Displacement l l pike type. Silent "Pike-B"

History of creation

The decision to develop a mass series of third-generation multipurpose submarines was made in July 1976. The boat was designed by SKB-143 Malachite. Until 1997, the work was led by the chief designer G. N. Chernyshev, after his death - Yu. I. Farafontov. The technical specifications were left the same as those of Project 945 "Barracuda", the work of the Lazurit Central Design Bureau, and the design was carried out on its basis, so work was not carried out at the preliminary design stage. Unlike the Barracuda, the boat’s hull was supposed to be made not of titanium, but of low-magnetic steel. This proposal was made by shipbuilders from Komsomolsk-on-Amur. This requirement was due to both the shortage and high cost of titanium, as well as the difficulties in working with it, which could only be overcome by one Soviet enterprise, Sevmash, as well as the Gorky enterprise "Krasnoye Sormovo" whose capacity was clearly insufficient for the construction of a large series in a fairly short time deadlines. At the same time, replacing titanium with steel made it possible to use the increased capacity of Far Eastern factories. On September 13, 1977, the technical design was approved, but due to the construction in the United States of a new type of Los Angeles submarine with a new generation of hydroacoustic systems, the Shchuka-B was sent for revision.

The improved project was ready by 1980. The first part of the series was built in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, which was caused by the increased level of production and technical potential of the Far Eastern shipyards.

In the early 1980s, the Soviet Union purchased a batch of high-precision metal-cutting machines from the Japanese company Toshiba, which made it possible to use new technologies in the processing of propellers, which sharply reduced the noise of submarines. The deal was secret, but information about it reached the world press. As a result, the US imposed economic sanctions against the company.

Project 971 boats received the code name “Akula” in NATO countries. Later, the project was improved several times, and boats built according to the modified designs received the code names “Improved Akula” (Russian) in the West. "Improved Shark"), Project 971M corresponds to the designation “Akula-II”. The last of the boats built, K-335 "Gepard", the embodiment of the latest technical achievements, is called "Akula-III" in the West.

Design

Frame

Project 971 has a two-hull design. Durable housing made of high quality alloy steel with σ t = 1 GPa (10,000 kgf/cm²). To simplify the installation of equipment, the boat was designed using zone blocks, which made it possible to transfer a significant amount of work from the cramped conditions of the submarine compartments directly to the workshop. After installation is completed, the zone unit is “rolled” into the boat’s hull and connected to the main cables and pipelines of the ship’s systems. A two-stage depreciation system is used: all mechanisms are placed on shock-absorbing foundations, in addition, each zone block is isolated from the body by rubber-cord pneumatic shock absorbers. In addition to reducing the overall noise of the nuclear submarine, this scheme makes it possible to reduce the impact of underwater explosions on equipment and crew. The boat has a developed vertical tail unit with a streamlined boule, which houses a towed antenna. The submarine is also equipped with two folding thrusters and retractable bow horizontal rudders with flaps. A special feature of the project is the smoothly coupled connection of the tail unit with the body. This is done to reduce hydrodynamic turbulence that creates noise.

Boat noise at 4-8 knots 90-110 dB per 1 Pa at a distance of 1 m

Power point

Energy supply is provided by a nuclear power plant. The lead boat, K-284 "Akula", is equipped with an OK-650M.01 pressurized water nuclear reactor. On later orders, the nuclear power plant has minor improvements. Some sources report that subsequent boats are equipped with OK-9VM type reactors. The thermal power of the reactor is 190 MW, the shaft power is 50,000 liters. With. Two auxiliary electric motors in the folding outboard columns have a power of 410 hp each. s., there is one diesel generator ASDG-1000.

Crew accommodation

Living conditions are somewhat improved compared to project 671RTMK "Pike". The entire crew is housed in the 2nd living compartment in cabins. In the remaining compartments, personnel stand watch and perform their official duties.

Armament

"Shchuka-B" is armed with a torpedo-missile system, including 4 torpedo tubes of 650 mm caliber and 4 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition is 40 units, including 12 650 mm caliber and 28 533 mm caliber.

The following 650 mm caliber ammunition can be used: 65-76 torpedoes, anti-submarine missile systems PLRK-6 “Vodopad” and PLRK-7 “Wind” with the ability to install a nuclear charge.

The 533 mm caliber devices are equipped with the Grinda torpedo preparation system and can use torpedoes, in particular deep-sea torpedoes UGST and electric homing torpedoes USET-80, missile-torpedoes (type APR-ZM), anti-submarine guided missiles (PLUR) model 83R, underwater missiles M5 Shkval, C-10 Granat nuclear-tipped cruise missiles designed to destroy aircraft carriers, are currently being developed into the Kalibr-PL complex. It is also possible to lay both conventional and self-transporting mines through torpedo tubes.

The weapon system used allows the Shchuka-B to fight submarines and surface ships, as well as hit ground targets with high-precision cruise missiles.

Modifications

Project 971 boats received the code name “Akula” in NATO countries. Later the project was improved several times:

Service history

In the same year, another “Pike-B” with a crew under the command of Captain 1st Rank A.V. Burilichev, while on combat service in the far reaches of the Atlantic, discovered a US Navy SSBN and secretly watched it go on combat patrol. After that campaign, the crew commander was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Comparative assessment

In June-July 2012, the submarine remained undetected by the US Navy in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks.

Some experts are skeptical about comparing Project 971 with fourth-generation boats, considering the performance estimates to be overestimated.

	"Los Angeles"	"Pike"	"Pike-B"	"Barracuda"	"Condor"	"Fin"	"Ruby"
Appearance
Years of construction	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Years of service	c	c	c	c	c	c-	c
Built	62	15	15	2	2	1	6
Displacement (t) surface underwater	6082 7177	6990 7250	8140 12770	5940 9600	6470 10400	5880 8500	2410 2607
Speed ​​(kt) surface underwater	17 30-35	11,6 31	11,6 33	19 35	19 35	11 33	15 25
Immersion depth (m) working ultimate	280 450	400 600	480 600	480 550	520 600	1000 1250	300

Reaction

Original text (English)

The Improved Akula SSN, which went to sea in 1990, soon revealed that the Soviets had surpassed the U.S. Navy in some areas of acoustic quieting--the Improved Akula was quieter than our newest attack submarines, the Improved LOS ANGELES class .

