Russian submarine K-407 Novomoskovsk

"Novomoskovsk" ("K-407") is a Project 667BDRM "Delfin"-class ballistic missile submarine (NATO reporting name "Delta-IV") of the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet.

Background

Construction of the nuclear submarine "K-407" "Novomoskovsk" began at the Northern Engineering Plant (Sevmash) in Severodvinsk in November 1989, and it became part of the Soviet Navy on November 27, 1990. She was the last of seven 667BDRM "Delfin" submarines and the last SSBN submarine built in USSR. This class of submarines was developed at the Rubin Design Bureau in 1975 and is considered one of the most successful Soviet underwater missile carrier designs [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/667bdrm.htm "667BDRM Dolphin DELTA IV"] . "GlobalSecurity.org".] .

pecification

The submarine has a submerged displacement of 18,200 tons and a surface displacement of 11,700 tons. It is 167 m long and 11.7 m wide. It is powered by two OK-700A nuclear reactors with a total power of 180 MW. The submarine’s immersion depth is 400 m; its surface speed is 14 knots, and its underwater speed is 24 knots. It carries a crew of 135. Armaments include a D-9RM missile system (16 RSM-54 ballistic missiles) and four 533-mm torpedo tubes (18 torpedoes).

The RSM-54 missile (3M37, R-29RM, or SS-N-23 according to the NATO classification) is a liquid-propellant, three-stage missile with separable heads (it carries four or ten warheads depending on the modification). It has a range of 8300 km, a hit accuracy of 500 m, and a launching mass of 40.3 tons. It is 14.8 m long and 1.9 m in diameter [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/r29rm.htm "R-29RM / SS-N-23 SKIF"] . "GlobalSecurity.org".] .

History

On 6 August 1991 21:09, "Novomoskovsk", under the command of Captain Second Rank Sergei Egorov, became the world's only submarine to successfully launch an all-missile salvo, launching 16 ballistic missiles (RSM-54) of total weight of almost 700 tons at an interval of several seconds (operation code name "Behemoth-2"). The first and the last missiles hit their targets successfully, while the others were self-destroyed in the air according to the plan. This operation was considered by the Soviet Navy as a part of possible nuclear war scenario ("Dress rehearsal of the Apocalypse") and experimentally confirmed the technical possibility of a safe underwater all-missile salvo. Politically, the Soviet ballistic missile submarines passed a reasonability check as a part of strategic triad. The previous attempt of an all-missile salvo (operation code name "Behemoth") was performed in 1989 and finished unsuccessfully, however with no casualties. As the experiment took place just before the August Putsch in the USSR, its results were forgotten for a while, and the crew's work wasn't rewarded by the Soviet government authorities [http://www.pereplet.ru/text/zhgeleznyakov28jun02.html "А.Б. Железняков. Подводный автомат Калашникова (Операция Бегемот-2)"] . "Русский переплет", June 28, 2002 ru icon.] .

On 19 March 1993, "Novomoskovsk", under the command of Captain First Rank Andrei Bulgarkov, collided with USS "Grayling" (SSN-646). The American submarine was trailing the Russian submarine and miscalculated its speed. Both submarines returned to their homeports, and though badly damaged both returned to service. "Grayling" was decommissioned some four years later, while "Novomoskovsk" remains in service over ten years later [ [http://www.armscontrol.ru/subs/collisions/comm0319.htm "Collision of Two U.S. Nuclear Powered Submarines on March 19, 1998"] . "Center for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology", April 8, 1998.] .

In 1996, "Novomoskovsk", together with the K-447 submarine, fired a batch of ballistic missiles. The operation was a complete success. The city of Novomoskovsk in Tula Oblast took the submarine under its patronage, and on June 19, 1997, "K-407" received the name "Novomoskovsk" [http://www.nmosk.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110 "Ballistic missile submarine K-407 Novomoskovsk"] . "Official website of the Novomoskovsk city", 18 September, 2006 ru icon.] .

On 7 July 1998, "Novomoskovsk" launched a Shtil-1 carrier rocket with two German scientific Tubsat-N and Tubsat-N1 micro-satellites while submerged in the Barents Sea. cquote|The unusual launch was the first time a commercial payload had ever been sent from Earth into orbit from a submarine and the first commercial space launch in the history of the Russian Navy [http://www.spacetoday.org/Rockets/Plowshares/Submarine.html "Russian Submarine Novomoskovsk Launches Satellites From Barents Sea"] . "Space Today Online".] . The satellite, developed by Berlin Technical University, was placed in orbit on an SS-N-23 (RSM-54)-type ballistic missile. The Northern Fleet was paid some 200,000 German Mark (US $111,000) for the launch [http://www.spacetoday.org/Rockets/Plowshares/Submarine.html "Russian Submarine Novomoskovsk Launches Satellites From Barents Sea"] . "Space Today Online".] .

In 1999, "Novomoskovsk" pioneered the launch of a ballistic missile from the geographic location of the North Pole [http://www.pereplet.ru/text/zhgeleznyakov28jun02.html Бмелубодт Вптйупчйю Цемеъослпч ] ] .

On 17 February 2004, "Novomoskovsk" seemingly attempted to test-fire a SS-N-23 ballistic missile, but the missile failed to come out of its silo because of an unspecified technical problem. The Russian Navy, despite earlier statements describing the test, explained that no "physical" launch was intended at all: the exercise was supposed to be a simulation. President of Russia Vladimir Putin was aboard "Arkhangelsk", an "Akula"-class ballistic missile submarine (NATO reporting name "Typhoon"), to observe the exercise [ [http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/040224.htm "Military Exercises In Russia: Naval Deterrence Failures Compensated By Strategic Rocket Success"] . "James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies", February 24, 2004.] [ [http://www.kommersant.com/p450901/Sineva_Launched_in_Vladimir_Putin’s_Face/ "Sineva Launched in Vladimir Putin’s Face"] . "Kommersant", February 18, 2004.] .

