Russian Nuclear Sub photos

[spruso]

Came accross this link to what look like Russian nuke subs still in service. Check the condition:eek::eek::eek:
Bruce

http://community.livejournal.com/ru_submarine/17486.html

[steve roberts]

Hi Bruce.Thanks for the link.Having had a look through it,I personally would not go aboard it,let alone even consider going to sea and diving in it!!!!.I know the Russian Navy is hard pressed for cash,but I thought the Typhoon class were their flag ships.This one should be renamed "Rustolian":(.Cheers Steve.

[BattleshipEnthusiest]

I must agree with Steve, this is discraeful, that any ship or boat would be allowed to fall into such disrepair. if this is the codition of their whole fleet, then its a wonder that an accident doesn't happen every time it puts to sea.:(

Bship

[John Odom]

This is so SAD, for any ship, even an enemy's!

[Don Boyer]

Wish we had a Russian language forum member who could give more scoop on these photos. I think they are of two separates ships, one "operational" (at least at the time the photos were taken) and one due for scrapping.

The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (the "affordable Jane's," if just barely) pp. 601 -602 indicates only TK 208, 17 and 20 in service in 2007, and one and possibly two of these are undergoing refit. The rest have been scrapped starting in 1990 (six).

I'm wondering if this set of photos combines an active unit (the "clean photos") with those of one that was on the disposal list. Even my old friends the Soviets in the bad old days would NOT deploy a major SSBN in that condition. Think of the cost of the 20 missiles on board -- in an economy like the USSR had in it's dying days? Just does not seem reasonable. I mean the Soviets were famous for considering humans as cannon fodder, but not major missile systems!

[steve roberts]

Hi Don.When you click on the link,it should at the top right hand side give you a translation option.It might take a couple of minutes to down load,but believe me it does work...Regards Steve.

[Scratcher]

I agree with Don about the two sets of photo's,the rust bucket must be on the disposal list,no Submariner in his right mind would go to sea in that.I know I wouldn't.

Peter.

[designeraccd]

There isn't enough VODKA in all of Mother Russia to get me into that rustbucket! Good grief!!! :eek: DFO

[Don Boyer]

Steve: Thanks for the tip. I'll try that one a bit later.

Still, like was said, not enough vodka in the world to get me on that old rust bucket, even for a visit.

Those ships...battleship-sized missile boats -- epitomize the Soviet collapse...huge, technologically competent to a point, yet absolutely rotten to the core when it came to maintaining them because there was no money or infrastructure worth the name. Sort of like the Soviet system of Communism which was about as far from what Marx and Engels (none too bright themselves) had in mind as one could get. As phony as all those statues of the triumph of the workers that dotted Mother Russia back in the day.

[pete o probe]

I think you will find these boats are for the breakers yard. They will broken up with the help of American cash. I saw my first Typhoon in 1987 whilst serving on the kipper fleet [Nimrods]. I remember all on board being stunned to silence by the sheer size.

[sourdough]

I worked in the oldest operating natural gas plant in the world back in the early 80s and that sub looks much worse than that plant did. (no longer around).
They would have to drug me and put me in a straight jacket to get me to go to sea in that sub and then I would be kicking and screaming the whole way!
I have seen 50 year old fishing boats that looked better than that. Not all of them though!:eek:
Jim

[Don Boyer]

The amazing thing to me, sourdough, is that those are NOT fifty year old ships that have been sitting in reserve somewhere..they are not that old at all, comparatively. I've been on a rust bucket in one of the reserve yards, and they didn't look that bad even though they'd been in storage since the 70s.

Scary. And this was the "Evil Empire" at its best, supposedly.

Regards,

[steve roberts]

Hi Don.Yes it looks like an effort to impress by size and numbers.I read some where that during one of the verification of disarmament visits,the NATO forces to their amazement found that half the Russian missile silo's had been unused for years and were partially flooded!...Regards Steve.:rolleyes:

[r.morrison]

Well, this just confirms what we observe on google earth, submarine pens filled with inactive steel for very long periods. If they are not actually run aground on nearby shorelines !

It is quite shocking to think that any sailor, even a poor russian one, would be obliged to dive in a rustbucket of this type !

Last but not least, the boat is crammed full of real live ICBMs and in what state is her power plant?

Beware all the same, Russia may be using such reports to spread disinformation about her real state of readiness, they are past masters in this field.

"Think about it..............."

[steve roberts]

Hi Cavalry man.One of the pictures is of the reactor control panel,and having served in British nuclear subs,it is easy to see by the number of red lights on the panel that both reactors are shut down.Also there is a photo taken through a reactor compartment view port.Based on what is visible,it is far too cramped with machinery and pipes and looks in pretty bad condition.They are not well known for reactor safety,but even so you would not find me entering that reactor space without a lead suit on!!!!Even with the reactors shut down,I wonder what the radiation levels are like? Regards Steve.

[Marek T]

I have some troubles with that page, but I managed to read a little.

The photos were taken in 2004. There were six boats of that class (Projekt 941 / AKULA, or Typhoon in NATO code). The photographer wrote that by that time only 3 boats remained in Russian Navy, in reserve. According to Gorbachev-Reagan agreement the controls of ballistic missiles system and the missiles themselves were taken off the boats.
Among the comments we can read that there were skeleton crews to keep the other systems operational.
In another comment the author wrote in September 2009 that the boat is already BU.

There are some other interesting comments:

2009-06-06 12:41 pm UTC
One more Ex Submariner chiming in (STS2/SS). AMAZING how absolutely massive Typhoon was. Too bad it wasn't as quiet as it was big.

2010-03-08 06:15 pm UTC
I'm ex-US Air Force and have a friend here in Taiwan that was US Navy tracking these things up in Alaska back during the 1980s. Amazing to see the interior of this sub. You can see a very sturdy, well built machine that was designed to deliver the unthinkable. Yes. A swimming pool and a large gymnasium fitted to each of these. Wow! While this boat looks a bit rough now, I bet it was quite a TIGER when it was on-line as a combat unit. There is a picture of what appears to be an ACTIVE Typhoon class sitting to port of this one. {The interior shots tell me this boat is decommissioned. I have a hunch it is, look at all the rust, etc. He's {Not a "She" in Russian Maritime vernacular} awaiting de-construction and scrapping as the only panel I noticed active is appears to be the reactor core areas?}
Amazing pictures and my sincere respect to my Russian friends!
Cheers from Taiwan
An Ex-USAF Guy

[r.morrison]

Thanks, Steve for the information.

The TYPHOON was an impressive boat, once again it's such a shame it should end up in such a state. It would have been better to have scrapped it discretely rather than opening it up to the public.