In the same speech, Polmar quoted the words of the Commander of US Naval Operations, Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda:

For the first time since we launched the Nautilus, a situation has arisen that the Russians have submarines at sea that are quieter than ours. As you know, low noise is the main quality for submarines.

Representatives

In total, the project planned to build 25 ships: 13 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and 12 in Severodvinsk. In 1983-1993, 20 submarines were laid down, of which 14 were completed (seven at each plant); 10 of them are part of the Russian Navy, on the last of them - K-335 "Geetah" the flag was raised on December 4, 2001 in the presence of the President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief V. Putin. Two submarines, Lynx and Cougar, were not completed, and the hulls were used in the construction of Project 955-955A, like the K-535 Yuri Dolgoruky and K-550 Alexander Nevsky; another one, K-152 Nerpa, was launched only in 2006 and was originally intended for leasing to India, as a result of which it had differences in the installed equipment. As of May 2011, the submarine was located in Bolshoy Kamen, where the Vostok plant is located. On April 4, 2012, the submarine was officially inducted into service with the Indian Navy at the Visakhapatnam base.

Table colors:
White - not completed or disposed of without being launched
Green - operating as part of the Russian Navy
Yellow - operating as part of foreign navies or as a civilian ship
Blue - is under repair or modernization
Red - written off, scrapped or lost

Plant named after Lenin Komsomol No. 199, Komsomolsk-on-Amur

Northern Machine-Building Enterprise No. 402, Severodvinsk

Current state

All completed boats of the project, except three, were in service until the early 2000s and were part of the Northern and Pacific fleets, based at Yagelnaya Bay (now Gadzhievo) (SF) and in the village of Rybachy (Pacific Fleet). As of the beginning of 2017, 4 submarines of the project are combat-ready; 3 - at the Northern Fleet and one - at the TF, the rest are under repair or conservation.

The lead boat of the project, K-284 "Akula", was excluded from the fleet's operational strength and has been laid up at the Pacific Fleet base in Pavlovsky Bay since at least 1996. The K-480 Ak Bars was withdrawn from the fleet in 1998 and was in long-term storage in Yagelnaya Bay. In 2007, K-480 was towed to the Zvezdochka shipyard for cutting into metal. Unfinished structures of Sevmash boats K-337 "Cougar" And K-333 "Lynx" were used in the construction of the strategic missile carrier "Yuri Dolgoruky" of Project 955 "Borey". Two of the four unfinished boats of the plant named after. Lenin Komsomol was canceled in the early stages of readiness, the third boat, K-152 Nerpa, was completed and on January 23, 2012 officially leased to the Indian Navy for $650 million for a period of 10 years. Interestingly, in the Indian Navy the Nerpa will be named Chakra. Previously, this name was borne by the Soviet nuclear submarine K-43 of project 670 "Scat", which was part of the Indian fleet on leasing terms in 1988-1992 and over the years became a good base for training Indian submariners: many sailors who served on the first "Chakra" subsequently occupied important positions in the country's navy, including eight who rose to the rank of admiral. The terms of the contract with India also provide for the completion and lease to the Indian side of the fourth of the unfinished boats in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the readiness of which as of 2002 was 42%.

Three boats: “Wolf”, “Tiger” and “Leopard” are patronized by the districts of Nizhny Novgorod.

In 2014, a deep modernization of nuclear submarines began at the Zvezdochka shipyard. The first modernized boats are K-328 "Leopard", K-461 "Wolf", K-391 "Bratsk" and K-295 "Samara". In total, it was planned to modernize 6 boats.

Accidents

On November 8, 2008, during tests in the Sea of ​​Japan, as a result of unauthorized activation of the LOX fire extinguishing system on board the K-152 Nerpa, 20 people died - 17 civilians and 3 military. Another 21 people were hospitalized (later another 20 people from civilian specialists sought help. There were 208 people on board the nuclear submarine at the time of the accident, 81 of them were military personnel. .

Notes

1. K-322, “Sperm Whale” Project 971
2. See K-152 "Nerpa"
3. Silent “Super Sharks” armed with “Calibers” Izvestia, April 28, 2017.
4. "Gepard" - the first nuclear submarine cruiser of the 21st century, Igor Lisochkin, shipbuilding.ru
5. Fedorov, Vyacheslav WEAPONS OF RUSSIA. "Cheetah": Underwater hunter. (undefined) . Fedorov Military Library (2000-2008). Retrieved March 13, 2008. Archived August 25, 2011.
6. “Panther” is being tested, Andrey Gavrilenko, “Red Star” (rosprom.gov.ru), 01/18/2007
7. Mikhailov, Andrey The “Silent Hunter” of the Deep turns 20 years old (undefined) (unavailable link). Rosprom. Federal Agency for Industry. 06/21/2004 (PRAVDA.Ru, 06/16/2004). Retrieved March 13, 2008. Archived January 29, 2012.
8. What is known about the character of noise created by submarines? Appendix 1 - The Future of Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces - by Eugene Miasnikov, Center for Arms Control, …
9. Yu. V. Apalkov “Submarines” vol.1 part 2, “Galeya Print”, St. Petersburg, 2002
10. Myasnikov, Victor Strategic missiles flew to China and Iran (undefined) . nvo.ng.ru(07/07/2006). Retrieved March 14, 2008. Archived January 29, 2012.

In the seas and oceans, the USSR Navy was required to take adequate steps at all times to eliminate the likely threat. It was necessary not only to maintain parity in nuclear submarines that carried nuclear missiles, but also to have effective means of countering strike formations of a potential enemy’s fleet. After a long search for an effective anti-submarine warfare weapon, it was decided to build Project 971 multi-purpose attack submarines.

The new ships were supposed to secretly conduct underwater reconnaissance, monitoring the movements of missile submarines of Western countries, and, if necessary, act proactively.

How the new Project 971 Shchuki nuclear submarines were created

It should be noted that the idea of ​​​​creating a submarine ship capable of effectively fighting the submarines of a potential enemy at sea appeared immediately after the entry into service of the American fleet of Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines. The submarines at the disposal of the Soviet fleet were not suitable for searching for enemy ships in the depths of the world's oceans. The main disadvantage of the second generation Soviet nuclear submarines was the high noise level of the underwater operation. This especially affected the combat effectiveness of Soviet nuclear submarines, which could no longer compete on equal terms with the 3rd generation submarines that appeared in foreign fleets.

