Russian submarine Tula (K-114)

K-114 Tula (К-114 Тула) is a Project 667BDRM Delfin-class (NATO reporting name: Delta-IV) nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). As such, she carries a complement of R-29RM Shtil and R-29RMU Sineva nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) as her primary deterrent mission, along with anti-ship missiles and torpedoes, the latter for self-defense. Built in Severodvinsk during the late 1980s, she served with the Soviet Navy before being transferred to the Russian Navy following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Tula underwent an extensive overhaul during 2000–2004 and was fitted with upgraded Shtil SLBMs, several of which were launched from her during her later operational life. She was sponsored by the city of Tula, and is homeported in Gadzhiyevo.[8]

K-114 Tula at a pier of the Russian Northern Fleet's naval base in the town of Gadzhiyevo, Murmansk Oblast
History
Soviet Union, Russia
Name: K-114 Tula
Namesake: City of Tula, Russia
Builder: Northern Engineering Plant (Sevmash)[1]
Laid down: 22 February 1984[1][2]
Launched: 22 January 1987[2]
Commissioned: 30 October 1987[1][2]
In service: 1987–199?, 2006–2014, 2017-present
Homeport: Gadzhiyevo, Murmansk Oblast[3]
Status: Active[4]
General characteristics
Class and type: Delta IV-class submarine SSBN
Displacement:
  • 11,740 tons (surfaced)
  • 18,200 tons (submerged)[5]
Length: 167.4 metres (549 ft) (on design waterline)[1]
Beam: 11.7 metres (38 ft)[1]
Draught: 8.8 metres (29 ft)[6]
Propulsion:
  • 2 WM-4 pressurized-water reactors, 90 MW each
  • 2 GT3A-365 steam turbines, 20,000 hp each[5][7]
Speed:
  • 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) (surfaced)
  • 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) (submerged)[6]
Endurance: 90 days[6]
Test depth: 400 metres (1,300 ft)[6]
Complement: 135 men[6]
Sensors and
processing systems:		 "Snoop Tray" surface search radar, "Mouse Roar" active attack sonar, "Shark Hide" flank array sonar, "Pelamida" towed array sonar[7]
Armament: 16 x R-29RM Shtil or R-29RMU Sineva nuclear ballistic missiles, RPK-7 Veter anti-ship missiles, 4 x 533-mm bow tubes for up to 18 torpedoes[6]

Construction
See also: Overall design of Delta IV class submarine

Construction of the nuclear submarine Tula (K-114) began at the Northern Machinebuilding Enterprise (Sevmash) in Severodvinsk on 22 February 1984, before being commissioned into the Soviet Navy on 30 October 1987.[1] She was the fourth of the seven-boat Project 667BDRM Delfin class, which was developed at the Rubin Design Bureau in September 1975.[5] A ballistic missile submarine, she was designed primarily to carry up to 16 R-29RM Shtil (NATO designation: SS-N-23 Skiff) SLBM for use against military and industrial facilities in the case of a nuclear war.[5] Each Shtil missile carries ten 100 kt multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles, and has a circular error probable of 500 metres (1,600 ft).[6] She is also equipped with RPK-7 Veter (NATO designation: SS-N-16 Stallion) anti-ship missile for use against large surface vessels, and self-defense torpedoes.[6]

Operational history
Locations of importance for the K-114 Tula

Due to her nature as an SSBN, and like most submarines, the operation of Tula is mostly classified. During 1987–1988, the boat conducted seven patrols, including five in the Arctic, 17 combat duties, and firing of twelve missiles.[2] In October 1990, Soviet Deputy Minister of Defense General V. M. Kochetov visited Tula;[1] this happened shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the boat was transferred to the Russian Navy. Until 2000, she logged 134,856 miles (217,030 km) in total distance travelled, 77,245 miles (124,314 km) of which was submerged.[9]

From June 2000 until 21 April 2004, Tula underwent overhaul at the Zvezdochka shipyard, Severodvinsk, the third boat after Verkhoturie (K-51) and Ekaterinburg (K-84).[1][8] The overhaul extended her service life by ten years, and allowed her to carry R-29RMU Sineva missiles.[2][8] She conducted sea trials in early 2006 and re-entered service shortly thereafter, despite plans to do so in 2005.[8] Tula's post-overhaul operational history is characterised by a number of missile launches, the first of which occurred on 17 December 2007, when she launched a Sineva missile aimed at the Kura Test Range in the Kamchatka Peninsula.[10] Within eight days, Tula launched another missile, again aimed at Kura; both tests were successful.[11][12][13]

The successful launch recorded a distance of 11,547 kilometers. This is the best result ever achieved using this [R-29RM Sineva] ballistic missile.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev[14]