On 17 March 2004, "Novomoskovsk" physically test-fired two SS-N-23 ballistic missiles, successfully hitting designated practice targets on the Kamchatka Peninsula [ [http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/russia/weapons/ssbns/slbmtest.htm "Russia: SLBM Test Launches and SSBN Exercises Archive"] . "Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies", May 24, 2004.] .

Like the other 667BDRM Delfin ships in service with the Northern Fleet, the "K-407" is slated to receive new SLBMs to replace the RSM-54. The missile is a new-build, minor modernization of the RSM-54. It does not bear a separate designator from the RSM-54/R-29RM/SS-N-23 asides from the name "Sineva". Testing of the R-29RM "Sineva" was completed in June 2004 [ [http://armstass.su/?page=article&aid=49573&cid=25 According to a representative of the Makeyev Design Bureau, R-29RM "Sineva" missile officially accepted for service on July 9, 2007.] . "АРМС-ТАСС", December 25, 2007 ru icon.] . The "Novomoskovsk" is the third Delfin-class submarine in line to receive the new missile (after her siblings K-51 "Verkhoturie" and K-84 "Ekaterinburg"). She was fully overhauled and modernized in 2006 before returning to service [ [http://www.vdvsn.ru/papers/ks/2006/12/04/52481/ "Второй приход «Новомосковска»"] . "Северная неделя", December 4, 2006 ru icon.] .

In July 2006, cleric of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the head of the Diocesan department on interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, priest Leonid Leontiuk was temporarily included in the personnel list of the "K-18" "Karelia" and was on board of the "K-407" "Novomoskovsk". During the hike priest has performed the consecration ceremony of submarine's compartments, met with submarine personnel, led discussions on the basics of faith and spiritual life. Six sailors got baptized on board. [ [http://eparhia.onego.ru/podlod.htm "В морской поход со священником"] . "The official site of the Petrozavodsk and Karelia diocese", August 7, 2006 ru icon.] .

Present

At the moment, "Novomoskovsk" is worthy of the proud name of "the most shooting" submarine of the Russian Navy [http://www.pereplet.ru/text/zhgeleznyakov28jun02.html Бмелубодт Вптйупчйю Цемеъослпч ] ] . The submarine is currently part of the 31st Order of the Red Banner underwater strategic missile cruiser division of the 12th submarine squadron of the Northern Fleet (Olenya Bay, Skalisty Naval Base). The submarine’s commander is Captain Sergei Rachuk.

As a member of association of Russian regions and cities, patrons of Northern Fleet ships and units, the Tula Oblast patronages K-114 "Tula" and "K-407" "Novomoskovsk" submarines and assists in patriotic education and preparation of young people for serving in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Citizens of Novomoskovsk have preference to serve on "K-407" "Novomoskovsk". The submarine crew are regularly provided by humanitarian goods and visited by the city authorities [http://www.nmosk.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110 "Ballistic missile submarine K-407 Novomoskovsk"] . "Official website of the Novomoskovsk city", 18 September, 2006 ru icon.] .

Popular Culture

In 2007, Russian plastic model manufacturer Alanger introduced a 1:350 scale model of "K-407" "Novomoskovsk". [ [http://www.steelnavy.com/AlangerDeltaIV.htm 'Alanger Novomoskovsk K-407 Review'] . Steve Backer.]

ee also

* Операция "Бегемот" ru icon

Notes

References

* Yuriy Apalkov, Podvodnyye lodki, vol. 1, part 1 "RPKSN i mnogotselevyye PL" (St. Petersburg: Galea Print, 2002).
* Yuriy Apalkov, Podvodnyye lodki, vol. 1, part 2 "Mnogotselevyye PL i PL spetsnaznacheniya" (St. Petersburg: Galea Print, 2003).
* S.S. Berezhnoy, Atomnyye podvodnyye lodki: VMF SSSR i Rossii (Moscow: Naval Kollektsiya, 2001).
* V. Demyanovskiy et al, Podvodnyy shchit SSSR, vol. 1 "Atomnyye mnogotselevyye podvodnyye lodki" (Rybnisk: Star, 2003).
* Jane's Fighting Ships (2004-2005), 591.

External links

* [http://russianforces.org/eng/navy/ Strategic Fleet (Russian strategic nuclear forces)]
*ru icon [http://www.nmosk.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110 Ballistic missile submarine K-407 "Novomoskovsk"]
*ru icon [http://nuclearno.ru/textml.asp?7765 The History of Nuclear Submarine K-407 "Novomoskovsk"]
*ru icon [http://ship.bsu.by/main.asp?id=101817 667BDRM "Delfin" Serie]
*ru icon [http://www.navy.ru/history/si64.htm Николай Черкашин. Не надо орденов, была бы Родина]
*ru icon [http://www.cosmoworld.ru/spaceencyclopedia/publications/index.shtml?zhelez_34.html Александр Железняков. Операция "Бегемот-2"]
*ru icon [http://pilot.strizhi.info/2006/12/29/1468 Operation "Behemoth". TV show "Smotr" broadcast on 23.12.2006, including documentary video]
* [http://russianforces.org/blog/2005/08/bombers_and_submarines_launch.shtml Bombers and submarines launch missiles during exercises]
*ru icon [http://www.deepstorm.ru/DeepStorm.files/45-92/nbrs/667BDRM/K-407/K-407.htm К-407, "Новомосковск" проект 667БДРМ. Штурм Глубины.]