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    Project 971: Akula class

    Russian Patriot
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Project 971: Akula class

    Post  Russian Patriot Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:16 pm

    Project 971 Shuka-B Bars-class Akula class
    Attack Submarine (Nuclear Powered)
    The Project 971, using a steel hull, was initiated in 1976 when it became evident that existing industrial infrastructure was inadequate to mass produce the expensive titanium hulls of the Project 945 Sierra class.

    There is some non-trivial disagreement between authoritative sources as to launch and commission dates for all units, as well as which units are 'Improved Akula' vs. 'Akuka-II'. Initially the boats of project 971 bore only tactical numbers. However, on 10 October, 1990, left the order of the VMF Commander-in-Chief V.N. Vhernavina about the awarding to the boat K-317 of name "Panther". Subsequently names were obtained by other nuclear-powered ships of this project.

    The submarines were built by the Amur Shipbuilding Plant Joint Stock Company at Komsomolsk-on-Amur and at the Severodvinsk shipbuilding yard. Output of Akula submarines remained steady at one-to-two a year until 1995. Eight Akula class submarines were built in Komsomolsk until activities there ceased in 1993. All sources are in agreement that a total of seven Akula I submarines were built [though there is some dispute as to whether K-461 Volk or K-480 Bars is an Akula I or an Improved Akula I]. These boats were all commissioned between 1985-86 and 1992. The prototype K-284 was decommissioned in 1995 to avoid the expense of a reactor refueling, and was generally not expected to return to service. According to some sources, at least one and perhaps as many as three Akula-Is were placed in reserve status in the late 1990s.

    At least two and perhaps as many as four Improved Akulas entered service between 1992 and 1995. An additional Improved Akula I [K.267 Drakon] was launched in 1994 and delivered to the Russian Navy in 1995, though subsequently repossessed by the shipyard due to lack of payment. The boat reportedly remained in the possession of the Komsomolosk yard, which was said to be trying to sell her as of 2000.

    Apparently two additional Akula-Is remained undelivered at Komsomol'sk-na-Amur. Funds were provided in January 2000 for further work on the 82%-85%-finished Modified Akula-I-class Nerpa, laid down in 1986. The 25%-50%-complete Kaban, begun in 1992, may also eventually be completed.

    As of October 2000 the Amur shipyard had been trying to complete one multi-purpose Bars-class submarine for more than five years. Though construction of the submarine was 85 percent complete, Russia didn't have the money to complete the job. The shipyard plant received 5 million rubles ($182,000) from the Defense Ministry in 2000. But to keep the construction hangar at the right temperature, the shipyard spent 70 million rubles a year. Maintaining the hangar temperature was essential, since in 1997 the submarine's reactor was started, and a stable temperature was required in the hangar to avoid accidents. It would cost more to dismantle the submarine and treat the radioactive reactor than to complete construction. Meanwhile, another submarine remained only half built at the shipyard.

    The status of the Akula II program is less certain, with at least one authoritative source maintaining that this class had yet to put to sea as of early 2000. Another authoritative source reports that three Akula II submarines have been built, with the first, Viper, being commissioned in 1995, the second, Nerpa, in December 2000 and the third, Gepard, in August 2001 [other sources attribute the name Nerpa to an uncomplated Akula I].

    The Vepr [which is probably an Akula II] was launched in December 1994 and according to some sources was commissioned in 1995. The Gepard [Cheetah] was laid down in 1991 or 1992, with the sub scheduled to enter active service in 1996. In fact, Gepard remained in the yard at Severodvinsk, and according to some reports had been renamed Belgograd [subsequent reports apparently disconfirm this claim]. The Gepard was launched in 1995. The sub's crew was scheduled to arrive on board in early 1998 while the boat was still under construction. Gepard was finally launched on 18 September 1999 and began state acceptance sea trials in December 2000 in the Baltic Fleet water area. The boat was to be commissioned on 29 July 2001 - Russian Navy Day. Initially it was thought that the final service introduction ceremony would be held in August 2001, since the test runs were completed as early as July 2001. President Vladimir Putin commissioned Gepard in a ceremony on 04 December 2001. The submarine's commissioning took place with Navy C-in-C Vladimir Kuroyedov and acting Northern Fleet commander Vice-Admiral Vladimir Dobroskochenko signing the acceptance report. The presidential visit was entirely symbolic.

