Some Details on Russian Navy Latest Submarine: The Project 885M Yasen-M K-561 Kazan

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Naval Forces News - Russia
 
 
 
Some Details on Russian Navy Latest Submarine: The Project 885M Yasen-M K-561 Kazan
 
The Project 885M Yasen-M-class (NATO reporting name: Severodvinsk-class) Kazan nuclear-powered attack submarine is shorter than the lead ship in the class, the Severodvinsk, and furnished with cutting-edge equipment and weapons, according to the Izvestia daily. The sophisticated nuclear-powered Kazan is several meters shorter than the lead ship. The Russian Navy operates a single Project 885 sub, the Severodvinsk, at present. The Kazan launched in March this year has been redesigned completely.
     
Some Details on Russian Navy Latest Submarine: The Project 885M Yasen-M K-561 KazanLaunch of the first project 885M Yasen-M-class submarine K-561 Kazan (TASS picture via bmpd.livejournal.com).
     
It has advanced radio electronic gear and a power plant, and many of its units and assemblies are automated. This allowed a hefty crew reduction.

The Navy has told Izvestia that the Kazan is a Project 885M derivative of the Project 885 baseline model, from which it differs in more sophisticated radio electronics and means of automation that allowed its hull to be truncated by 10 m (the crew accommodation by 4 m).

The Kazan has been launched and the preparations for starting its nuclear reactor are in full swing. Once this is done, its dockside and running tests will be kicked off. The ship is slated for commissioning by the Navy next year.

The Project 885 class is the Russian Navy’s quietest and most formidable one. Presumably, it has a far bigger price tag that the one carried by the Project 955 Borei (Dolgorukiy) class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN).

Western analysts often compare the Yasen class with the US-built Seawolf class in terms of characteristics. There had been only three Seawolf boats built before the program was discontinued for financial considerations.
     
Some Details on Russian Navy Latest Submarine: The Project 885M Yasen-M K-561 KazanPossible image of Prokect 885M Yasen-M-class submarine K-561 Kazan during fitting out. Our colleagues from Covert Shores cast some doubt over the fact this is actually Kazan. Picture via Covert Shores.
     

The Project 885 class uses a combined hull design, with the light hull covering only the bow section of the pressure hull to reduce noise. The hull is made of high-strength low-magnetic steel enabling the Kazan to dive below 600 m deep.

It has its torpedo tubes aft of the sail, rather than at the bow for the first time in the history of Russia’s shipbuilding. The solution allowed fitting the bow with the antenna of an advanced sonar. Eight versatile vertical launcher systems (VLS) accommodate advanced Russian-made Kalibr (SS-N-27 Sizzler) and Oniks (SS-N-26 Strobile) sea-launched cruise missiles.

Expert Mikhail Barabanov has told Izvestia that the shipbuilders cut the length of the Kazan’s hull by altering her layout and, possibly, modifying her power plant.

"The requirements specification for the Project 885 nuclear-powered submarines dates back as far as the 1980s," Barabanov explained. "The Severodvinsk turned out to be big indeed. It measures 140 m long and displaces more than 14,000 tons. Therefore, the Project 885M design was modified to tailor it to new missions, with the submarine retaining its combat capabilities. This is a rather popular approach in shipbuilding. For instance, when the construction of the Project 945 [Sierra] and Project 971 [Akula] series commenced, the Navy and shipbuilders began to introduce modifications at once."

For now, the Russian Navy operates a single Project 885 submarine, the Severodvinsk. The Kazan shall be the second one in the family. Four more - the Arkhangelsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Perm - are in various stages of completion in the shops of the Sevmash Shipyard. The seventh ship in the class, the Ulyanovsk, will be laid down this summer. All of the submarines will feature the improved design, according to the Izvestia daily.

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