The Northern Fleet’s nuclear-powered submarine Orel recently
damaged by fire at the Zvyozdochka Shipyard in Severodvinsk in north
Russia will join the Russian Navy before the end of 2016 after repairs,
shipyard spokesman Yevgeny Gladyshev told TASS on Wednesday. Orel
(K-266) is a Project 949A Antey nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine
(SSGN) (NATO designation: Oscar II).
"The Russian Navy will receive the nuclear-powered submarine Oryol
armed with missiles and torpedoes in late 2016 in accordance with the
schedule without any delay," Gladyshev said. |
"The
submarine will be put afloat in April," he added. The nuclear
submarine was damaged by fire in the shipyard’s repair dock during
wielding works on April 7, 2015. Insulating rubber coating started to
burn in the inter-hull space at the submarine’s stern.
Shipbuilders and the crew who were on board left the submarine promptly
and in an organized manner. Nobody was injured. The dock section was
partially flooded up to the level of the submarine’s waterline
to extinguish the fire. Nuclear fuel was unloaded from the submarine’s
reactors. There was no ammunition, fuel or lubricants onboard.
The accident did not create any environmental or radiation contamination
threat. The fire was caused by the violation of safety rules during
wielding works. According to the shipyard, the damage caused by the
fire was minor. The Zvyozdochka Shipyard assured the Russian Defense
Ministry that it would fulfill the state contract for the repair of
the nuclear-powered submarine Orel in accordance with the schedule
specified by the contractual terms.
The Northern Fleet’s K-266 Antey-class nuclear-powered submarine
Orel arrived at the Zvyozdochka Shipyard’s dock in April
2014 to undergo repairs. After the repairs, the submarine’s service
life will be extended by 3.5 years. The nuclear-powered submarine Orel
will become the third Project 949A vessel the Zvyozdochka Shipyard will
repair to restore its technical readiness.
In November 2011, the shipyard completed the emergency repairs on the
submarines Voronezh and Smolensk and extended their
service life by 3.5 years.
The Project 949A nuclear-powered submarine has a length of 155 meters,
a displacement of 24,000 tons, a depth of submersion of 600 meters and
an underwater speed of 32 knots. Its crew totals 107. The Project 949A
nuclear-powered submarine is armed with six torpedo tubes and 24 launchers
to fire Granit cruise missiles with a range of about 500 kilometers
(311 miles).
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