Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a
The limited energy stored in electric batteries means that even the most advanced conventional submarine can only remain submerged for a few days at slow speed, and only a few hours at top speed, though recent advances in
History
Construction of the world's first nuclear-powered submarine was made possible by the successful development of a nuclear propulsion plant by a group of scientists and engineers in the United States at the
The
The Soviet Union soon followed the United States in developing nuclear-powered submarines in the 1950s. Stimulated by the U.S. development of Nautilus, Soviets began work on nuclear propulsion reactors in the early 1950s at the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, in Obninsk, under Anatoliy P. Alexandrov, later to become head of the Kurchatov Institute. In 1956, the first Soviet propulsion reactor designed by his team began operational testing. Meanwhile, a design team under Vladimir N. Peregudov worked on the vessel that would house the reactor. After overcoming many obstacles, including steam generation problems, radiation leaks, and other difficulties, the first nuclear submarine based on these combined efforts, K-3 Leninskiy Komsomol of the Project 627 Kit class, called a November-class submarine by NATO, entered service in the Soviet Navy in 1958.[9]
The
Nuclear power proved ideal for the propulsion of strategic
At the height of the
). From the late 1950s through the end of 1997, the Soviet Union, and later Russia, built a total of 245 nuclear submarines, more than all other nations combined.[17]Today, six countries deploy some form of nuclear-powered strategic submarines: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, and India.[18] Several other countries including Brazil and Australia[19][20] have ongoing projects in different phases to build nuclear-powered submarines.
In the United Kingdom, all former and current nuclear submarines of the British
Technology
The main difference between conventional submarines and nuclear submarines is the
The nuclear reactor also supplies power to the submarine's other subsystems, such as for maintenance of air quality, fresh water production by distilling salt water from the ocean, temperature regulation, etc. All naval nuclear reactors currently in use are operated with diesel generators as a backup power system. These engines are able to provide emergency electrical power for reactor decay heat removal, as well as enough electric power to supply an emergency propulsion mechanism. Submarines may carry nuclear fuel for up to 30 years of operation. The only resource that limits the time underwater is the food supply for the crew and maintenance of the vessel.
The
Lineage
Operational
- SCB-303: Los Angeles-class attack submarines
- SCB-304: ballistic missile submarines
- Seawolf-class attack submarines
- Virginia-class attack submarines
Under development
- Project 667BDR, Kalmar (Delta III) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 667BDRM, Delfin (Delta IV) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 671RTM Shchuka (Victor III) attack submarines
- Project 885 (Yasen) attack submarines
- Project 935 (Borei) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 941 (Typhoon) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 945 (Sierra) attack submarines
- Project 949 (Oscar) cruise missile submarines
- Project 971 (Akula) attack submarines
- Project 1851.1 (Paltus) special purpose submarines
- Project 1910 Kashalot-class (Uniform) special purpose submarines
- Project 1983.1 AS-12 (Losharik) special purpose submarine
Under development
- Trafalgar-class attack submarines
- Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines
- Astute-class attack submarines
Under development
- Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines
- SSN-AUKUS attack submarines
- Rubis-class attack submarines
- Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarines
- Barracuda-class attack submarines (First boat of the class, Suffrencommissioned November 6, 2020)
Under development
- SNLE 3G-class ballistic missile submarines - 4 planned.[22]
- Type 091 (Han) attack submarines
- Type 092 (Xia) ballistic missile submarines
- Type 093 (Shang) attack submarines
- Type 094 (Jin) ballistic missile submarines
Under development
- Type 095 attack submarines (In development)
- Type 096 ballistic missile submarines
- Arihant-class submarine- Ballistic missile submarines
Under development
- Arihant-class submarines- 2 boats under construction.[23][24]
- Project 75 alpha- Attack submarines.
- INS 'Chakra 3- Attack submarines.[25]
- S5-class- Ballistic missile submarines.[26]
Under development
- Riachuelo-class submarine the first 6,000 tonnes attack submarine, under construction.[27][28][29]
Plans to purchase
Under development
- SSN-AUKUS attack submarines[30]
Decommissioned
- SCB-64: USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
- SCB-64A: USS Seawolf (SSN-575)
- SCB-121: Skate-class attack submarines
- SCB-132: USS Triton (SSRN-586)
- SCB-137A: USS Halibut (SSGN-587)
- SCB-154: Skipjack-class attack submarines
- SCB-178: USS Tullibee (SSN-597)
- SCB-180A: George Washington-class ballistic missile submarines
- SCB-180: Ethan Allen-class ballistic missile submarines
- SCB-188: Thresher-Permit-class attack submarines
- SCB-188A: Sturgeon-class attack submarines
- SCB-216: Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarines
- SCB-216: James Madison-class ballistic missile submarines
- SCB-216: Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarines
- NR-1
- SCB-245: USS Narwhal (SSN-671)
- SCB-302: USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)
- Project 627 (November) attack submarines
- Project 645 test attack submarine K-27
- Project 658 (Hotel) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 659/675 (Echo) cruise missile submarines
- Project 661 (Papa) attack submarine
- Project 667 (Yankee) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 667B, Murena (Delta I) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 667BD, Murena-M (Delta II) ballistic missile submarines
- Project 670 (Charlie) cruise missile submarines
- Project 671 (Victor) attack submarines
- Project 678 (X-Ray) research submersible
- Project 685 (Mike) attack submarine K-278 Komsomolets
- Project 705 (Alfa) attack submarines
- HMS Dreadnought (S101)
- Valiant-class attack submarines
- Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines
- Churchill-class attack submarines
- Swiftsure-class attack submarines
- INS Chakra (Soviet Charlie-class submarine).