Project 971 was a continuation of the practical implementation of the construction of titanium nuclear attack submarines of Project 945. The main goal of the project was to expand the scale of construction of cheaper multi-purpose submarines. The new project was based on the main components and assemblies of Project 945 submarines. Instead of a titanium hull, the new nuclear submarines were to have steel hulls of a similar shape, similar tactical and technical data, including autonomy and range. In terms of speed, diving depth and armament, Project 971 submarines should have had similar parameters. Particular emphasis in Project 971 was placed on significantly reducing the noise level of the boat. This factor was to play a key role in the subsequent operation of the new class of submarines.

The Project 971 submarine received the code "Pike-B", thereby repeating the glorious combat history of the "Pikes", medium-sized submarines of the Second World War. The design documentation provided for the construction of 3rd generation multi-purpose submarines in a large series, which were supposed to replace the obsolete Project 671 Shchuka-type boats in the fleet. The technical specifications for the new Shchuka appeared in the summer of 1976. A year later, the new submarine received its shape through the efforts of SKB-143 Malachite. This design bureau already had experience in building ocean-going submarines, so the “Gorky project” did not have to be adjusted to new factory conditions.

Only in 1980 were the final technical improvements completed and production documentation drawn up. In 1983, the first nuclear submarine of Project 971 was laid down, which received the formidable name “Shark”. The submarine was supposed to mark the beginning of a large series of multi-purpose submarines with improved seaworthiness and hydroacoustic characteristics.

Stages of construction of new nuclear submarines "Pike"

The situation that developed at sea in the mid-80s forced the country's top naval leadership to make every effort to increase the combat capability of the ocean-going submarine fleet. Tasks aimed at reducing noise levels and increasing the firepower of submarines formed the basis of the new project. The first submarine received serial number No. 501 and was laid down at the shipbuilding plant named after. Lenin Komsomol in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. In the summer of 1984, the ship was launched and entered service in the new year of 1985.

All subsequent ships of the new series, the Shchuka-B multipurpose submarines of Project 971, were simultaneously built at two shipyards in the country, in Komsomolsk on the Amur and at Sevmash in Severodvinsk. A total of 15 ships were launched, of which 8 became part of the Pacific Fleet, and the other 7 formed the strike core of the Northern Fleet.

The first ship of the series, the Akula submarine, showed unique results already on its first voyage. In terms of underwater noise, the Soviet submarine surpassed its direct competitor, the American Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.

For reference: The secret of the success of Soviet designers and shipbuilders was a new technique for processing propellers. For the first time, high-precision foreign equipment was used at shipyards involved in the construction of submarines - Japanese milling machines of the Toshiba brand. As a result, it was possible to significantly improve the quality of metalworking of the propeller blades of the submarine, which was reflected in the reduction in the noise level of the rotating propeller.

Project 971, according to the Western classification "Akula -II", became an unpleasant surprise for the American naval forces. From now on, American attack submarines and missile carriers could not freely sail near Soviet shores. Every movement of a potential enemy submarine was controlled by the new Soviet pikes.

At the government level, it was decided to give the new ships names similar to the names of Soviet cities. For example, the sixth nuclear submarine of the Shchuka-B type received the name Magadan after launching. However, three years later the submarine received a new name, K-331 Narwhal. The ship sailed with this name until January 2001.

All nuclear submarines of the Shchuka-B type commissioned in the Far East as part of the Pacific Fleet were named after the names of Russian cities. So, after the Akula boat, the lead ship of Project 971, the Far Eastern shipbuilders followed the Barnaul nuclear submarine and in 1989 the Bratsk nuclear submarine. Then it was the turn of the nuclear-powered icebreaker Magadan, which was launched in December 1990. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, already in 1992, the Kuzbass multi-purpose submarine entered service with the Pacific Fleet. Laid down in 1993 on a slipway in Komsomolsk on the Amur, the K-419 Samara submarine was already being completed to replace the Soviet era. The submarine entered service in July 1995.

The only ship that stood out among the group of new ships by its name was the K-322 Sperm Whale nuclear submarine, which entered service with the Pacific Fleet in 1988.

Having received the first real confirmation of the correctness of the chosen technical solutions as a result of the implementation of Project 971, the construction of submarines of the Shchuka-B type began actively at the Severodvinsk Machine-Building Enterprise. Sevmash became home to most Soviet nuclear-powered ships. The fate of the second series of Project 971 boats, assembled at the Sevmash shipyards and commissioned by the Northern Fleet, was no exception.

Design features of Project 971 nuclear submarines

Project 971 nuclear submarines were initially built as fighters of enemy submarine missile carriers, so powerful weapons were installed on the ships. In terms of combat potential, modern “Pikes” were significantly superior to all domestic analogues and were much stronger than foreign combat submarines of the same class.

Together with the Barracuda-class submarines, the new attack nuclear submarines were supposed to form the backbone of the USSR Navy to counter the potential enemy’s naval strike groups on the Northern and Eastern flanks. Using their high tactical and technical characteristics, stealth and greater autonomy, the new “Pikes” could be successfully used for special operations throughout the world’s oceans.

Nuclear submarines were to be armed with new Granat cruise missiles and a digital sonar system.

The main design features of Project 971 nuclear-powered ships were the complete automation of the main technological and combat processes. All control of the ship was concentrated in a single main command post. The automation system for ship processes and control made it possible to significantly reduce the crew on the Project 971 Pike. The warship was served by 73 sailors and officers, which is almost two times less than on the main multi-purpose nuclear submarine of the US Navy Los Angeles class. The living conditions of the personnel on the new ships have also improved, and the living conditions for the crew at sea for a long time have improved.

One of the innovative solutions applicable to the design of the ship is the organization of a rescue system for the ship’s crew in emergency situations. Boats of the Shchuka-B type were equipped with a pop-up rescue chamber designed for the entire crew (73 people).

