Submarine los angeles. Submarines of the Los Angeles class. Los Angeles class

LOS ANGELES TYPE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE (USA)

NUCLEAR SUBMARINE OF CLASS LOS ANGELES (USA)

24.05.2012
A fire broke out aboard the nuclear submarine SSN-755 Miami at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Kittery Island, Maine, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday, May 23.
As a result of the fire, four people were injured, shipyard management officials said. After rendering medical care all the victims were released from the hospital, they added, without specifying any other details. Local media, in turn, reported that the victims were firefighters extinguishing the fire on the nuclear submarine.
Representatives of the shipyard management also said that the fire was located in the bow compartment of the submarine. The reactor of the Miami nuclear submarine was switched off at the time of the incident; it was not damaged as a result of the fire. The cause of the fire has not yet been established.
USS Miami SSN 755, a Los Angeles-class multipurpose nuclear submarine, was commissioned by the US Navy in June 1990, The Portland Press Herald reports. Miami arrived at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in March 2012 to undergo technical inspection and modernization of a number of systems. The crew of the nuclear submarine at the time of arrival at the shipyard consisted of 133 people.

26.05.2012
Possibility of returning to service the Portsmouth shipyard, which burned down in a dry dock, Kittery, pc. Maine of the American nuclear submarine SSN-755 Miami is still in question.
The fire, which engulfed the command and living quarters of the boat and lasted about 5 hours, is assessed by US Navy officials as “extensive.” As Rear Admiral Rick Brickenridge noted, it is too early to say whether the Miami can be restored. The cause of the fire and the cost of the damage caused have not yet been announced. The burned out compartments are now sealed off to prevent oxygen from flowing in until the military is confident the fire will not reoccur.
07.06.2012
The U.S. Navy's Portsmouth ship repair yard has announced a preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire on the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine SSN755 Miami, which was caused by a vacuum cleaner that was being used to clean living quarters and was left in one of the unoccupied rooms at the end of the work shift.

24.07.2012
A suspect has been charged in Maine District Court in connection with the arson attack on the USS Miami in May. According to CNN, the painter was in the dock and had already confessed.
According to the Kennebec Journal, 24-year-old Portsmouth Navy Yard employee Casey James Fury was arrested last Friday. In addition to arson on the submarine itself, he is also charged with a fire on the dock in Maine where it was located. The second incident took place on June 16.
If found guilty, the painter faces a life sentence. He may also be required to compensate for damage from the fires and pay a fine of $250,000, CNN clarifies.
The Miami nuclear submarine caught fire on May 23. His hearth was in the forward compartment of the ship. Several people were injured while extinguishing the fire, which took about ten hours. Soon, the cause of the fire was determined to be a vacuum cleaner, but investigators believed that rags got into its hose by accident.
Damage from the incident was estimated at $400 million. The total cost of the submarine, launched in 1990, was $900 million. Send it for repair or disposal, the Navy has not yet decided. (lenta.ru)

23.08.2012
The US Navy will spend $450 million to restore and repair the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Miami, which was damaged by fire on May 23, 2012, the cost estimate for repairs is $50 million higher than originally expected, the cost of repairs could increase by another 45 million dollars.

19.09.2012
$94 million has been allocated for the repair of the Los Angeles-class nuclear attack missile submarine USS Miami SSN-755, damaged in a fire on May 23 this year, the contract was awarded to Electric Boat Corp by the US Naval Sea Systems Command, the ministry reported. defense

14.10.2012
The US Navy's Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine Montpelier and the CG-47 Ticonderoga-class missile cruiser CG-56 San Jacinto collided on Saturday (Sunday night Moscow time) during a scheduled exercise near east coast United States, according to NBC.
In the United States, during an exercise, a missile cruiser collided with a nuclear submarine. The incident occurred off the east coast of the United States. None of the crew members were injured, ITAR-TASS reports.
The patrolmen of the cruiser San Jacinto, equipped with the Aegis missile interception system, saw the periscope of the Montpellier submarine raised above the water in advance, but failed to avoid the strike.
As a result of the collision, the cruiser's sonar fairing was damaged. The submarine's nuclear reactor remained undamaged. Both ships remained underway. IN this moment An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is underway.
The Los Angeles-class attack submarine Montpelier was built in 1991. Nuclear-powered cruiser San Jacinto, equipped anti-missile system Aegis has been in service with the US Navy since 1988.

