Delta class submarine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Delta class submarines are Russian-built strategic nuclear missile submarines designed to attack cities, military and industrial installations, and naval bases.
Four different types exist. All have a reasonably similar appearance, but each type has different capabilities and systems. The NATO classification system groups them together under the 'Delta' Class, but Russian classification actually distinguishes three different submarines (treating the Delta-II as an 'improved' Delta-I).
As of June 2000 the Russian Navy claimed that it operated 26 strategic nuclear submarines carrying 2,272 nuclear warheads on 440 ballistic missiles. This force was said to consist of 5 Typhoon class submarines, 7 Delta-IV class submarines, and 13 Delta-III class submarines.
| Contents |
"Delta I" (Project 667B, Murena) 18 ships
- Main article: Delta-I class submarine
The Delta-class submarines could deploy on alert patrols in the marginal ice seas of the Soviet arctic littoral, including the Norwegian and Barents seas. Consequently, unlike their predecessors, they no longer needed to pass through Western SOSUS sonar barriers to come within range of their targets. To improve the accuracy of the missiles, the Delta I submarines carry the Tobol-B navigation system and the Cyclone-B satellite navigation system.
Development was authorized in 1965: the K-279 was the first. Their decommissioning began in 1994, and by 1997 the missile compartments were scheduled to be removed. It is anticipated that the Russian Navy will decommission all 667B submarines in compliance with the provisions of the START-1 treaty.
"Delta II" (Project 667BD, Murena-M) 4 ships
- Main article: Delta-II class submarine
This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it (http://wikipedia.cas.ilstu.edu/index.php?title=Delta_class_submarine&action=edit).
"Delta III" (Project 667BDR, Kalmar) 14 ships
- This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it (http://wikipedia.cas.ilstu.edu/index.php?title=Delta_class_submarine&action=edit).
"Delta IV" (Project 667BDRM, Delfin) 7 ships
The Russian Navy operates seven Delta IV class strategic missile submarines. The submarines operate in the Northern Fleet and are based at the Saida Guba Naval Base. The Severodvinsk Shipyard built these vessels between 1981 and 1992.
The design of the Delta IV resembles that of the Delta III and constitutes a double-hulled configuration with missile silos housed in the inner hull.
The submarine has an operational diving depth of 320 meters, with a maximum depth of 400 meters. The propulsion system allows speeds of 24 knots (44 km/h) surfaced or submerged using two VM-4 pressure water reactors rated at 180 MW. There are two turbines, type GT3A-365 rated at 27.5 MW. The propulsion system drives two shafts with seven-bladed fixed-pitch propellers.
