Anson to be build

UK's government confirmed funding of the next Astute-class submarine. The fifth Astute-class submarine will be called Anson after Admiral George Anson.
#ilovesubmarines

Russina sub sinks Los Angeles-class submarine

Not so long ago news stated that an Indian Navy, Russian-build, submarine was able to "sink" American Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine. First of all congratulations. This is a fantastic propaganda news for Indian Navy. Not that I have something against them. Opportunity to train and practice finding and tracking enemy submarines is priceless and might become handy in case of any future conflicts.

Kilo-class submarines are very capable and quiet vessels. The biggest advantage over nuclear powered submarines is the ability to go extremely quiet by, literally, switching off everything. Nuclear subs cannot turn everything off, reactor must be cooled at all times and cooling system, even though quieted, makes some noise. Newest Kilo-class units are extremely quiet.

 As I said it is a great success to sunk a nuclear submarine but.... There is always a but. Los Angeles-class submarine are old vessels. This particular one was commissioned in 1983 this makes her a 34 years old vessel. Quite a lot for a submarine. I bet that Virginia-class or even better Seawolf-class submarine would never be found. Those type of exercises should be held as often as possible because it is a great opportunity for allies to train and gain experience.

I am, however, pretty sure that the outcome would have been different if it was a Virginia-class sub to take part in that kind of event.

Source

Dutch Navy upgrades Sealion SSK

Walrus-class submarine SSK Sealion, Zr. Ms. Zeeleeuw (S803), has joined the Royal Netherlands Navy after a major maintenance and modernization work had been done. It included the refurbishment of the CMS which is now multi-mission and multi-tasking platform. Together with that torpedoes were upgraded from MK48 ADCAP mod4 to mod7. The submarine has also been fitted with a new SHF satellite communication system. What is more the SCOUT mine and obstacle avoidance sonar received from Germany’s L-3 ELAC Nautik GmbH has been fitted in. The vessel also received new non-hull-penetrating optronic mast from L-3 KEO which enables the submarine to capture HD footage both day and night. Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft supplied and integrated the second-generation escape system HABETaS. Analox Military Systems provided Sub Aspida devices. The Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) supplied passive sonar processing systems (PSPS). Part of the programme was a new anti-corrosion treatment of the submarines’ hull.

 

 

Source1, source2, source3 

Submarine hunt in UK

Royal Navy is hunting mysterious submarine. On 22nd November BBC has informed that Royal Navy's forces are conducting activities north of Scotland, where a submarine has been detected. ASW activities are being conducted for 10 days now. 10, freaking, days. According to BBC the sub is Russian. I would not be surprised if the sub was Russian as they say. First of all submarines are very distinguishable vessels. One can name or class them by just taking info consideration distinctive features they have. What is more Russians has recently invested a lot of money to revive their submarine forces. Some of their subs are now lurking out there somewhere spying, listening, taking pictures, or as it has recently came to light, mapping underwater Internet cables. Why? Simple. To know the spot to hit where it hurts the most. I personally think war is coming. The Second Cold War is already happening under the surface of the oceans and seas. Every country able to do it, invests in submarine forces. Even UK is planning to spend more money on their sub according to PM(link) Why? Because they are secret, quiet and can be anywhere in the world quietly lurking in enemy territorial waters, or simply sitting at the bottom of the sea near strategically important targets ready to strike. You may ask why the hell a sub is north of Scotland. Answer is simple HMNB Clyde. It is a homeport of UK's nuclear subs for a long time.

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BAE to build Anson

BAE is going to build HMS Anson, the fifth Astute-class Royal Navy's submarine. UK's Ministry of Defence has granted £1.3bn for the fifth vessel. Royal Navy has already got two boats in service, HMS Astute and HMS Ambush and the third is undergoing sea trails. HMS Artful is going to be delivered in 2015.

HMS Astute in the shipyard.

Source

Welcome back

A lot has changed. I moved to a different country and basically turned my life up side down. Hopefully will have more time to search and post submarine news and stuff.  Currently reading a very interesting book about life on a submarine. Book "Sub. Real Life on Board with the Hidden Heroes of the Royal Navy's Silent Service" was written by Danny Dabzinger and gives in depth view into the service on a Trafalgar-class nuclear sub. Really good read. Font is big, chapters aren't very long. I recommend it to all submarine loving freak. If any of you can recommend some interesting fiction as well as nonfiction books about submarines fill free to post any in the comments section below.