The city of Los Angeles is not only palm trees, beaches and " Hollywood", this is also the name of multi-purpose US nuclear submarines.

American submarine class « Los Angeles » during " cold war"was the forefront among the world's submarines, and even now the leadership of the US Navy does not reduce its activity in improving them. Over the past twenty years, 62 modern submarines of the "Los Angeles». They became the most quantitative series submarines. At first glance, the number may not seem very large, but a submarine is a one-piece product and quite expensive. The ratio of fighter price and modern submarine, the same as the modest runabout and limousine. Atomic P US class submarinesLos Angeles» - the most numerous nuclear-powered ships in the world.

Development of the project began in the late 60s. In those years, the USSR Armed Forces rapidly expanded its submarine fleet, it became a global force and increasingly pushed back the Americans in world waters. Strengthening the Soviet country was a challenge that the US Navy could not help but respond to. They were worried about the rapid development nuclear submarines And . By using Soviet submarines The USSR fleet could block communications and thereby isolate the United States and turn the country into an island. The Americans decided to respond with quality and quantity. New US nuclear submarines were supposed to become silent champions long years. The USSR did not have technologies similar to the American ones at that time. In addition, the new series was designed for advanced weapons - cruise missiles of the " Tomahawk».

nuclear submarine

Los Angeles class

USS Los Angeles"

US nuclear submarine " USS Los Angeles"

nuclear submarine USS Dallas

nuclear submarine " USS Honolulu"

nuclear submarine " USS Tucson"

US nuclear submarine " USS Providence" at periscope depth

Construction of modern submarines deployed at two shipyards " Newport News shipbuilding"in Norfolk and " Electric Boat». First submarine entitled Los Angeles was launched on November 12, 1976. Nine years later it was built twentieth submarine "Honolulu"(SSN 718). nuclear submarine equipped with various types of torpedoes designed to combat submarines And surface ships, and were also armed with anti-ship missiles of the " Harpoon».

Rockets " Tomahawk"on board American submarine like " Los Angeles"were of several types and differed in range of destruction: some with a range of up to 400 km to combat surface ships, others - up to 2000 km with nuclear ammunition. This was a revolution among the world's submarines. For the first time, attack submarines received missiles long range. Moreover, they were launched through four torpedo tubes.

With the advent US submarine « Providence" (SSN 719) submarines like " LOS ANGELES"began to build with separate vertical missile silos" Tomahawk" Shipbuilding engineers managed to place up to twelve launchers on board submarines.

At the end of the 80s, modern submarines of the USSR came very close to American submarines in terms of stealth, diving depth, speed, and even surpassed them in some types of weapons. The advantage dried up, and management decided to modernize nuclear submarines USA class " Los Angeles" Starting with the submarine " San Juan", which became the fortieth in a row, and until the last in the series, completed in 1996, these nuclear-powered ships received a quieter ride due to improved surfaces. Of course, they were equipped with modern electronics. like " Los Angeles» repeatedly participated in operations in Persian Gulf. Some of them will remain in service for 20 years. The most quantitative series of submarines was replaced by a generation

Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines

F. Sagaidakov

Intensifying the arms race, the US military-political leadership is spending large sums on the construction of nuclear submarines. At the end of 1971, the American company Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock developed a project for the Los Angeles multi-purpose nuclear submarine (SSN). It, as the foreign press reports, is intended to solve the following tasks: combating enemy submarines and surface ships; protection of SSBNs and aircraft carrier strike formations; protection of sea and ocean communications; mine laying.
After equipping such boats with long-range cruise missiles (with conventional or nuclear warheads), they will be able to strike coastal targets.
The lead boat was laid down in January 1972, and in November 1976 it entered service. At the beginning of 1983, the US Navy had 20 boats in service and had funds allocated for the construction of 21 more, of which 15 are in various stages of construction. It is noted that the current cost of one submarine is $800 million.
According to the five-year shipbuilding program (fiscal years 1984-1988), it is planned to allocate funds for another 21 submarines (1984 - three, 1985 - four, 1986 - four, 1987 - five, 1988 - five).
When creating Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, much attention was paid to equipping them with effective weapons. The boat is equipped with four torpedo tubes for firing Mk48 torpedoes, SABROK anti-submarine missiles and Harpoon and Tomahawk anti-ship missiles, as well as for launching Mk30 simulators. They can also be used to lay Mk57 mines.
In 1981, a vertical launch system for the Tomahawk missile launcher was developed for installation on a Los Angeles-class submarine, as well as a modernization project for this boat, which included placing 12 vertical launchers in the area of ​​the bow main ballast tank outside the pressure hull. According to foreign press reports, this should not reduce the effectiveness of the fight against submarines, since the firing will not be carried out from torpedo tubes, and also cause significant changes hull structures and affect driving performance.
On the Los Angeles class boat with hull number SSN719, vertical launchers will be installed in 1985 after its commissioning. Starting from SSN723, all boats will be equipped with 12 vertical launchers during their construction, and on the SSN688 - 718 submarines such launchers will be placed during their overhaul.
The Los Angeles nuclear submarine has a single-hull architecture over most of its length and, unlike all previous series, does not have a double-hull design in the area of ​​the auxiliary machinery compartments. The buoyancy reserve is 15 percent. The standard displacement of the Los Angeles is 2400 tons greater than, for example, the Sturgeon, which is explained by the installation of a more powerful nuclear power plant (NPP) and new electronic equipment, increased ammunition, and other factors. Hull structures are made of HY-80/100 steel with a lower yield strength of 70 kg/mm2. The hull is a cylindrical shell ending at the stern and bow with cones with hemispherical tops. The tubes of four torpedo tubes pass through the nose cone at an angle to the centerline plane. The robust housing is divided by transverse bulkheads into three compartments: central, reactor and turbine.
The first compartment is divided into three decks. It houses the central control post on the upper deck, the crew's living quarters on the second, the torpedo tubes and spare torpedoes on the third, and the battery and tanks in the hold. In the aft part there are rooms for auxiliary mechanisms and a tank. The second compartment contains a steam generating unit with an S6G reactor, and the third contains a steam turbine unit and other mechanical equipment.
According to foreign press, much attention when designing the submarine was paid to reducing its noise. The nuclear power plant used is standard in composition for all serial nuclear boats turbo-gear unit, consisting of a steam-producing unit with an S6G reactor and two turbines transmitting rotation to a seven-blade propeller through a gearbox. The reactor was developed by General Electric. Compared to Westinghouse's previously used S5W* series reactors, it can deliver more than twice the power to the shaft and has higher percentage natural circulation of the primary coolant. This makes it possible to increase reliability and reduce noise by eliminating high-capacity pumps, and simplifies electrical equipment and control equipment. Its service life between recharges is about ten years.
The PLA is equipped with an advanced CAMS-11 air composition analysis and control system, which uses a computer-controlled mass spectrometer (programmed for various gas compositions of the intracompartment air), as well as infrared sensor-analyzers of carbon dioxide content. The system, according to its developers, should ensure normal atmospheric composition in the compartments for 90 days. On its basis it was planned to create a CAMS-IV system, which should automatically monitor and manage all means of ventilation and regeneration. The computer regulates the oxygen content in the compartments of the boat, directly influencing the oxygen installation, the operation of the scrubber, temperature regime installations for afterburning hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and also monitors the condition of charcoal filters.
When creating the Los Angeles-class submarine, much attention was paid to the development of highly efficient radio-electronic equipment. These, in particular, include the AN/BQQ-5 hydroacoustic complex, created on the basis of the AN/BQQ-2, which includes a spherical antenna AN/BQS-13 (diameter 4.57 m), a conformal noise direction-finding sonar, a towed antenna placed on the boat hull in a casing (Fig. 2), and other hydroacoustic systems. It is serviced by four operators.
The Los Angeles-class submarine is equipped with a special navigation complex MINI SINS, radar AN/BPS-15, satellite communication station AN/WSC-3, mine detection sonar AN/BQS-15, computer AN/UYK-7, fire control system Mk117 and other radio-electronic equipment.
According to American military experts, further improvement of Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines will follow the path of improving radio-electronic equipment based on a unified command and control system, which will be equipped with both submarines under construction and future ones.
A shipborne multiplex data transmission system AN/USQ-82 (V) is being developed, which will allow combining information coming from weapons and lighting systems, as well as from general ship systems, and transmitting it via a multiplex cable. It is supposed to be installed on Los Angeles-class submarines starting with number SSN751. The foreign press reports that in the late 80s and early 90s it will be improved towards the widespread use of distributed information processing, standard modules and fiber optics, which will significantly increase the reliability of cables and will eliminate data converters from the equipment.