- INS Chakra 2 (Russian Akula-class submarine).
Accidents
Reactor accidents
Some of the most serious
- K-8, 1960: suffered a loss-of-coolant accident; substantial radioactivity released.[33]
- K-14, 1961: the reactor compartment was replaced due to unspecified "breakdown of reactor protection systems".
- K-19, 1961: suffered a loss-of-coolant accident resulting in 8 deaths and more than 30 other people being over-exposed to radiation.[34] The events on board the submarine are dramatized by the film K-19: The Widowmaker.
- K-11, 1965: both reactors were damaged during refueling while lifting the reactor vessel heads; reactor compartments scuttled off the east coast of Novaya Zemlya in the Kara Sea in 1966.
- K-27, 1968: experienced reactor core damage to one of its liquid metal (lead-bismuth) cooled VT-1 reactors, resulting in 9 fatalities and 83 other injuries; scuttled in the Kara Sea in 1982.[2]
- K-140, 1968: the reactor was damaged following an uncontrolled, automatic increase in power during shipyard work.[35]
- K-429, 1970: an uncontrolled start-up of the ship's reactor led to a fire and the release of radioactivity[35]
- K-116, 1970: suffered a loss-of-coolant accident in the port reactor; substantial radioactivity released.
- K-64, 1972: the first Alfa-class liquid-metal cooled reactor failed; reactor compartment scrapped.
- K-222, 1980: the Papa-class submarine had a reactor accident during maintenance in the shipyard while the ship's naval crew had left for lunch.[35]
- K-123, 1982: the Alfa-class submarine reactor core damaged by liquid-metal coolant leak; the sub was forced out of commission for eight years.[35][36]
- K-431, 1985: a reactor accident while refueling resulted in 10 fatalities and 49 other people suffered radiation injuries.[3]
- Sergei Preminin, sacrificed his life to secure one of the onboard reactors. The submarine sank three days later.
- K-192, 1989 (reclassified from K-131): suffered a loss-of-coolant accident due to a break in the starboard reactor loop.
Other major accidents and sinkings
- USS Thresher (SSN-593), 1963: was lost during deep diving tests with 129 crew and shipyard personnel on board; later investigation concluded that failure of a brazed pipe joint and ice formation in the ballast blow valves prevented surfacing. The accident motivated a number of safety changes to the U.S. fleet. Thresher was the first of only two submarines to exceed 100 onboard deaths, joined by the Russian Kursk's 118 lost in 2000.
- K-3, 1967: the first Soviet nuclear submarine experienced a fire associated with the hydraulic system, killing 39 sailors.
- USS Scorpion (SSN-589), 1968: was lost at sea, evidently due to implosion upon sinking. What caused Scorpion to descend to her crush depth is unknown.
- USS Guitarro (SSN-665), 1969: sank while pier-side in shipyard due to improper ballasting. The submarine was eventually completed and commissioned.
- K-8, 1970: a fire and a towing accident resulted in the sub sinking and the loss of all 52 crewmen remaining aboard.
- K-56, 1973: a collision with another Soviet vessel led to flooding of the battery well and many crew deaths due to chlorine gas.
- K-429, 1983: the sub sank to the ocean bottom due to flooding from improper rig-for-dive and shipyard errors but was later recovered; 16 crewmen were killed.
- K-278 Komsomolets, 1989: the Soviet submarine sank in Barents Sea due to a fire.
- K-141 Kursk, 2000: lost at sea with all 118 crewmen on board; the generally accepted theory is that a leak of hydrogen peroxidein the forward torpedo room led to the detonation of a torpedo warhead, which in turn triggered the explosion of half a dozen other warheads about two minutes later.
- Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville, 2001: the American submarine surfaced underneath the Japanese training vessel. Nine Japanese crewmembers, students, and teachers were killed when their ship sank as a result of the collision.[37]
- K-159, 2003: sank in the Barents Sea while being towed to be scrapped, killing nine crewmen.
- USS San Francisco (SSN-711), 2005: collided with a seamount in the Pacific Ocean. A crew member was killed and 23 others were injured.
