiness has suffered a great deal of improvement post 2010, with the repair and refit programs (it is most visible on the Akulas). And while it is still a shadow of the Soviet Navy in terms of numbers, the force is still very large and capable when compared to Navies other than the USN.
You should mention the fact that these new submarines being built and deployed are far superior to 3rd gen Soviet subs from the 60s and 70s.
There are many sources including wiki that claim Russia has many anti ship cruise missiles(some nuclear) that are designed specifically for taking out carrier groups. Do you have any info on these?
Strictly speaking, we don't know that they are "far superior." These are new submarines, of course, so they are probably better in some respects.
There are currently 3 ways Russian Navy subsurface forces are improving at the moment. Those are:
- improved readiness via repairs for the newer 3rd gen subs. Many of those were completed in the early 90s, making them still viable.
- modernisation/refit of the older 3rd gen subs.
- construction of new, 4th gen, subs.
The 4th generation submarines (ie Yasen class) get new powerplant (from the 2nd boat in the class onwards) as well as a number of other features, making them indeed better than the legacy 3rd gen subs.
This however doesn't make the 3rd gen class subs (ie Oscars and Akulas) less viable, especially after an extensive refit. For example Oscar-IIIs (current refit/modernisation of the Oscar-IIs) amongst other things receive UUVs and new VLS, VLS which would be probably adapted for the new Zircon hypersonic missiles.
About those - currently we use either legacy Granit AShMs on the Oscar-IIs (those could carry nuclear payloads) or the torpedo tube launched Sizler/Kalibr fammily (which includes an AShM option).
In the future, with the construction of the further Yasen class boats and with the Oscar-III refits we would get the platforms for the Yahont AShM (and thus it's replacement - Zircon).
to Frank:
The 29sqn at Olenya Guba is operated by Navy & GRU and consists of:
1 Delta III Stretch (BS-136 “Orenburg” (Hull No “656”)) Project 09786, serving as “mothership” to carry the deep diving nuclear powered special purpose submarines.
These are currently:
2 Uniform (AS-15, AS-33) of Project 1910
1 Kalitka / Losharik (AS-12 of Project 1083.1 (supposedly able to dive 6000m!)
2 Paltus (AS-21, AS-35 of Project 1851.1
(one is visible at 69.216842° 33.381270° (8/11/2015) on google earth.
Two more special submarines saw repair at Zvedzdochka/Severodvinsk and currently waiting for sea trials (probably with the new Delta IV Stretch):
1 Uniform (AS-13) 64.583500°39.810567° (9/21/2015) and
1 X-Ray (AS-23) of Project 1851.0 (Prototype of Paltus class) 64.585199° 39.814440° (9/21/2015)
Currently the Delta IV Stretch (BS-64 “Podmoskovye”) of Project 9787 is fitting out and preparing sea trial at Severodvinsk - you can figure out that 175 monster on google earth at 64.586278° 39.816613° (9/21/2015)
It is using the special boat section as plug in of the former single Yankee Stretch (KS-411 “Orenburg” (Hull No “601”) of Project 09774 which was scrapped at Zvedzdochka a couple of years ago
Cheers from Bernd
to Frank:
about your named working list:
this is what I have in my files - (although without the claim to be perfect)
SSBN
1 Typhoon (Pr 941):
(Severodvinsk)
-TK-208 Dmitriy Donskoy (board number #824) (test ship at Severodvinsk)
[-TK-17 Arkhangelsk #828 (deactivated at Severodvinsk)]
[-TK-20 Severstal #806 (deactivated at Severodvinsk)]
6 Delta IV (Pr 667BDRM):
(Gadzhiyevo / Saida Guba):
-K-51 Verchoture #827
-K-84 Ekatarinburg #807
-K-114 Tula #805 (in overhaul since Dez 2014)
-K-18 Karelia #839 (long slit - no holes - late standard)
-K-117 Briansk #820 (long slit - no holes - late standard)
-K-407 Novomoskovsk #849 (long slit - no holes - late standard)
2 (3) Delta III (Pr 667BDR):
(Rybachiy)
(-K-44 Ryazan #862 (deactivated ?))
-K-223 Podolsk #912
-K-433 Syvatoy Giorgiy Pobedonosets #993
3 Borey I (Pr 955):
(Gadzhiyevo / Saida Guba):
-K-535 Yuri Dolgoruky #838
-K-551 Vladimir Monomakh #817
(Rybachiy)
-K-550 Aleksandr Nevskiy #819
SSN
1 (2) Sierra I (Pr 945):
(Ara Guba)
[-K-239 Karp #622 (deactivated at Zvezdochka-Severodvinsk - since 2013 overhaul?)]