    The hulls of two additional Akula-IIs [probably named Kuguar and Rys] remained in the Severodvinsk building hall, with at least the former said to be planned for completion. No completion date was projected, and no progress towards completion was evident as of mid-2004. Perhaps as many as two more Akula II units may also await completion, though this may simply reflect confusion between the Akula II units at Severodvinsk and the Akula I-Mod units at Komsomol'sk-na-Amur.

    As of January 2003, Janes thought that 9 Akula were thought to be operational, and Periscope agreed as of August 2003. COnfusingly, naval-technology.com SSN AKULA CLASS (TYPE 971) profile reports that "The Russian Navy has 14 Bars class Project 971 submarines" and then the sidebar reports "The Russian Navy has 16 Bars class Project 971 submarines" though no as-off date is claimed for either number. On 30 May 2005 Sevmash's press-secretry Mikhail Starozhilov told ITAR-TASS that the Akula-class nuclear submarine K-317 Panther had been placed in the dock of Sevmash plant in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region. He added that it was not clear what kind of repairs would be done on the submarine as the Russian navy officials were not clear about the financing. K-317 had spent several years in the harbour near the plant due to the navy financial difficulties.

    Nuclear submarine K-317 ?Panther? project 971, Akula class, entered active service in December 1990 and was based at Gadzhievo base. At that time the "beast" division of the Northern fleet consisted of six Akula-class submarines: Snow Leiopard [Bars], Panther [Pantera], Wolf [Volk], Leopard, Tiger [Tigr], and Boar [Vepr], while a further seven submarines of this class were based at the Pasific Fleet.

    As of 2007 the International Institute of Strategic Studies reported that there were two Akula II and 8 Akula I in service, with no additional units reported "in reserve". As of 2007 there were probably a total of eleven Akula I submarines in service, with a few of these withdrawn for maintenance and repair at any given time [at least two were in maintenance in 2007], along with two Akula II [of which no others are available for maintenance float]. At least two more units [and possibly as many as five] remained under construction, though as of 2007 there was no indication that their completion was contemplated for Russian service.

    As of 2008 the International Institute of Strategic Studies reported that there were two Akula II and five Akula I in service, with three additional Akula I units reported "in reserve".

    The active submarines of this class are in restricted service to conserve their remaining reactor core lives. Assuming the nominal 30 year service life of their American counterparts, the oldest Akula I submarines might be withdrawn from service by around 2015, with all but the Gepard Akula II being withdrawn from service by 2025. The restricted service of these boats might extend their useful lives to 35 years, suggesting a phase-out in the 2020-2030 timeframe.


    Can More Akulas be built?
    Discuss!


    Last edited by Russian Patriot on Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Re: Project 971: Akula class

    Post  Turk1 Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:58 pm

    You selling your last Akula II to India. Must not want them very bad.
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Re: Project 971: Akula class

    Post  Russian Patriot Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:02 pm

    Turk1 wrote:You selling your last Akula II to India. Must not want them very bad.

    Nerpa, is not the last.

    Ryus and Kugar, Kaban may be finshed.

    and may our Defense Minstry recover Drakon.

    P.S Vladimir97 may you can write to President Medevedev about Drakon?
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty [b]Sea trials of Russia's Nerpa submarine on schedule - official[/b]

    Post  Russian Patriot Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:17 pm

    Sea trials of Russia's Nerpa submarine on schedule - officialRIA Novosti

    24/07/200910:02

    KHABAROVSK, July 24 (RIA Novosti) - Final sea trials of Russia's Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident during previous tests, are continuing on schedule, a shipyard official said on Friday.

    The vessel resumed sea trials on July 10 in the Sea of Japan following extensive repairs.

    "The resumed sea trials are going according to schedule," the official at the Amur shipyard said, without specifying when the tests would be completed.