Another four launches took place during 2008–2011, mostly from the Barents Sea. On 11 October 2008, Tula launched a Sineva while submerged. The missile reached the equatorial Pacific region after having flown for 11,547 kilometres (7,175 mi), a record for the missile.[14][15][16] The launch was part of the bigger "Stabilnost 2008" exercise, which comprised eight surface ships, five submarines, 11 aircraft and 5,000 sailors.[16] Tula launched the Sineva again on 4 March 2010 after an unremarkable 2009. The test was successful,[17] as was another launch of two more missiles, on 6 August 2010, aimed at the Kura Test Range.[18] On 29 September 2011, Tula conducted the latest launch of the Sineva missile aimed at Kura from the Barents Sea.[19] Tula received a second major overhaul in 2014 by the Ship Repair Center Zvezdochka[20] and returned to active service in December 2017.[4]

References
  1. "K-114 Tula". Rusnavy.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  2. "K-114 "Tula" : Delta IV Class Submarine SSBN". WikiMapia. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  3. "US State Department Publishes Information on Russia's Maritime Nuclear Force". Navaltoday.com. 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011. The unit based in Gadzhievo (Yagelnaya Bay) operates five Project 667BDRM (Delta IV class) submarines – K-51 Verkhoturye, K-84 Yekaterinburg, K-114 Tula, K-117 Bryansk, and K-18 Karelia.
  4. ""Звёздочка" завершила ремонт АПЛ "Тула"". livejournal.com. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  5. "67BDRM Dolphin Delta IV". Federation of American Scientists. 13 July 2000. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  6. "Delta IV class". Military-today.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  7. "SSBN Delta Class IV (Project 667.BDRM), Russian Federation". Naval-technology.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011. The Snoop Tray surface search radar operates at I-band. The sonar suite includes the hull-mounted Shark Gill sonar,... [the] Mouse Roar active attack sonar,... [the] Shark Hide flank array sonar,... [and a] Pelamida towed array sonar.
  8. "Tula submarine is back from overhaul". Bellona Foundation. 1 February 2006. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  9. К-114, "Тула" проект 667БДРМ (in Russian). Deepstorm.ru. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011. С момента вступления в состав ВМФ АПКСН прошел 134856 ходовых миль, из них 77245.
  10. Siminov, Roman (17 December 2007). Ударим "Синевой" по Камчатке (in Russian). Ng.ru. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2011. 17 декабря ВМС России преподнес подарок своим коллегам из РВСН ... успешно отстрелявшись межконтинентальной баллистической ракетой РСМ-54М "Синева". По сообщению службы информации и общественных связей ВМФ, пуск произведен с борта атомной подводной лодки «Тула» Северного флота. Головная часть ракеты успешно прибыла на полигон Кура на Камчатке.
  11. "Second launch of R-29RM Sineva in December". Russianforces.org. 25 December 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  12. "Test launch of R-29RM SLBM". Russianforces.org. 17 December 2007. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  13. "Russia's Submarine Successfully Fired IBM". Kommersant. 25 December 2007. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  14. Медведев: при запуске ракеты "Синева" зафиксирован рекорд дальности. Mail.ru (in Russian). Digital Sky Technologies. 11 October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011. «В результате успешного пуска была зафиксирована дальность 11 тысяч 547 километров. Это лучший результат, который когда-либо был достигнут при использовании этой баллистической ракеты», — заявил президент России.
  15. "Sineva extended range launch". Russianforces.org. 11 October 2008. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011. On October 11, 2008 the K-114 Tula ... conducted a successful test launch of a R-29RM Sineva missile. The missile was launched from a submerged submarine deployed in the Barents Sea [before reaching] its target area in the equatorial region of the Pacific after flying 11,547 km. This was reported to be the longest range demonstrated by the missile.
  16. "President observed missile launches". Barents Observer. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  17. "Successful launch of R-29RM Sineva missile". Russianforces.org. 4 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  18. С подлодки Северного флота РФ успешно запущены две баллистические ракеты, одна из них - "Синева". NEWSru (in Russian). 7 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011. Стратегическая атомная подводная лодка Северного флота (проект 667 БДРМ) произвела вечером в пятницу успешный пуск баллистической ракеты "Синева", сообщил РИА "Новости" источник в командовании Северного флота...Согласно сообщению "Интерфакса", атомная подводная лодка Северного флота "Тула" в пятницу произвела залповую стрельбу двумя межконтинентальными баллистическими ракетами из акватории Баренцева моря по полигону Кура на Камчатке.
  19. Yulia Minder (29 September 2011). Минобороны успешно запустило новую баллистическую ракету. Lenta.Ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011. В четверг из акватории Баренцева моря был произведен успешный запуск баллистической ракеты морского базирования "Лайнер", передает агентство ИТАР-ТАСС со ссылкой на Управление пресс-службы и информации Минобороны РФ. Атомный подводный крейсер Северного флота "Тула" выпустил ракету по полигону "Кура" на Камчатке. "В ходе подготовки корабля к ракетному пуску и при проведении стрельбы экипаж крейсера показал высокий профессионализм и выучку", - подчеркнули в управлении.
  20. Podvig, Pavel (15 December 2014). "Tula submarine arrived in Severodvinsk for overhaul". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
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