Foreign Military Review No. 12 1988

Over the course of twenty years, 62 Los Angeles-class submarines were built, which does not seem like a lot, especially in comparison with the thousands of copies of aircraft and tanks, but a submarine is a one-piece product and very expensive. The price ratio between a fighter jet and a submarine is the same as that of a modest runabout and a luxury limousine. Los Angeles boats are the most popular nuclear powered ships in the world.

Work on the Los Angeles project began in the late sixties. During these years the Soviet navy quickly increased in power. It became a global force and increasingly squeezed Americans around the world. The strengthening of the Soviets was a challenge that Washington could not help but respond to. The United States was most concerned about two things: the beginning of the construction of large aircraft-carrying ships in the Soviet Union and the rapid development of nuclear submarine forces. It was then that our country for the first time overtook the United States in the number of nuclear submarines. Los Angeles-class submarineWith their help Soviet Union in the event of a conflict, it could cut off sea communications and turn the United States into an isolated island. The Americans decided to respond with both quantity and quality. The new US submarines were to become silent champions for many years. The USSR simply did not have technologies similar to the American ones at that time; in addition, the new series was designed for advanced weapons: Tomahawk cruise missiles. The construction of boats began at two shipyards. The first-born of the series, Los Angeles itself was launched on November 12, 1976. Nine years later, the twentieth submarine of this type was built: Ganalulu. The first twenty Los Angeles aircraft had the same weapons, electronics and hydroacoustics.

The boats were equipped with different types of torpedoes to combat submarines and surface ships, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and, finally, most importantly, ultra-modern Tomahawks. The boat could carry three types of Tomahawks: for firing at ships up to 400 kilometers, for firing at coastal targets up to 2,800 kilometers with a conventional warhead, and a variant with the same range, but with a nuclear warhead. This was a revolution in the development of the fleet. For the first time, multipurpose submarines received long-range nuclear missiles. In the event of a world war, Los Angeles becomes part of the missile attack force. Almost the entire world is in the affected area of ​​several dozen Los Angeles cities. The arsenal of the first boats of this type consisted of 14 torpedoes, 4 harpoons and eight tomahawks. All of them were launched only through 4 torpedo tubes, while two of them had to constantly contain only torpedoes - for the self-defense of the boat. It was obvious that, if necessary, the first Los Angeles would not be able to fire salvos of a large number of missiles, so starting with the Providence boat, these submarines were built with separate, vertical shafts for tomahawks. The designers managed to place as many as 12 launchers on board the new Los Angeles, and this without changing the dimensions and contours of the hull.

At the end of the eighties, the newest Soviet boats came very close to Los Angeles in terms of stealth, and surpassed them in diving depth, speed and some types of weapons. The US advantages have vanished like smoke. It was decided to modernize Los Angeles again. Starting from the fortieth boat "San Juan" until the end of the series, completed in 1996, these nuclear-powered ships were built according to the Los Angeles Improved project, i.e. Improved. Thanks to the use of special coatings, this modification has become even quieter. The submarine is better suited for working under ice. The rudders were moved from the wheelhouse to the bow of the ship. Of course, the new boats were equipped with the latest generation of electronics.

