Sierra class submarine
Encyclopedia
The Sierra I class (NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
) or Project 945 (Барракуда/Barrakuda) nuclear submarine
Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
was the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's successor class to the partly successful Project 705 Lira (Alfa) class submarine
Alfa class submarine
The Soviet Union/Russian Navy Project 705 was a class of hunter/killer nuclear powered submarines. The class is also known by the NATO reporting name of Alfa...
. The Sierra class has a light and strong titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
pressure hull which enables the class to dive to greater depths, reduce the level of radiated noise and increase resistance to torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
attacks.
The Sierra II class (NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
) or Project 945A (Кондор/Kondor) nuclear submarine
Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
was a successor to the Sierra I with improved quieting and sonar.
Sierra I
The first hull, Karp, was laid down in May 1982 at the Gorky shipyard and was launched in August 1983 before being transferred to SeverodvinskSeverodvinsk
Severodvinsk is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina River, west of Arkhangelsk. Administratively, it is incorporated as a town of oblast significance . Municipally, it is incorporated as Severodvinsk Urban Okrug. The city was founded as...
for fitting out. It was laid up in 1987. The next hull to be built was the Kostroma, which was launched in July 1986 and was commissioned in September 1987. K-276 Kostroma was put into a drydock after its February 11, 1992 collision with .http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:qVWzRn0sDhkJ:www.system-safety.org/~issc_2006/Shaw-awards%2520dinner%2520thursday.pdf+%22USS+Baton+Rouge%22+collision&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us (page 20). The submarine was repaired on 29 June 1992 and was renamed Krab, but in 1996 its original name was returned and it is still in service with the Russian Northern fleet. The Sierra I class was also fitted with a releasable escape pod for the crew. The pod is covered by a V shaped casing on the port side of the sail.
Soviet titanium technology was far in advance of the West's, requiring fewer passes to achieve weld at the disadvantage of the cost of each hull which limits numbers built despite the advantages of greater depths and underwater speed. This was clearly shown in the Sierra class.
Submarines in class:
- B-239 CarpSoviet submarine K-239K-239 Carp was a Russian Sierra class submarine. She was launched in 1983 and laid up in 1997....
- commissioned 1987, removed from service - B-276 Kostroma - commissioned Sep 1987, active
Sierra II
The Sierra II (Project 945.A - Кондор/Kondor) class has a considerably larger sail which is 16.5 ft (5 m) longer than the Sierra I type. The sail also has a curious flat, square leading edge. The masts are offset on the starboard side to make way for two escape pods in the sail. The starboard side also has a 10-point environment sensor fitted at right angles to the front end of the sail. Also, the Sierra II type has a much larger pod on its after fin. The pod houses the Skat 3 passive very low frequency towed array.Submarines in class:
- B-534 Nizhniy Novgorod - commissioned Dec 1990, active
- B-336 Pskov - commissioned 1993, active
Sierra III (provisional)
The sole Sierra III/Project 945AB (Mars), was laid down in March 1990 but was scrapped in November 1993 before completion. Cited authoritative reference has no mention of additional hulls.While only one is considered to be completely operational, the first hull of the series was due to be brought for repair at the Zvezdochka Shipyard, Severodvinsk in 2007.