Faulty submarine Alrosa is being towed to Novorossiysk

23.11.2009
Black Sea Fleet submarine Alrosa suspended combat training in Black Sea on Saturday due to failure in power plant is being towed to Novorossiysk, informs RIA Novosti referring to the source in BSF HQ.

The sub is expected to arrive at the base on Monday.

As the source previously said, there was no danger to the crew and the sub; after repairs the submarine will take the sea again.

On Nov 21 Alrosa was performing training missions in Black Sea 150 km off Sukhumi when engine troubles occurred and the sub urgently returned to the base.

It was initially planned that Alrosa would return to Sevastopol; however, later they decided to tow the sub to Novorossiysk which is much closer.

The day before yesterday some media agencies circulated a rumor that Alrosa crew could not handle the contingency happened in the night of Nov 21 and at 08.05 am the sub signaled its distress. According to the source, this information is incorrect.

B-871 Alrosa is a Project 877V Paltus diesel-electric submarine.

REGISTRATION

Sevastopol, Black Sea Fleet

CONSTRUCTION, NAME

The sub was laid down on May 17, 1988 at Krasnoye Sormovo Shipyard in Nizhny Novgorod; launched on September 10, 1989; commissioned on December 30, 1990; obtained the name in January 2004 in honor of JSC Alrosa which had taken the sub under patronage on September 19, 1997.

MILESTONES

In Dec 1991-March 1992 the submarine had been carrying out combat service tasks.

On March 13, 1992 part of the crew swore the oath to Ukraine and captured the submarine. Further developments were suppressed by chief officer I.F. Leukhin.

Since 1992 till 1996 the sub had not sailed off due to deficiency of storage batteries.

On May 22, 1996 after installation of storage batteries the submarine joined constant alert force.

In Aug-Sept 1996 the sub excellently performed combat service tasks.

In 1997 the submarine joined Black Sea Fleet under the treaty with Ukraine; on June 12, 1997 the St. Andrew's flag was hoisted over the sub.

In 1997-2007 the crew five times was awarded by Navy Commander's Prize for torpedo attack of "enemy" unit of combat ships.

In 1998-1999 the submarine was under repair at Sevastopol Ship Repair Plant No. 13.

PERFORMANCE

NATO classification: Kilo
Surface speed: 10 knots
Submerged speed: 17 knots
Operating depth: 240 meters
Maximum diving depth: 300 meters
Endurance: 45 days
Crew: 52 men

DIMENSIONS

Surface displacement: 2,300 tonnes
Submerged displacement: 3,950 tonnes
Extreme length (at design waterline): 76.2 meters
Extreme beam: 9.9 meters
Mean draft (at design waterline): 6.2 meters

PROPULSION

Diesel-generator power plant. 2 x 1,000 KW diesel generators DL42MKh, two 120-cell storage batteries, 1 x 4,050-5,500 shp propulsion motor PG-141, 1 x 190 shp propulsion economic motor PG-166, 2 x 102 shp stand-by reserve motors, 1 pump jet propulsion.

ARMAMENT

6 x 533-mm torpedo tubes; 18 torpedoes or 24 mines; 4 x Strela-3 surface-to-air missiles.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: B-871 Alrosa (A. Brichevsky, alrosa.net)