    A high-ranking defense official said on July 10 the trials would last for about two weeks.

    On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan, its on-board fire suppression system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, on board the vessel at the time.

    Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($60 million), the submarine was cleared for final sea trials before being commissioned with the Russian Navy and leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009.

    India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

    Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.
    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2009/russia-090724-rianovosti04.htm
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Re: Project 971: Akula class

    Post  Russian Patriot Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:41 pm

    Russian Navy ends first stage of Nerpa sub trials in Far East
    RIA Novosti

    27/07/200909:26

    KHABAROVSK, July 27 (RIA Novosti) - The first stage of new sea trials of Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident in previous tests, has been successfully completed, the Amur shipyard said on Monday.

    The vessel resumed sea trials on July 10 in the Sea of Japan following extensive repairs.

    "The first set of sea trials has been successfully completed according to schedule," a shipyard official told RIA Novosti.

    "The sub is back at the in Bolshoy Kamen in the Primorye Territory, and it is getting ready for the second stage of the scheduled testing," the official said, adding that some equipment for performance checking and adjustment work will be installed on board the submarine.

    On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan, its on-board fire suppression system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, on board the vessel at the time.

    Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($60 million), the submarine was cleared for final sea trials before being commissioned with the Russian Navy, and will be leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009.

    India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

    Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.
    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2009/russia-090727-rianovosti01.htm
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Indian Navy crew to join Russian sub sea trials in Far East.

    Post  Russian Patriot Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:34 pm

    Indian Navy crew to join Russian sub sea trials in Far East

    RIA Novosti

    14:57 04/09/2009 VLADIVOSTOK, September 4 (RIA Novosti) - A crew of Indian submariners will take part in sea trials of a Russian nuclear submarine in mid-September, a source involved in the trials said on Friday.

    Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, damaged in a fatal accident during tests last November, resumed sea trials on July 10 in the Sea of Japan after extensive repairs that cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($60 million).

    The submarine is to be leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009 under the name INS Chakra.

    The source said the Indian submariners would need to undergo a course of training together with Russian specialists and servicemen.

    They will subsequently operate on their own under the supervision of Russian instructors.

    On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan, its on-board fire suppression system activated, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, on board the vessel at the time.

    India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

    Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/09/mil-090904-rianovosti06.htm
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Russia concludes third stage of Nerpa sub trials in Far East!

    Post  Russian Patriot Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:58 am

    Russia concludes third stage of Nerpa sub trials in Far East

    RIA Novosti

    12:24 23/09/2009 KHABAROVSK, September 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, damaged in a fatal accident during tests in November last year, successfully completed the third stage of sea trials, the governor of the Khabarovsk Territory said on Wednesday.

    "The submarine is in a good state of readiness and there is confidence that it will be commissioned on time," Vyacheslav Shport said.

    The vessel resumed sea trials on July 10 in the Sea of Japan following extensive repairs.

    On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials, its onboard fire suppression system activated, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, onboard the vessel at the time.

    Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($60 million), the submarine was cleared for final sea trials before being commissioned with the Russian Navy, and will be leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009 under the name INS Chakra.

    India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

    Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.


    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2009/russia-090923-rianovosti02.htm
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Re: Project 971: Akula class

    Post  Russian Patriot Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:21 pm

    Final trials of Russia's Nerpa sub threatened by lack of funds
    RIA Novosti

    11:20 08/10/2009 KHABAROVSK, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - Preparations for the final trials of Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine before it is commissioned with the Navy could be hit by financial problems, the head of the Amur shipyard said on Thursday.

    The Nerpa, which was damaged in a fatal accident during tests in November last year, has been docked at the Amur shipyard's Vostok repair facility in the town of Bolshoy Kamen in Primorye Territory since the end of new sea trials following repairs.

    "The sea trials under the shipyard's supervision have been completed on time. The submarine returned to its current base for preparation for final tests, but we have run into some problems," said Nikolai Povzyk, the Amur shipyard general director.

    "We have not yet received payments for work that has been already done, and today the electricity supply to the Vostok facility was cut [by a local electricity supplier] because we have not been able to pay our debts," the official said.