Hull and power plant of the nuclear submarine "Pike"

The first nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 971, the Shchuka-B type, was a double-hulled ship. The main strong hull of the ship is steel, made of high-strength steel. The hull of the boat was divided into compartments in such a way that all combat posts and main control units of the ship were located in separate isolated areas. The interior of the boat had a frame, stacked structure with passages and decks. Due to the two-stage depreciation of each block, it was possible to achieve a significant reduction in production noise and reduce the acoustic signal emitted by working mechanisms and the crew. Each block in the ship was isolated from the pressure hull by pneumatic shock absorbers, creating a second level of vibration isolation.

For example, on the Northern Fleet submarine K-317 “Panther”, rubber shock absorbers and silicone gaskets were tested for the first time on the main operating mechanisms. As a result, the noise of the operating steam turbine unit of the nuclear reactor and electric motors decreased by 30-40%.

On all subsequent ships launched from the Sevmash slipways, parts and mechanisms made of synthetic materials were installed. The noise levels produced by Project 971 submarines of the Northern Fleet remain the lowest today.

During the construction of the boats, the technology of block assembly of the main ship structures was used. Installation of equipment was now carried out not in the cramped conditions of the boat hull, but directly on stands in the factory workshops. Upon completion of assembly, the unit was installed in the ship’s hull, after which it was connected to the main communications of the boat. Innovations introduced into the project, the presence of a rescue chamber for the crew and a hull made of high-strength steel led to an increase in the ship's displacement to 8 thousand tons.

For reference: the submarine's original design displacement was 6-7 thousand tons, but subsequent changes led to the weight of the ship when loaded.

The ship's propulsion system and energy supply system were based on the operation of one OK-650B nuclear reactor, which communicated with four steam generators. As a backup power unit, a single-shaft steam turbine was installed on the boat, which had a full backup set of mechanization for all processes. The total power of the power plant is 50 thousand hp. As a result, the nuclear-powered ship could develop a surface speed of 11 knots, and under water, at least 33 knots.

The seven-blade propeller with improved hydrodynamics was driven by two electric motors.

The backup power plant consisted of two DG-300 diesel engines, which provided power supply and propulsion of the ship in emergency situations. The supply of diesel fuel was designed for a 10-day voyage on backup engines.

Ship armament and navigation equipment

All the first boats in the series were produced with mine and torpedo armament and were equipped with RK-55 Granat missile systems. The torpedo armament consisted of 4 533 mm torpedo tubes and 4 650 mm caliber torpedo tubes. The main difference between the new class of submarines was the versatility of their weapons. The Granat missile system made it possible to fight all types of naval weapons. The mine and torpedo group was responsible for anti-submarine defense. Cruise missiles and rocket-torpedoes were launched through underwater torpedo tubes from any position of the ship.

Project 971 submarines “Wolf” and “Leopard”, which served in the Northern Fleet, like their counterparts in the Pacific Ocean, carried the new SKAT-KS sonar systems. Basic information was processed digitally. In addition to the SKAT sonar system, the new nuclear submarines were equipped with a unique system for detecting enemy ships by their wake.

Since the beginning of the 90s, new navigation equipment began to be installed on the Pike. The K-154 Tiger submarine has recently undergone modernization and is considered by Western experts to be a ship with increased stealth. The nuclear submarines Vepr and Samara are currently undergoing modernization of their propulsion systems and re-equipment with new hydroacoustic equipment. The ships are equipped with new navigation complexes “Medveditsa-971” and the space radio communication complex “Symphony”.

Today, all Project 971 ships in service in the Northern and Pacific Fleets are re-equipped with Caliber missile systems. Some of the boats have undergone modernization. The K-328 Leopard submarine, as well as the K-461 Volk nuclear-powered submarine, have undergone a radical modernization and are back in service. Nuclear-powered ships of a later production, the submarines K-335 “Gepard”, K-317, K-154 are considered today the main ships of the Northern Fleet.

Conclusion

The appearance of new Soviet nuclear submarines of the Shchuka-B type at sea came as a surprise to the fleets of Western countries. From that moment on, American submarines lost the ability to secretly conduct reconnaissance in the Northern Seas and the Pacific Ocean. The collapse of the Soviet Union prevented the massive construction and deployment of new nuclear-powered ships. However, despite their small numbers, first Soviet and then Russian Project 971 submarines continue to be the most powerful attack submarines of the Russian Navy today.

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Submarine Shch-139 and its crew

By the mid-30s of the 20th century, the Soviet Union made every effort to create a modern Navy capable of reliably covering the sea and ocean borders of the state. The lack of funds and the unpreparedness of the domestic industry to create a powerful surface fleet forced the leadership of the USSR to launch the massive construction of submarines in order to create a threat to the fleets of a potential enemy. The issue of defending ocean frontiers was especially pressing for the Far East, where we then had virtually no surface warships. In addition, there were no shipbuilding factories in the Far East. That is why it was decided to make submarines the basis of the combat power of the Pacific Fleet. New submarines were vigorously built at factories in Leningrad and Nizhny Novgorod, then they were disassembled by special trains and delivered to Vladivostok, where they were reassembled. The process is expensive and tedious, but there was simply no other way out. In total, in 1932–1940, 86 submarines of various designs were transported to the Pacific Ocean by trains. This was a truly titanic event, which, however, made it possible to create a powerful submarine fleet on the Far Eastern borders in a short time.

The submarines of the new X-series, which were being rapidly built in the mid-30s, absorbed all the best that Soviet ship designers had achieved by that time. The “pike”, which received the name Shch-315, also belonged to the new series. This submarine is the main character of our story, so let’s take a closer look at it.

The surface displacement of the new submarine was 592 tons, and the underwater displacement was 715 tons. With a length of 58 meters and a hull width of 6 meters, the “pike” had a draft of 4 meters - The armament of the Shch-315 included 3 45-mm guns, 4 bow and 2 stern torpedo tubes with a supply of 10 torpedoes and 2 machine guns to protect the boat from enemy aircraft. Maximum surface speed is 12 knots, underwater – 8 knots. The working depth of immersion is 75 meters, and the maximum depth is 90 meters. The estimated endurance at sea was 20 days. However, it was at this time that Pacific submariners on pikes began to significantly exceed the calculated standard by two and three times. The crew of the new submarine consisted of 37 people. In general, the new boat met the requirements of the time, although the speed left much to be desired.

