Russian submarine Orel (K-266)

K-266 Orel is a Project 949AM (Antey modernized) nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine (SSGN) (NATO codename Oscar II). She is one of three Oscar II submarines still serving in the Russian Northern Fleet, all assigned to the 11th Submarine Division, berthed at Guba Bolshaya Lopatka (part of Zapadnaya Litsa, also known as Zaozersk), on the Kola Peninsula northwest of Severomorsk.

K-266 arriving to base after repair
History
→ Soviet Union → Russia
Name: Orel
Namesake: City of Orel
Builder: Sevmash (Shipyard 402), Severodvinsk
Laid down: 19 January 1989
Launched: 22 May 1992
Commissioned: 30 December 1992 [1]
Status: active, modernized
General characteristics
Class and type: Oscar II Modernized class Submarine
Displacement: 13,400 t, 16,400 t
Length: 154.0 m
Beam: 18.2 m
Draft: 9.0 m
Propulsion: 2 nuclear reactors OK-650b, 2 steam turbines, 2/7-bladed props
Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) submerged, 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) surfaced
Test depth: 300 to 1,000 m (980 to 3,280 ft) (by various estimates)
Complement: 44 officers, 68 enlisted
Armament: since 2017 72 x P-800 (formerly 24 x P-700), 4 x 533 mm and 2 x 650 mm bow torpedo tubes
Notes: Home port:Zaozyorsk

History

She was laid down at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk on 19 January 1989. From 1991-1993 she was known as Severodvinsk, but was renamed Orel on 20 March 1993 or 6 April 1993 and entered service with the Russian Navy that same year.[2] Between May 2004 and September 2007 her commander was Valery Varfolomeyev, an officer who had first joined the submarine as assistant commander in June 1998, and then became senior assistant to the commander from April 2000.[3]

The Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that Orel is to be overhauled in 2013. She is to have her shaft-line changed to correct problems during construction that left her very easily tracked by sonar. Additionally, her P-700 Granit (NATO codename SS-N-19 Shipwreck) antiship submarine launched cruise missiles (SLCM) will be replaced by more modern, supersonic, P-800 Oniks (NATO codename SS-N-26) antiship SLCMs.[4] The overhaul was completed and the ship returned to service in 2017.[5]

2015 fire

Whilst in dock at the Zvezdochka shipyard on 7 April 2015, it was reported that a fire broke out "in the ninth section of the sub close to the stern".[6][7] The fire was caused by insulation materials catching fire during welding. It was reported the submarine did not have nuclear weapons or fuel on board at the time.[8]

2017

First modernized unit, Project 949AM.

References
  1. http://warfare.be/?linkid=1720&catid=243&type=ssgn
  2. A. S. Pavlov, Ударная сила флота. Проект 949А типа (Strike Force of the Fleet. The Project 949A type). (Yakutsk: Sakhapoligraphsats, 2001). http://www.tinlib.ru/tehnicheskie_nauki/udarnaja_sila_flota_podvodnye_lodki_tipa_kursk/p9.php. Accessed 25 January 2013.
  3. Simonov, Vitaly. "Варфоломеев Валерий Владимирович" (in Russian). Heroes of the Country. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. Подводный ракетный крейсер К-266 "Орел" пройдет модернизацию (Cruise Missile Submarine K-266 Orel Will Undergo Moderization). http://www.i-mash.ru/news/nov_otrasl/27479-podvodnyjj-raketnyjj-krejjser-k-266-orel-projjdet.html. Accessed 25 January 2013)
  5. "ОСК завершила испытания фрегата "Адмирал Макаров" и ремонт АПЛ "Орел"". ТАСС.
  6. "Nuclear submarine on fire". Barents Observer. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  7. "Nuclear submarine catches fire at Russian shipyard". RT. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. "Russian nuclear submarine 'on fire' in Arctic dock". BBC News. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.

See also
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