17.08.2012
Text:
Photo: SSGN
Severodvinsk.
"Trials of
Yasen project are held up to schedule. Hopefully, Russian naval ensign will be hoisted on
Severodvinsk by the year end", Chirkov said.
As was earlier reported, SSGN
Severodvinsk could join the Navy not earlier than 2013 due to problems in nuclear powerplant. According to a source of
Interfax, "it was found out at the trials of SSGN
Severodvinsk that her nuclear powerplant did not produce required power. Moreover, the sub does not keep designed level of silence. The submarine with such serious defects cannot join the Navy".
However, as early as Aug 15 an official representative of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation refuted media reports about failed trials of
Severodvinsk.
"
Yasen-class submarine
Severodvinsk is effectively undergoing shipyard's sea trials in the White Sea in accordance with predetermined schedule", said the USC spokesman then.
Project 885
Yasen lead sub SSGN
Severodvinsk was put afloat on June 15, 2010 and started sea trials in Sept 2011.
The second submarine SSGN
Kazan is being built under advanced Project 885M
Yasen-M. At least 8 submarines of this class are supposed to join Russian Navy by 2020.
Submerged speed of the submarine must exceed 30 knots; test depth must be 600 meters. Endurance is 100 days; crew is 90 men (32 officers). SSGN
Severodvinsk costs about RUR 47 bln.
Expectedly, noisiness level of
Yasen-class subs would be comparable to that of America's
Virginia-class submarines.