    The shipyard was promised an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($60 million) in government funds in the beginning of October to cover the cost of the repairs.

    On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials, its onboard fire extinguishing system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, aboard the vessel at the time.

    After induction into the Russian Navy, the Nerpa is expected to be leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009 under the name INS Chakra.

    India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

    Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2009/russia-091008-rianovosti02.htm
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    Post  Russian Patriot Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:38 pm

    Nuclear sub Nerpa to enter service in December
    RIA Novosti

    15:55 16/10/2009 VLADIVOSTOK, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - The Nerpa nuclear attack submarine will enter service with Russia's Pacific Fleet in December 2009 and will then be leased out to the Indian Navy, a high-ranking fleet official said on Friday.

    The Nerpa, which was damaged in a fatal accident during tests in November last year, has been docked at the Amur shipyard's Vostok repair facility in the town of Bolshoy Kamen in Primorye Territory since the end of new sea trials following repairs.

    "The submarine has undergone a range of sea trials, and [final] state tests will begin in late October or early November, after which the Nerpa will be adopted by the Pacific Fleet," the spokesman said.

    He said a crew of Indian submariners would undergo a course of training together with Russian specialists and servicemen in early 2010.

    They will subsequently operate on their own under the supervision of Russian instructors, after which the submarine will be leased to the Indian Navy under the name INS Chakra.

    On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials, its onboard fire extinguishing system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, aboard the vessel at the time.

    India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

    Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2009/russia-091016-rianovosti01.htm
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    Project 971: Akula class Empty Re: Project 971: Akula class

    Post  Austin Sun May 09, 2010 6:23 am

    Project 971 Akula
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    Post  Austin Wed May 12, 2010 6:03 am

    Are the newest Akula SSN capable of tracking USN 4th Gen SSN like SeaWolf or Virgnia ? Are there any known incident where Akula managed to track US 4th gen SSN ?
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    Post  GarryB Thu May 13, 2010 7:08 pm

    Are the newest Akula SSN capable of tracking USN 4th Gen SSN like SeaWolf or Virgnia ? Are there any known incident where Akula managed to track US 4th gen SSN ?

    I don't know whether the Russian Navy would reveal that, because if they did the US would just spend more money and make them even quieter.

    The US navy has started focussing more and more on active sonar detection and tracking from about the mid 1990s onwards... I don't think that is an accident, though a lot of it is in shallow waters presumably against diesel electrics (which when they operate in electric mode are quieter than nukes that need cooling systems in their reactors going pretty much all the time).

    You selling your last Akula II to India. Must not want them very bad.

    Actually they are not selling it, they are leasing it... quite a big difference.
    And Yes, I am jealous too.
    Also the Akula IIs are not the latest generation SSN for the Russian Navy... they will certainly want numbers, but also they will want the Yasen, Graney, Severodvinsk or whatever they are calling the joint replacement for the Akula and the Oscar class vessels.

    Being consistent with what they are doing with the surface fleet and the aircraft that are useful (ie incomplete Tu-160s, Ka-50s left in factories on the production line etc were completed to make those small forces more viable) it would make sense to complete any remaining partially built subs of the Akula class.
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    Post  Admin Thu May 13, 2010 9:24 pm

    The unfinished Akula IIs left after the fall of the CCCP have been cannibalised to make Project 955.
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    Post  Austin Fri May 14, 2010 3:56 am

    GarryB , USN claims that it has significant advantage over current gen sub and can track the Akula 2 with all its modern sub specially Seawolf and Virginia . so there is a big gap between USN 4th Gen sub and RuN 3 plus gen Sub.

    Not sure of Yasen can plug those gaps or better can be superior to them in any way
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    Post  GarryB Fri May 14, 2010 10:31 pm

    Russian and Soviet subs have traditionally had the torpedo tubes in the nose with the sonar antenna array below all squashed up in the nose.
    My understanding is that the latest Russian attack subs have large spherical arrays in their noses and their torpedo tubes moved well back and also flank arrays and other sonar sensors all over the place.