The boat was laid down on December 17, 1934 at plant No. 112 "Krasnoe Sormovo" in Nizhny Novgorod under serial number 85 and was built mainly from parts manufactured at the Kolomensky Machine-Building Plant. On April 27, 1935, the new “pike” was launched. At first, the Shch-315, like many of its predecessors, was supposed to be sent in sections to the Far East, but then plans for the submarine changed. The fate of Shch-315 was decided differently.

On April 5, 1937 (according to other sources, in May 1937 or April 17, 1935), the submarine was launched. On December 5, 1937, the naval flag was raised on Shch-315, and she became part of the training division of submarines of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. The first commander of the boat was Senior Lieutenant V.A. Egorov.

On July 17, 1938, in connection with the introduction of new numbering of submarines in the Soviet fleet, Shch-315 received a new designation - Shch-423. By the beginning of 1939, the boat had successfully completed the entire combat training course and trained the crew.

At that time, intensive development of the Northern Sea Route was underway in order to possibly test the inter-theater transfer of ships. The first successes of end-to-end navigation along the Northern Sea Route in both directions led the Navy leadership to the idea of ​​transporting a submarine to the Far East in this way. Of course, there were certain doubts: would the boat reach it or would it be crushed by the ice? But the foreign policy situation dictated that it was imperative to test the possibility of such a faster and more effective method of transferring submarines to the Pacific Ocean. Shch-423 was chosen to carry out this risky mission. There was also a change of commander; instead of the departed V.A. Egorov, Shch-423 was taken over by Senior Lieutenant Keiserman.

On May 9, 1939, the submarine began its passage along the White Sea-Baltic Canal from the Baltic to the North and on June 21, 1939, became part of the Northern Fleet. Here, senior lieutenant Alexey Matveevich Bysgrov took command of the submarine. However, it was not possible to immediately begin preparations for the difficult transition through the Arctic seas. The war with Finland began, and Shch-423 was left in the warring Northern Fleet. Now she was part of the 3rd division of the Northern Fleet submarine brigade.

Information varies about the participation of Shch-423 in the war. According to some sources, the boat was under repair, so it did not take part in hostilities; according to others, Shch-423 nevertheless went out on a combat mission and patrolled off the coast of Norway, between the port of Varde and Cape Nordkin, however, to no avail, since the Finnish ships never appeared in this area.

On May 20, 1940, immediately after the end of hostilities in Finland, a resolution was adopted by the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on the transfer of one submarine of the Northern Fleet to the Pacific Ocean via the Northern Sea Route, which had never been carried out before. The choice of the commander of the Northern Fleet, Rear Admiral Drozd, fell on the Shch-423. This was no accident. The friendly and united crew of Shch-423 had extensive experience of sailing in the icy Barents Sea in difficult weather conditions and in ice. The young commander of the ship, Senior Lieutenant A. Bystroe, controlled it competently and confidently. The entire personnel consisted of Komsomol members and communists. The military commissar was senior political instructor V. Moiseev, and the mechanical engineer was military technician 1st rank G. Soloviev. The submariners understood the difficulties and risks of the upcoming voyage, but were proud of the responsible task. The command did not “strengthen the crew” with experienced specialists from other ships, breaking the existing connections and relationships, which, of course, had a positive effect on the mood of the people. No one needed to be reminded about responsibility, the quality of inspection and repair of mechanisms and devices.

Since May 25, the sailors, together with the workers of the Murmansk shipyard, have been working 14–16 hours a day to complete the work planned on time and thoroughly. The work to prepare the boat for the difficult voyage was led by naval engineer A. I. Dubravin, while the preparation of Shch-423 was supervised by the commander of the Northern Fleet, Rear Admiral V. P. Drozd, who visited the submarine several times, delving into all the details.

Military engineer 2nd rank A. Dubravin, appointed engineer of the special purpose expedition (EON-10), provided great practical assistance to the submariners. The design solutions he proposed for additional protection of the hull, rudders and propellers were accepted and tested in the Arctic ice. The hull of the Shch-423 was sheathed with a mixed wood-metal “fur coat” 150–200 mm thick, the bow horizontal rudders were removed, and instead of the standard stern ones, removable ones were installed on a shortened stock, which made it possible, if necessary, to remove and install them without docking. The bronze propellers were replaced with steel ones of smaller diameter, with replaceable blades. Instead of breakwater shields, specially made ones were installed at the upper bow and stern torpedo tubes, which could be easily and quickly removed by ship's means. At the end of the work, the upper torpedo tubes were shot with torpedo blanks, making sure that they could be used if there was a “fur coat”.

Considering the complexity of ice navigation, poor knowledge of some areas along the passage route, and the need for knowledge of the Pacific theater at the final stage, during the Arctic voyage the crew of Shch-423 was led by an experienced submariner, Captain 3rd Rank I. Zaidulin, and Senior Lieutenant A. Bystroe became his backup . The fate of Izmail Matigulovich, naval and human, still awaits its researchers.

From the memoirs of I. M. Zaidulin’s nephew, retired captain 1st rank I. Chefonov: “There is disappointingly little reliable information and archival documents about I. M. Zaidulins. A Tatar by nationality, a native of Adjara forever connected his life with the sea, with the navy, in 1922 he entered the school named after M. V. Frunze. He knew both the submarine and surface fleets. After college, he commanded torpedo and patrol boats, was a signalman on the destroyer Frunze, and then went through all the ranks, from navigator to commander on submarines. Simple and dignified in communication, he was an excellent storyteller, possessed an apt and sharp word, spoke about everything directly, even when it could affect his service and, apparently, it did. I think that as a submariner he can be fully characterized by the fact that before 1940 he commanded four types of submarines - “M”, “Shch”, “L” and “D”. In 1936, while commanding the Shch-123, he more than three times exceeded the established standard for autonomous navigation for this type of ship, for which the entire crew was awarded orders, and Zaidulin was awarded the Order of the Red Star. But tragic years followed for the command staff of the Red Army and Navy. Together with the commander of the 5th naval brigade, G. Kholostyakov, some submarine commanders were also arrested. But even that unjust court was forced to admit that they were not guilty of sabotage, espionage, terrorism and treason, that “Buk, Zaidulin, Bauman and Ivanovsky were not guilty of sabotage, but only committed official negligence... Sabotage in swimming in ice is false , since now all brigades swim like this. We were just the first...” After the release of Izmail Matigulovich, who had not lost faith in justice and the triumph of truth, in October 1939 he was appointed acting commander of the submarine D-2 of the Northern Fleet and only a little over 7 months later he was confirmed in this position. Perhaps these events influenced the fact that none of the submariners were awarded for the historical campaign of 1940. Zaidulin in a short time gained the authority of a competent, decisive and courageous commander and, like no one else, was suitable for this difficult transition.”