- USS Miami (SSN-755), 2012: the submarine's forward compartment was destroyed by an arsonist-set fire while in shipyard, causing damage with an estimated $700 million in repair costs. While repairs were initially planned upon, due to budget cuts the boat was subsequently scrapped.[38]
-
USS Thresher
-
USS Scorpion
-
K-278 Komsomolets
See also
- Ballistic missile submarine – Submarine that can launch ballistic missiles
- Attack submarine – Submarine designed to destroy other ships
- List of nuclear submarines
- Nuclear-powered icebreaker – Type of ship
- Nuclear marine propulsion – Propulsion system for marine vessels utilizing a nuclear powerplant
- SSN (hull classification symbol) – Symbol for nuclear-powered general-purpose attack submarine
- Submarine – Watercraft capable of independent operation underwater
- History of submarines
- List of lost United States submarines – Collection of US Submarines still on patrol
Notes
References
- ^ Trakimavičius, Lukas. "The Future Role of Nuclear Propulsion in the Military" (PDF). NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d Johnston, Robert (23 September 2007). "Deadliest radiation accidents and other events causing radiation casualties". Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events.
- ^ "Little Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0-370-31021-7
- ^ Nuclear Propulsion
- ^ "USS Nautilus (SSN-571)". americanhistory.si.edu.
- ISBN 0-531-03730-4
- ^ "Submarine History 1945–2000: A Timeline of Development". Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ISBN 978-0-14-197370-8.
- ISBN 1-55750-132-7
- ^ "Nuclear-Powered Submarines". US Naval Institute. November 2021.
the British made important contributions to U.S. submarine design, such as the concept of rafting for silencing and initial types of pump-jets
- ISBN 1-904381-18-9. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
- ^ Gardiner & Chumbley, p. 403
- ^ "Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines – Project 667A". Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Submarine Milestones – Largest Subs; 1981: Typhoon Class (Soviet and Russian)]". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 8 July 2002.
- ^ "Resources on Russian Nuclear Submarines". Archived from the original on 15 November 2001. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ "Submarine Proliferation". Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Archived from the original on 13 February 2006. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ Sarah Diehl & Eduardo Fujii (March 2008). Brazil's Pursuit of a Nuclear Submarine Raises Proliferation Concerns. WMD Insights. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
- ^ "Australia to acquire nuclear submarines as part of historic deal with US and UK to counter China's influence". www.abc.net.au. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-4259-8511-0
- ^ Mélennec, Olivier (26 October 2018). "Économie de la mer. SNLE 3G : la mise en chantier prévue pour 2023". Ouest-France.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2019.
- ^ "Big News : India quietly launches S4 SSBN, prepares it for sea trials, S4-star to follow soon". IgMp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ "WATCH: Latest Satellite Image Reveals Arihant-class S3 & S4 SSBN boats". IgMp. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ "Russia may delay handover of the new leased Akula class SSN (Chakra-III) to India". IgMp. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Much improved & bigger 3rd Generation S5 SSBN of the Indian Navy to enter production in 2027". IgMp. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
- ^ "Brazil take first step in program to join nuclear-powered sub club". Reuters. 14 December 2018.
- ^ "Brazilian Navy - Marinha do Brasil - Modernization". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ "Launch prediction". Brazilian Navy (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "AUKUS: US, UK Australia announce nuclear powered submarine project". IgMp. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ "STATEMENT OF ADMIRAL F. L. "SKIP" BOWMAN, U.S. NAVY". United States Navy. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ Kristin Shrader-Frechette (October 2011). "Fukushima, Flawed Epistemology, and Black-Swan Events" (PDF). Ethics, Policy and Environment, Vol. 14, No. 3.
- ^ "K-8 submarine reactor accident, 1960". Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ Strengthening the Safety of Radiation Sources Archived 2009-03-26 at the Wayback Machine p. 14.
- ^ a b c d "Chap. 8: Nuclear submarine accidents – The Russian Northern Fleet". Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "K-19 and other Subs in Peril". National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 10 July 2002. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville collision
- ^ "How the fire-damaged USS Miami will be scrapped". The Washington Times. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ISBN 0-87021-954-5.
- ISBN 1-55750-260-9.
Further reading
- Erickson, Andrew Erickson; Lyle Goldstein (Winter 2007). "China's Future Nuclear Submarine Force: Insights from Chinese Writings" (PDF). Naval War College Review. 60 (1): 54–79. Retrieved 25 August 2009. [dead link]
- Offley, Edward "Ed" (2007). Scorpion Down (Hardcover ed.). New York: Basic Books by Perseus Press. ISBN 978-0-465-05185-4.
- Polmar, Norman & Moore, J.K. (2004). Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines (Paperback ed.). Washington, DC: Potomac Books, Inc. ISBN 1-57488-530-8.
External links
- Nuclear Propulsion – Federation of American Scientists
- 60 Years of Marine Nuclear Power: 1955 - 2015 – on The Lyncean Group of San Diego web site
- V.M. Bukhalov – Atomic-powered submarine design Archived 29 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Archived 29 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Fast Attacks and Boomers: Submarines in the Cold War An online exhibition from the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
- On Eternal Patrol, website listing all US submarines and submariners lost on duty