    It is a cat an mouse game that will never end, but the Russians are greatly improving their game, but also lots and lots of secrets on both sides.
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    Post  Austin Tue Jul 27, 2010 2:22 pm

    MG-74 Countermeasures seen on Akula and other subs have been some what a mystery on how it is deployed and useful , here is a write up on MG-74 from Military Parade that explains it

    MG-74 Self Propelled Multipurpose Sonar Countermeasures Device
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    Post  Austin Sat Aug 28, 2010 2:55 am

    Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War

    Russian submarines are hunting down British Vanguard boats in a return to Cold War tactics not seen for 25 years, Navy chiefs have warned.

    A specially upgraded Russian Akula class submarine has been caught trying to record the acoustic signature made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, according to senior Navy officers.

    British submariners have also reported that they are experiencing the highest number
    of "contacts" with Russian submarines since 1987.

    If the Russians are able to obtain a recording of the unique noise of the boat's propellers it would have serious implications for Britain's nuclear deterrent. Using its sophisticated sonar, the Akula would be able to track Vanguards and potentially sink them before they could launch their Trident D4 missiles.

    The Daily Telegraph has learnt that, within the past six months, a Russian Akula entered the North Atlantic and attempted to track a Vanguard. The incident has remained secret until now.

    It is understood that the Russians stood off Faslane, where the British nuclear force is based, and waited for a Trident-carrying boat to come out for its three-month patrol to provide the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.

    While patrolling in the North Atlantic, there are a limited number of places the Vanguard is permitted to go and it is thought that the Akula attempted to track it on several occasions.

    Navy commanders are understood to have ordered a Trafalgar-class hunter-killer submarine to protect the Vanguard. A recording of the Akula was made by the Trafalgar submarine's sonar operators and has been played to The Daily Telegraph.

    "The Russians have been playing games with us, the Americans and French in the North Atlantic," a senior Navy commander said.

    "We have put a lot of resources into protecting Trident because we cannot afford by any stretch to let the Russians learn the acoustic profile of one of our bombers as that would compromise the deterrent."

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    Post  nightcrawler Sat Aug 28, 2010 2:04 pm

    @Austin

    "We have put a lot of resources into protecting Trident because we cannot afford by any stretch to let the Russians learn the acoustic profile of one of our bombers as that would compromise the deterrent."
    [b]

    Sir plz you elaborate how subs can get acoustic profiles of bombers; is this something similar to SIGINT
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    Post  GarryB Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:33 am

    I think that is a misprint... they meant boomers, not bombers.

    A boomer is sub slang for SSBN.

    And I suspect this is an attempt by the British military to get funding to get their Nimrods operational again in the ASW role.

    The article itself is a joke... THE RUSSIANS ARE DOING THINGS WE NEVER STOPPED DOING... WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM DO THEY THINK IT IS STILL THE COLD WAR LIKE WE DO?

    BTW unless it surfaced how do they know it was an AKULA II... unless those innocent Brits have a signature for that particular class of vessel?

    The reality is that getting a sonar signature of a vessel is neither here nor there because it is used only for identification... they already know the signatures of their own stuff so any they don't recognise they will likely fire upon in a war situation anyway. Knowing they are blowing up a boomer could be determined by the number of blades and their rate of turn and how fast that propels the vessel... SSBNs are big and heavy and needs more rpm to move... would take a genius to guess it was a large sub.
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    Post  Austin Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:47 pm

    nightcrawler wrote:@Austin

    "We have put a lot of resources into protecting Trident because we cannot afford by any stretch to let the Russians learn the acoustic profile of one of our bombers as that would compromise the deterrent."
    [b]

    Sir plz you elaborate how subs can get acoustic profiles of bombers; is this something similar to SIGINT

    nightcrawler , submarine acoustic profile can be classfied from its Source/Self Noise and these source noise can be broadly classified into Broadband source Noise and Narrow Band source noise , the latter is very effective in detecting , classifying a submarine at long ranges.

