Press-tour at Northern Fleet is over

04.04.2011 The press-tour has been finished at Northern Fleet (NF). Reporters of leading Russian news agencies and TV channels had an opportunity to visit ships and coastal units. During recent days they could see with their own eyes daily life of naval aviation, marine units, and surface ships. The closing event was visit to the heart of NF Submarine Force – Gadzhievo Base.

Lately, submarine issues are in focus of media's scrutiny. Not only because Russian Submarine Force turned 105 earlier this year. After years of standstill, new subs and arms are going to join the Navy. Those were the matters journalists were mostly interested in.

Igor Mukhametshin, Red Banner Submarine Force Commander said: "We're going to receive strategic and attack submarines of new generation to be commissioned into NF this year. This will substantially strengthen the fleet's combat might".

No demonstrative activities were shown to reporters. They were simply put in the middle of submariners' routine which is daily drills at various training facilities.

Fire is one of the most serious problems happen to a submarine. Even slight fire outbreak is a source of mortal danger. Numerous tragedies in submarine fleet's history were just because of onboard fire. Newsmen had a chance to see how difficult the space-limited firefighting is. Submariners simulated an accident when every second is at stake.

However, sailors practice not only firefighting activities. They also exercise how to deal with water entry. All those things are called damage control. Submariners say manual on damage control has been written by blood. Every passage, every word has been proved by salvage experience of numerous crews. This year 31st Submarine Division will celebrate its 50th jubilee. Group of reporters boarded one of its submarines. SSBN Karelia is a sub entered the biography of Vladimir Putin. In 2000 he sailed the sea in that submarine.

Commanding officer of SSBN Karelia Alexander Khramov said "Putin spent quite long period here and even had to overnight. Neither phone calls nor global problems pestered him".

Alexander Khramov took command over the sub in 2009. Making no disguise of pride, he said he was happy to head such crew. As of 2010, crew of SSBN Karelia was declared the best one in Northern Fleet.

Submariners are often compared to astronauts. Indeed, they have much common things exploring unfathomed spaces and working in extremely severe conditions. Journalists had a chance to learn this with their own eyes. Maximal comforts in minimal space. Crew cabins resemble passenger car units; equipment occupies almost all internal space. But what impressed reporters most was not sophisticated equipment but people who operate it.

Executive editor assistant of Independent Military Review Oleg Vladykin is sure that "they are able to do their duties even in such hard times, when not all current developments in the military are successful. Despite all 'optimizations' those people say we're military and we have to obey orders".

If nuclear reactor is a submarine's heart, her soul is obviously a mess-room. Having a cup of traditional strong tea, reporters shared opinions and think over all things they had seen.