-K-276 Kostroma #648
2 Sierra II (Pr 945A):
(Ara Guba)
-K-336 Pskov #663
-K-534 Nizhny Novgorod #602
12 Akula (Pr 971):
(Gadzhiyevo / Saida Guba - 3 active)
Akula I
K-317 Pantera #878
K-461 Volk #867 (since 2014: overhaul at Zvezdochka)
Akula I improved
K-154 Tigr #853
K-328 Leopard #872 (since 2011: major overhaul at Zvezdochka)
Akula II
K-157 Vepr #890
Akula III
K-335 Gepard #835 (intermedeate repair at Nerpa)
(Rybachiy - 2 active)
Akula I
K-322 Kashalot #985 (deactivated at Amur yard)
K-263 Barnaul (overhaul at Bolshoi Kamen)
K-331 Magadan #997
K-391 Bratsk (since 2014: overhaul at Zvezdochka/Severodvinsk)
Akula I improved
K-295 Samara #970 (since 2014:overhaul at Zvezdochka/Severodvinsk)
K-419 Kuzbass #951
4 Victor III (Pr 671RTM):
(Lopatkina Guba)
-B-138 Obninsk #618 (2011: repair at Nerpa)
-B-388 Petrozavodsk #654
(Ara Guba)
-B-414 Danil Moskovskiy #684
-B-448 Tambov #661 (2011: repair at Nerpa)
SSGN
8 Oscar II (Pr 949):
(Lopatkina Guba)
-K-119 Voronezh #812
-K-266 Orel #847 (overhaul at Zvezdochka-Severodvinsk since Dez 2013)
-K-410 Smolensk #816
(Rybachiy)
(-K-132 Irkutsk (planned overhaul at Bolshoi Kamen until 2017))
-K-150 Tomsk #902
-K-186 Omsk #947
-K-442 Cheljabinsk #904 (overhaul at Zvezda - Bolshoi Kamen)
-K-456 Tver (ex Vilyachensk) #920
1 Yasen (Pr 885):
(Lopatkina Guba)
-K-329 Severodvinsk
SS
1 Sarov:
-B-90 Sarov (test ship)
1 Lada:
-B-585 St Petersburg #477
~20 Kilo (Pr 877/636):
(Polyarny / Khronstadt / Baltisk / Vladivostok - Ulyssis Bay / Rybachiy / Sevastopol)
Polyarny - 161th Division of 40th Red banner
-B-177 Lipetsk #429
-B-459 Vladikavkaz #431 (repair at Zvezdochka Severodvinsk until 2015)
-B-402 Vologda #405
-B-471 Magnitogorsk #409
-B-800 Kaluga #468
-B-808 Jaroslavl #425
Vladivostok - Ulyssis Bay - 213th Division of 19th Flotilla
-B-187 #529
-B-190 Krasnokamensk #521
-B-260 Chita #504
-B-345 Mogocha #507
Rybachiy - 182th independent submarine Brigade
-B-394
-B-401 Novosibirsk #440
-B-445 Syvatitel Nikolay Chudotvorets #531
-B-464 Ust-Kamshats #547
-B-494 Ust-Bolsheretsk #549
Khronstadt - home of 123rd submarine Division
-B-227 Vyborg #469
Baltisk - detachment of 123rd submarine Division
-B-806 Dmitrov #487
Sevastopol / Novorossiysk
-B-871 Alrosa #554
-B-261 Novorossiysk (Pr 636)
-B-237 Rostov on Don (Pr 636)
SSAN
(Olenya Guba)
Uniform (Project 1910):
[-AS-13 (deactivated at Zvezdochka-Severodvinsk - overhaul 2013/15)]
-AS-15
-AS-33 #200
Paltus (Project 1851.1/1851.2):
-AS-21
-AS-35 #222? (overhaul 2012/13 at Zvezdochka-Severodvinsk)
Kalitka / Losharik (Project 1083.1):
-AS-12 #220 ?
X-Ray (Project 1851):
[-AS-23 #219? (deactivated at Zvezdochka-Severodvinsk – autumn 2011- spring 2012 in overhaul)]
SSAN-Support
(Olenya Guba)
1 Delta III Stretch (Pr 09786):
-BS-136 Orenburg #656 (mothership)
(Severodvinsk)
1 Delta IV Stretch (Pr 09787):
-BS-64 Podmoskovye #815 (855?) (under test)
Bernd Reuter:
Thanks so much for the data. I never quite realized the “X-Ray class” was a “transported” submarine. Much to research! Take care my friend.
Frank Shuler
USA
Check that, "Uniform" class.
Frank Shuler
USA
You could find a usefull (but imperfect) infographic on the status of Russian Navy's major combat assets here:
https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/60682/227305704.1f/0_135cf0_2b4e9211_orig