On July 22–24, in Motovsky Bay, all mechanisms and devices of the Shch-423 submarine were tested, controllability in the underwater (at a depth of 45 meters) and surface positions, stability, and maneuverability were checked, which turned out to be quite satisfactory. After completing the training, the crew was given a three-day rest. August 5, 1940 arrived. The ship arrived to see off Rear Admiral Drozd, who had just been removed from the post of commander of the Northern Fleet, and Rear Admiral Golovko, who had been newly appointed to this post. At 13:15 the boat departed from the Polyarny pier. The ice trek has begun.

The Barents Sea met the submariners inhospitably - it was stormy, and at times the boat found itself in stripes of thick fog. The difficult situation immediately demanded maximum attention from people in maintaining the mechanisms and controlling the ship. During this part of the journey, the submarine repeatedly sank and surfaced - it was necessary to maintain the crew's scuba diving skills while traveling through the ice.

According to ice reconnaissance data, there was compacted ice in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea, and therefore the “pike” went through the Matochkin Shar Strait, where it met with the icebreaker “Lenin” (since 1965 “Vladimir Ilyich”) and the transport “L Serov”, also included in EON-10. The ships carried 250 tons of various cargo and fuel for the expedition, including in case of forced wintering. On "L. Serov" also housed an emergency repair party headed by junior military technician N. Fedorov. Here, the stern horizontal rudders were removed from the submarine, which required 12–16 hours to install in place if diving was necessary.

The expedition was headed by military engineer 1st rank I. Sendik, who knew the Northern Theater well. To study the conditions of navigation in the Arctic seas, analyze and generalize his experience, a teacher of the naval academy, captain 1st rank E. Shwede, later a professor, doctor of naval sciences, and a student of the naval academy, captain-lieutenant M. Bibeev, were on the ships of the detachment.

In the Kara Sea, submariners received baptism on ice. On August 12, the ice conditions became more difficult to 8–9 points. I even had to stop moving. When forcing coarse ice, the roll sometimes reached 7–8°, and the trim up to 5–6°. For many hours on the bridge, open to the wind that burned their faces, the commanders had to carry out their difficult watch. It was impossible to turn away or hide from it - it was necessary to carefully monitor the maneuvers of the icebreaker, avoid dangerous approach to it, fit into its wake, avoid ice floes suddenly appearing from under the stern of the icebreaker, so that they would not fall under the submarine’s propellers . In such an environment, the skill of the commanders and the coherence of the actions of motorists who quickly worked out engine telegraph commands were tested. During the inspection on Dikson, there were no special comments on the submarine, which is the main indicator of its skillful control in the ice. But the transport was found to have a broken propeller blade.

We continued moving east on August 17 - first through clear water on our own, and from Tyrtov Island through the Vilkitsky Strait under the escort of icebreakers we entered the Laptev Sea. On this section of the route the ice thickness already reached 3–4 meters. During compression, ice blocks crawled onto the hull of the submarine, creating a roll of up to 10°. All the sailors off duty cleared the narrow, icy deck more than once and each time emerged victorious in the fight against the icy elements. The low temperature of the air and sea water, high humidity in the compartments worsened the living conditions on the ship and required a lot of physical effort from the sailors, but here they found a way out - from the ice cutter "F. Litka" supplied heating steam through a hose and dried all the compartments.

In this difficult situation, the Serov transport lost 2 more propeller blades. We had to reload the expedition's property in Tiksi Bay onto the Volga motor ship, which then proceeded as part of the EON. On August 31, the flight was continued.

The New Siberian Islands are left behind, and the boat is already in the East Siberian Sea. After the Bear Islands, the heavy multi-year ice became more and more compact, reaching 9–10 points. We had to use the help of the icebreaker Admiral Lazarev. A particularly difficult situation developed between capes Shelagsky and Billings. In some areas, the icebreakers escorted the submarine and the Volga one by one in a short tug. But these obstacles were overcome, and the “pike” entered the Chukchi Sea through the Long Strait. The experience of the path traveled in ice had an effect - the commanders were better oriented in the ice conditions, carried out maneuvers in a timely manner, and acted more in coordination with the captains of the icebreakers. Soon the EON-10 ships reached the Bering Strait. The personnel of Shch-423 were lined up on the deck, shots were fired from its cannons - a salute in honor of the conquest of the Arctic.

At the new theater, the northerners were met by a detachment of submarines of the Pacific Fleet under the command of Captain 2nd Rank F. Pavlov: L-7, L-8 and L-17. By the way, in 1938–1939 the L-7 was commanded by I. Zaidulin... And such a meeting with the mother ship! Beyond Cape Dezhnev, Shch-423 again had to pass a serious test of seamanship - the ship was caught in a severe storm. The list reached 46, sometimes the wave completely covered the wheelhouse, but both people and equipment passed the test. On September 9, the expedition arrived in Provideniya Bay, completing the passage along the Northern Sea Route.

The personnel were given rest, the sailors finally washed themselves in the bathhouse. The boat had stern horizontal rudders installed, it was marked and trimmed, and it sailed one mile at periscope depth. On the seventh day they went to sea. The hike continued. After calling at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and a short rest, Shch-423 entered the Sea of ​​Okhotsk through the 1st Kuril Strait. Soon the submariners were warmly welcomed in Sovetskaya Gavan.

