SSBN Verkhoturye recommissioned into the Northern Fleet after refit

07.02.2013 SSBN K-51 Verkhoturye recommissioned into the Northern Fleet. The Project 667 class submarine (NATO Delta 4) arrived at the main nuclear submarine base in Gadzhiyevo, Murmansk Region, after refit at the Zvezdochka shipyard at Severodvinsk.

“During the refit, defense shipyard specialists made around a hundred improvements to the submarine,” Fleet spokesman Captain First Rank Vadim Serga said.

In August 2012, the Northern Fleet was reinforced with the Novomoskovsk submarine, which also underwent repairs and upgrade at the Severodvinsk defense shipyard.

Works on the submarine's technical recovery and 5-year service life extension started in the fall of 2010. The shipyard has repaired the sub's hull, outboard fittings, ballast tanks, mechanisms of propeller-rudder system and other onboard systems. The submarine was withdrawn from covered slipway in March 2012.

K-51 Verkhoturye nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was laid down in Feb 1981 at Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, put afloat in Jan 1984, and commissioned in Dec 1984. That was the first submarine in her class deployed in the Arctic with nuclear-headed ballistic missiles onboard in 1987.

She is a second-generation Project 667BDRM Delfin nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, lead sub in her class. Six submarines of this project still make the core of Russia's maritime nuclear deterrence force.

Performance

Surface speed: 14 knots
Submerged speed: 24 knots
Operating depth: 320 - 400 meters
Test depth: 550 - 650 meters
Endurance: 90 days
Crew: 135 - 140 men

Dimensions

Surface displacement: 11,740 tons
Submerged displacement: 18,200 tons
Extreme length (at design waterline): 167.4 meters
Extreme beam: 11.7 meters
Mean draft (at design waterline): 8.8 meters

Armament

4 x 533-mm bow torpedo tubes (12 torpedoes or 24 mines instead)
16 SLBM R-29RM launchers
MANPADS 9K310 Igla-1/9K38 Igla launcher (combat load - 8 SAMs)