Two Minute Brief: Nuclear Subs: First & Latest | Military.com

A great video comparing the first and the latest American nuclear submarines.



Source: military.com

Submarine on fire.

On 7th April K-266 Orel (Eagle) caught fire during some repairs in Zvezdochka Shipyard in Severodvinsk. Insulation material in the ninth section of the sub has caught fire during welding works done by shipyard's workers.
Nuclear reactor was shut down, and the fuel was unloaded before the repairs started so there was no risk for radioactive contamination.

The sub was burning for 3 hours. There was no information about casualties on board of the sub.

K-266 Orel is an Oscar-class submarine the same type as Kursk which sunk in 2000 during exercise on Barents Sea. Both Kursk and Orel are type 949A which is designated Oscar II in NATO codenames.

Update.
Video showing the sub burning.

Sources: FlashNord, RT News, RIA

British submarine dented.

British submarine HMS Talent suffered structural damage to the conning tower (sail) while surfacing under ice. At least officially. It's probable that the sub hit ice but you have to bear in mind that it was a popular excuse for sub damage during the Cold War. On May 23, 1981 HMS Scepter suffered damage after allegedly striking ice. It was later revealed that it collided with a Russian Delta III ballistic missile sub.

According to Daily Mail, ice ripped 6 ft hole in the sail. Submarine was able to reach port for repairs and will be out of service for several months.

The details of the incident are classified and we will not be able to know the details for a long time.

According to Royal Navy repair of the damage will cost 500 000£.

HMS Talent is a Trafalgar-class submarine. It was commissioned in 1990, as the sixth vessel of Trafalgar-class. This class of subs was designed as a hunter-killer. It has 5,300 tons of displacement and a length of 85.4 meters. Its power comes from one Rolls Royce PWR1 nuclear reactor. HMS Talent can reach up to 32 knots (59 km/h), submerged.

Russians intensity submarie patrols

Admiral Chirkov said on Submariner Day that Russian Navy intensify submarine patrols up by 50%. Good.  They keep their motherland secure as the admiral suggested.

In my opinion, however, the intensity of patrols went "over the roof"  because Russian Navy recently received a lot of new subs. Simply speaking they have vessels to use and perform detergent patrols and finally, since the collapse of Soviet Union, Russian submariners can do their jobs. Keep uo the good job.

New Yasen-class submarine construction began

On March 19th construction for new Project 885M Yasen-class attack submarine has begun. Arkhangelsk will be the fifth sub of Yasen-class in Russian navy. Yasen is the fourth generation of multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine equipped with the Oniks and Kalibr type missiles. Yasen-class boats do not have a double-hull. It incorporates a hybrid design with a lighter structure over the vessel’s pressure hull. What is more the vessel is equipped with a spherical bow sonar called the Irtysh-Amfora for the first time. As a result, Severodvinsk and the rest have their torpedo tubes located at about mid-ship like U.S. submarines. The vessel has eight torpedo tubes, four of which are 650mm tubes while the rest are 533mm tubes. The Yasen-class submarines may carry up to 30 torpedoes.

Source

INS Sindhughosh collides with fishing boat

According to “The Times of India” Russian made Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhughosh (S55) collided with a fishing boat off the western coast late on Thursday night. Submarine was taking part in naval exercise called Tropex (Theatre Readiness Operational Level Exercise) in the Arabian Sea and was cruising at periscope depth at the time of accident.

INS Sindhughosh (S55) was practicing special operation delivery in which divers swim out of its torpedo tubes with a Gemini boat to carry out a covert land operation. It was very dark when it all happened. There was no warning of any kind according to “The Times of India”. After the collison sub surfaced and made its way to the naval dockyard at Mumbai, where its damaged periscope will be repaired.

My question is how the hell did it happen? Did sonar suddenly brake down or the captain of the ship did not scan the surrounding for any surface vessels?

Kilos are some of the most quiet subs and it really is hard for me to believe they didn’t hear that ship.

Was it a human error or equipment malfunction? There will probably be an investigation on the matter. I will keep you updated .

This is not the first accident involving this sub.  On 7 January 2008 INS Sindhughosh collided with a foreign merchant vessel - MV Leeds Castle - while trying to surface in the seas north of Mumbai.

On 14 August 2013 it sustained minor damage in a fire which caused explosions and the sinking of INS Sindhurakshak.

On 17 January 2014 it run aground due to the low tide, while returning into Naval Dockyard.

Bad luck?