    Each submarine or class of submarine will have its unqiue Narrow band tonals detected between 50 Hz to 500Hz frequency and hence can be very useful in identifying a class of submarine like say Akula and even class within a class like say the 3rd or 4th Akula-1.

    Then there is the non-acoustic means of detection on which very little is known , for eg Akula has sensors that can detect wake long after a submaire has passed and can track the submarine using the wake , some ocean acoustic plants are known to behave in a certain way when a submarine passes through that place due to heat generated etc.

    Again I am no expert and far from it I have little knowledge on this topic , most of submarine detection methods , tactics and sensors are very highly classfied subject and rarely if any accurate information comes out in the open world.

    This should be a nice read on the topic

    http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/deep.htm
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    Post  Austin Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:58 pm

    Agreed that West is getting hyper at the sight of Akula and like seen in the West Coast and the fuss US made over 2 Akula some time back.

    Simarily UK selective leaks are there to make sure Nimrods or other ASW do not face cuts.

    Its quite ironic that only UK and US are known to make fuss over whats is considered as normal ASW mission by any submariners on both sides, considering they always aggresively track Russian submarine and is known to visit Russian coast quite often for intelligence gathering

    GarryB wrote:BTW unless it surfaced how do they know it was an AKULA II... unless those innocent Brits have a signature for that particular class of vessel?

    Garry the west has probably a good amount of data on Akula since they have followed , tracked and learnt more about this sub in the past two decades , so by their acoustic profile they could probably identify an Akula.

    All the more reason the Yasen SSGN are built and commisioned to restore the acoustic parity , Yasen is rumoured to have 1/10 of noise profile of Akula-2.
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    Post  Austin Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:27 pm

    Nice video of Akula-2 with English subtitles

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    Post  Russian Patriot Mon May 16, 2011 5:07 pm

    Shipyard workers call for end to 'scapegoat' court martial in Nerpa case


    Russian naval dockyard workers are demanding that negligence charges be dropped against the captain of a Russian nuclear submarine in which 20 crew members died in an accident three years ago.

    Seventeen of the dead were civilians, killed when fire-suppressant freon gas spewed into the Nerpa attack submarine in November 2008, following an unsanctioned activation of its fire extinguishing system.

    Another 21 people were injured in the incident which occurred during sea trials in the Sea of Japan.

    The Nerpa's captain, Dmitry Lavrentyev, and engineer Dmitry Grobov, who allegedly activated the fire-fighting system "without authorization and for no reason," have been accused of professional negligence resulting in death or injury, in a court martial which opened in April.

    In an open letter shown to journalists last week, a shipyard delivery crew expressed concern that the two men might be "scapegoats" and that the disaster was the result of "corruption and disintegration of the military sector."

    "The workers at the Amur Shipyard, including those who were on board the submarine in November 2008, believe that the real culprits have not been charged," former Vice Admiral Boris Prikhodko told a press conference in the Pacific port of Vladivostok.

    "We all demand further investigation. You can't just pick scapegoats."

    If found guilty, Lavrentyev and Grobov could be jailed for ten and five years respectively.

    Mikhail Barabanov, editor of Moscow Defense Brief magazine, claimed in a 2008 Newsweek article that the tragedy was caused by a malfunction of the boat's Malakhit digital control system, rather than human error.

    The Nerpa was carrying 208 people at the time of the accident, nearly three times its normal complement, as it was undergoing shakedown trials.

    The remaining 188 people on board were only spared death due to the "correct decisions of the submarine's commander," the shipyard workers' letter says.

    Yakov Agapov, a former senior medical officer with Russia's Pacific Fleet, said that instead of pure freon, the Nerpa's firefighting system contained a "lethal" mixture of freon and trichloroethylene, which is commonly used as an industrial solvent and is highly corrosive.

    "Trichloroethylene knocks you off instantly," Agapov said. "If there had been high-quality freon [in the system], the people would have had a few minutes to put on portable breathing equipment."

    He said this mixture was an estimated 5.5 million rubles ($198,500) cheaper than freon.

    "They stole the freon and replaced it with a poison, that is why people were killed," Prikhodko said. "Where that freon went and who stole it remains an open question."