Finally, the last section of the route was completed, and on October 17, 1940, at 7 hours 59 minutes, Shch-423 dropped anchor in Zolotoy Rog Bay in Vladivostok. The task of the Motherland was completed with honor. Behind the stern there were eight seas and two oceans, 7227 miles, of which 681 were covered in ice conditions. An evening dedicated to this heroic transition took place at the Saratov floating base. Ahead was service in the Pacific Fleet. From now on, Shch-423 forever entered the annals of the history of the Russian fleet. Subsequently, based on the results of the transition, it was decided to transfer the cruising boats K-21, K-22 and K-23 from Leningrad to the Pacific Ocean in this way, but the Great Patriotic War prevented this, and the Katyushas were left to fight in the north.

The Pacific Fleet command congratulated the crew on the completion of this historic voyage. The People's Commissar of the Navy expressed gratitude to the entire crew of the ship and awarded the participants of the campaign with the “Excellence in the RKKF” badge. There is information that Captain 2nd Rank Zaidulin was allegedly nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, then they changed their minds and were awarded... the same badge “Excellence in the RKKF.”

How did the fates of the participants in this legendary crossing develop in the future? Captain 2nd rank I. Zaidulin served in a submarine brigade during the Great Patriotic War, was a senior naval commander in Gelendzhik and commander of the OVR of the Kerch naval base. In 1943, he became the chief of staff of the training division of submarines of the Northern Fleet, preparing commanders for sailing and combat activities in the difficult conditions of the Arctic. It was not for nothing that the famous submariner, Hero of the Soviet Union I. Fisanovich considered him an older friend and mentor. In 1943–1944. Zaidulin is already in the Red Banner Baltic Fleet - first in the underwater diving department, and then in the OVR. During the landing operation in the Vyborg Bay, a covering detachment under his command sank 3 enemy ships “... with very limited forces and especially fire weapons in conditions of strong artillery opposition from enemy ships and coastal batteries. Personally, Comrade Zaidulin himself showed himself in this combat operation as an experienced and brave naval officer...” On August 26, he tragically died at sea on a boat mistakenly attacked by our aircraft, without ever learning that he had been awarded the rank of captain 1st rank and awarded the order Patriotic War 1st degree. The same order of the 2nd degree was also posthumously awarded to Lieutenant Commander A. Bystrov, who died a heroic death in the Black Sea Fleet. Captain 3rd rank M. Bibeev died on the Red Banner Guards submarine D-3 of the Northern Fleet, and on minesweeper No. 118 in the Kara Sea, petty officer 2nd class N. Nesterenko died.

But let's return to Shch-423. Upon arrival in the Far East, Shch-423 became part of the 33rd Division of the 3rd Submarine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, based in Nakhodka.

On the day the Great Patriotic War began, June 22, 1941, Shch-423 was transferred to the 8th Division of the 3rd Submarine Brigade of the North Pacific Flotilla of the Pacific Fleet, based at Sovetskaya Gavan. And on April 17, 1942, the submarine once again changed its name. From now on it became known as Shch-139.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Pacific Fleet was considered a rear fleet, since it did not conduct combat operations. However, he suffered losses. In 1942, one after another, two “babies” disappeared without a trace during trips to sea. Presumably, both ended up on our own defensive minefields. Then a new tragedy. On July 18, 1942, a powerful explosion occurred on the Shch-138 stationed in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur. It was caused by the detonation of the charging compartments of spare torpedoes in the 2nd compartment. The ship sank instantly, taking with it the lives of 35 crew members.

The Shch-118 on the adjacent side was also damaged. Suspicion that sabotage had occurred on the submarine intensified after it was found out that the assistant commander of the boat, Lieutenant P. S. Egorov, who was on the shore at the time of the explosion, committed suicide. This gave reason to believe that it was he who committed sabotage and blew up the submarine. On September 29, the “pike” was raised with the help of the rescue ship “Telman”, but, taking into account the large volume of destruction, it was not restored.

On August 31, 1943, during night torpedo firing in the Gulf of America, due to a gross violation of navigation rules by the commander of the Shch-128, his boat rammed the side of the Shch-130, which sank at a depth of 36 meters. Three days later, she was picked up by the rescue ship Nakhodka. The personnel, with the exception of two killed in the collision, miraculously remained intact. The ship was repaired and put into operation in less than six months.

By the beginning of 1945, Shch-139 was part of the 2nd separate division of submarines of the Pacific Fleet and was based at the Vladimir-Oltan naval base. The division was commanded at that moment by not just anyone, but one of the most legendary submariners of the Soviet Union, Captain 1st Rank A.V. Tripolsky. Tripolsky's name thundered throughout the country back in 1940, when he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his military deeds during the Soviet-Finnish War. During the Great Patriotic War, Tripolsky's experience was used to the fullest. In 1942, it was he who commanded the difficult transition of a detachment of Pacific submarines across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans to the Northern Fleet. Our submariners had never made such ocean crossings before. Then Tripolsky was entrusted with another, no less responsible mission. He supervised the acceptance and passage from England to Polyarny of the B-type submarines handed over to us by the British, and after that he successfully commanded a division of these boats, personally going on military campaigns and sinking enemy ships.

In the spring of 1945, it was no coincidence that Captain 1st Rank Tripolsky again found himself in the Pacific Fleet, as commander of a pike division. There was simply no other second submariner with such vast ocean experience in our fleet at that time. Who, if not Tripolsky, should take our submarines out into the ocean to fight the Japanese fleet!

The chief of staff of the 2nd separate division was a “native Pacific” and experienced submariner, captain 2nd rank M.I. Kislov. Shch-139 itself was commanded by that time by Lieutenant Commander I. A. Pridatko. But things on one of the most famous boats of the Pacific Fleet were no longer as brilliant as when they served, as they say, “carelessly.”

From the testimony of the former division commander, Captain 2nd Rank Mironov: “Before Pridatko’s arrival, Shch-319 was one of the best boats in the division, the personnel were united, the discipline on the ship was quite satisfactory, the service organization was good. With the arrival of Pridatko, the discipline and organization of service on the ship noticeably deteriorated. The personnel and officers were opposed to him. He did not conduct educational work with personnel. By his activities on the shore, he undermined the authority of the officer - he sent personnel to collective farms “to earn money for the commander.” He himself went with his subordinates to work on collective farms. When dividing the earnings, he argued with the staff and almost got into fights. Spread gossip about higher commanders. He did not enjoy authority among the personnel and officers of either his own boat or other submarines. Pridatko’s personal discipline was low; in 1944 he had 8 disciplinary sanctions, and many offenses were limited to verbal instructions and instructions. Basically, all penalties were for poor organization on the ship. The ship was kept dirty, there was no struggle to keep the ship clean.”