    Analysts say overcrowding and the inexperience of 127 civilian personnel on board the vessel in handling breathing equipment may have caused the high casualty rate.

    Michael Armstrong, a former British Royal Navy submariner, told RIA Novosti that freon is "an unwelcome gas in a boat," but should not have prevented the crew from taking action.

    "It is accepted that even using an inert gas system like freon or halon, some people might still die," he said in e-mailed comments. Freon is commonly used in automated fire suppression systems and works by displacing the oxygen needed to sustain a fire.

    Armstrong agreed with Agapov, however, that there would have been plenty of time to put a gas mask on if there had been no trichloroethylene in the Nerpa's fire-suppression system.

    "If the gas is pure, you have about two minutes before you will pass out. Even if you inhale the gas, two minutes is plenty of time," he said. "So the 'poisoned' freon they inhaled almost certainly reduced their chances as it would likely have incapacitated them."

    The Nerpa is due to be leased to the Indian navy within a few months, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

    MOSCOW, May 16 (RIA Novosti, Alexei Korolyov, Howard Gethin)

    http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110516/164054151.html
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    Post  Russian Patriot Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:58 pm

    Captain, sailor acquitted over sub disaster

    RIA Novosti

    10:17 30/09/2011 VLADIVOSTOK, September 30 (RIA Novosti) - A jury has dropped negligence charges against the captain of a Russian nuclear submarine in which 20 people died when a fire suppressant system was accidentally set off three years ago.

    Seventeen of the dead were civilians, killed when fire-suppressant freon gas was released on the Nerpa attack submarine during sea trials in the Sea of Japan in November 2008.

    Another 21 people were injured, in Russia's worst naval accident since the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in 2000.

    The Nerpa's captain, Dmitry Lavrentyev, and engineer Dmitry Grobov, who allegedly set off the sub's fire safety system "without authorization and for no reason," have been charged with professional negligence resulting in death or injury.

    The jury at a naval court in the far eastern port city of Vladivostok acquitted the two men on Friday.

    Naval prosecutors said they would appeal the decision.

    "The jury did not acknowledge the fact of the release of the fire-suppressant mixture," a Pacific Fleet prosecutor said. "This is strange because this did happen."

    The Nerpa was undergoing shakedown trials and had 208 people aboard, nearly three times its normal complement.

    A former senior medical officer with the Pacific Fleet alleged in May the Nerpa's firefighting system contained a "lethal" mixture of freon and trichloroethylene - a commonly used industrial solvent which is highly toxic and corrosive - rather than pure freon.

    Workers at the Amur Shipyard, where the submarine was built, said in an open letter in the same month that Lavrentyev and Grobov were "scapegoats" and that the disaster was the result of "corruption and disintegration of the military-industrial sector."

    The Nerpa is currently on lease to the Indian navy.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2011/russia-110930-rianovosti03.htm
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    Post  GarryB Sat Oct 01, 2011 9:30 pm

    I think this highlights a serious problem within the Russian military where finding someone to blame ie scapegoats, seems to be the highest priority, where the highest priority should be trying to find out what really happened and making changes so it wont happen again, or that if it can happen again there are processes and procedures in place to minimise the negative effects.

    Time and time again we hear about commanders and captains of this or that coming under scrutiny, and of course such people are responsible for their boats/bases etc etc, but if freon has been stolen you can hardly blame the captain of the boat, just like when your base burns down you can hardly blame the commander when that commander has only just taken command and has recorded multiple attempts to complain about a lack of fire protection for the base and as cost cutting measures has had his fire brigade taken from him etc etc.

    It is even worse when whistle blowers become scapegoats, which also happens too much too.

    Very pleased this captain and the sailor are not going to be held accountable for the dishonesty of those that conspired to steal the Freon.

    In China they did something similar because they were watering down baby milk and to hide the fact that it was watered down they added an industrial chemical to change the chemical content to make it look more like non watered down milk. The chemical was relatively safe in small doses, but for babies... that consumed nothing else it was fatal...

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