From a special report from the special department of the NKVD for the Pacific Fleet: “The ship had serious deficiencies in the maintenance of the equipment, especially the engine and hold groups, as well as torpedo and artillery weapons. Precise equipment was not wiped with alcohol for 5-6 months, at the same time, when alcohol was supplied to the boat for these purposes, Pridatko used it for other purposes. The stern horizontal rudders were jammed by 15 degrees, as a result of which there were repeated cases of unacceptable trim of the submarine up to 30 degrees, which helped lead to the death of the ship. Knowing this, Pridatko did not take any measures to eliminate the defects.

Witness Korneev testified on this issue: “I once remember an incident where commander Pridatko did not dispense alcohol for wiping batteries for a month and a half. Sergeant Major Samarin was forced to write this down in the battery log. When checked by divisional specialists, it was established that the commander used alcohol on the submarine for other purposes.”

While in the next dock repair in December, Pridatko, despite the demands of the commander of the BC-1, senior lieutenant Cheremisin, for a thorough check of the acoustic equipment installed by Svyazmortrest, did not provide a thorough check of the installation, in a hurry to leave for his family in Rakushka Bay. Subsequently, it turned out that Svyazmortrest had installed faulty acoustic equipment; the acoustic readings were incorrect, which was one of the reasons for the collision of a submarine with a boat during an exercise in 1944.

In March 1944, due to the fault of Pridatko, a collision occurred with a MO boat, as a result of which the boat and boat were out of action for a long time, and material damage to the state was determined in the amount of 100,000 rubles.

In October 1944, Pridatko, having invited specialists from plant No. 202, foreman Silchenko, builder Dorenko and senior foreman Morozov, to the boat, organized group drunkenness in the battery compartment of the boat. While drinking, they smoked and burned matches, which could also lead to the death of the ship.

Witness Silchenko on this issue testified: “When we entered the boat, we went to the 3rd compartment and sat down to eat. Appendage brought a can of alcohol and poured us a mug of alcohol, 300 grams each. Then we diluted the alcohol and drank it. Soon Pridatko poured us two more mugs. While drinking, Pridatko gave me a pack of cigarettes, then took out a second pack and began to treat us. I, as well as the mechanic Uvarov, noticed to Pridatko that smoking was not allowed on the boat, to which Pridatko stated: “Who is the boss here? Since I allow it, smoke.” The mechanic then ventilated the boat.

Pridatko lit matches and gave us a light. I, Pridatko, Dorenko and the paramedic smoked. The drinking went on for about four hours, Pridatko got drunk to the point of insensibility.”

On December 3, 1944, on a submerged ship, as a result of a short circuit due to an insulation failure, a fire broke out in the battery compartment, which could have led to the death of the ship, only due to the fact that the fire was quickly detected and extinguished, the death of the ship was prevented. During the investigation of this fact, it was established that the insulation failure occurred as a result of the fact that the battery batteries were poorly secured, were loose, and the insulating rubber elbow touched the battery body. Pridatko, as a commander, knowing about this, did not take measures to eliminate it. The fire was also caused by a systematic leak of diesel fuel from the pipelines in the area of ​​the 3rd compartment. To eliminate the leak, 144 square meters were required. cm plantar skin. Moreover, despite repeated requests from the boat’s electricians, no measures were taken to eliminate this serious malfunction for a year. They went to sea with a faulty pipeline system, hanging a can of canned meat in the place where the diesel fuel leaked. Pridatko hid the incident of the fire from the command and did not submit an emergency report about the emergency.

During the investigation on this issue, Pridatko testified: “I did not submit an extraordinary report, so as not to show on the boat and the division an extra case of an emergency.”

Regarding the issue of the fire, witness Panarin testified: “When the fire broke out, things began to be transferred from the 3rd compartment to us in the 4th, and we began to transfer them to the 5th compartment. The fire lasted for 10–15 minutes. There was a lot of smoke, especially in the central control room, and the smoke spread to other compartments. After extinguishing the fire, they surfaced and ventilated the submarine. I personally know that diesel fuel was leaking from the solar line and the 3rd compartment, and a tin can of canned meat was placed under the drops of diesel fuel, approximately in the area of ​​the 33rd frame, i.e. in the immediate vicinity of the battery.”

Before Pridatko took command of the ship, Shch-319 was one of the best in the division. During his command, Pridatko ruined the discipline and organization of service on the ship, drank drunk, violated disciplinary practices, and used the ship's personnel in a number of cases for personal purposes, putting personal interests above state ones.

Witness Patskov testified on this issue: “Pridatko placed personal affairs above official ones and many times removed the personnel from boat work and ordered them to carry firewood to the apartment and saw it. I personally repeatedly had to carry and cut firewood in Pridatko’s apartment. In addition, in the spring of 1944, Pridatko ordered me, Pechenitsyn, Klyuev, Morozov and others to dig a garden for him with uprooting. The personnel did not want to serve under the command of Pridatko and expressed a desire to decommission from Shch-319. Pridatko often drank on the ship, I remember an incident in October 1944 at plant No. 202. Pridatko invited Dalzavol workers into the 3rd compartment, they drank, got drunk to the point of insensibility, smoked, burned matches and became rowdy. By this Pridatko lost his authority among the personnel."

Needless to say, the commander of Shch-319 looks like an unlikable person. Any weak and poorly prepared ship commander is a huge shortcoming of his direct superiors. Of course, after all, expensive equipment and military weapons fall into the hands of a random person, the fate of dozens of people depends on it! In such a situation, which developed by the spring of 1945 on the Shch-319, something had to happen, and it did.

RED Banner SUBMARINE "S-13" (submarine type "S" (ix-BIS S.) 31 units of submarines of this series were manufactured. S-13 was laid down on November 19, 1938. Launched on April 25, 1939. Included in the Baltic Fleet entered on July 31, 1941. During the Great Patriotic War, submarine crews completed 4