Los Angeles-class submarine

Length 110.3 m

Maximum hull width 10.1 m

Maximum diving depth 450-500 m

Crew 141 people

Surface speed 22 knots

Submerged speed 33 knots

Los Angeles saw action in real combat. Albuquerque, Norfolk and Miami vs Yugoslavia, Pittsburgh and Jefferson City in the Gulf Wars. Boats Augusto and Memphis were used for testing the latest weapons and combat information systems. Most of the later Los Angeles will remain in service for another 20 years. In the near future, they will be equipped with state-of-the-art missiles. They will radically outperform Tomahawks in terms of accuracy, range and speed. Western sources claim that we're talking about about supersonic cruise missiles ah with a range of 5000 kilometers. Los Angeles will retire gradually, the most popular nuclear submarine will be replaced by the next generation model: Virginia.

The Los Angeles class of atomic killers began in 1906, when a family of immigrants from Russian Empire Abraham, Rachel and their six-year-old son Chaim. The kid turned out to be no slouch - when he grew up, he entered the Naval Academy and became a four-star admiral in the US Navy. In total, Hyman Rickover served in the Navy for 63 years and would have served more if he had not been caught taking a bribe of 67 thousand dollars (Rickover himself denied it to the end, declaring that this “nonsense” had no influence on his decisions).

In 1979, after a major accident on nuclear power plant Three Mile Island Hyman Rickover, as an expert, was called to testify before Congress. The question sounded prosaic: “One hundred nuclear submarines of the US Navy are moving in the depths of the oceans - and not a single accident with the reactor core in 20 years. And here, standing on the shore, collapsed new nuclear power plant. Maybe Admiral Rickover knows something Magic word»?

The elderly admiral's answer was simple: there are no secrets, you just need to work with people. Personally communicate with each specialist, immediately remove fools from working with the reactor and kick them out of the fleet. All high ranks who, for some reason, interfere with the training of personnel in accordance with these principles and sabotage the implementation of my instructions, declare a merciless war and also expel them from the fleet. Ruthlessly “gnaw” contractors and engineers. Safety and reliability are the main areas of work, otherwise even the most powerful and modern submarines will be sunk in batches in peacetime.

Admiral Rickover's principles (safety and reliability above all) formed the basis of the Los Angeles project - the largest series in the history of the nuclear submarine fleet, consisting of 62 multi-purpose nuclear submarines. The purpose of the “Los Angeles” (or “Moose” - the nickname of the boats in the Soviet fleet) is to fight enemy surface ships and submarines, cover aircraft carrier groups and deployment areas of strategic submarine missile carriers. Covert mining, reconnaissance, special operations.

If we take as a basis only the tabular characteristics: “speed”, “immersion depth”, “number of torpedo tubes”, then against the background of domestic “Typhoons”, “Anteev” and “Pike”, “Los Angeles” looks like a mediocre trough. A single-hull steel coffin divided into three compartments - any hole would be fatal to it. For comparison, the durable hull of the domestic multi-purpose nuclear submarine Project 971 “Shchuka-B” is divided into six sealed compartments. And the giant Project 941 Akula missile carrier has 19 of them!

There are only four torpedo tubes located at an angle to the center plane of the hull. As a result, the “Moose” cannot fire at full speed - otherwise the torpedo will simply be broken by the incoming stream of water. For comparison, the Shchuka-B has 8 bow-mounted tubes and is capable of using its own over the entire range of operating depths and speeds.
The working depth of the Los Angeles is only 250 meters. A quarter of a kilometer – is that really not enough? For comparison, the working depth of the Shchuka-B is 500 meters, the maximum is 600!

Canonical image Nuclear submarine type"Los Angeles"

On the other hand, high maximum speed has never been the most important parameter of a submarine - already at 25 knots of acoustics the boats stop hearing anything due to the noise of the incoming water and the submarine becomes “deaf”, and at 30 knots the boat rumbles so much that it can be heard at the other end of the ocean. High speed- a useful, but not very important quality.

The main weapon of any submarine is stealth. This parameter contains the whole meaning of the existence of the submarine fleet. Stealth is determined primarily by the submarine's own noise level. The noise level of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines did not just meet international standards. The Los Angeles-class submarine itself set world standards.
There were several reasons for the exceptional low noise of the Elks:

Single-hull design. The area of ​​the wetted surface decreased, and, as a result, the noise from friction with the water when the boat moved.

The quality of the screws. By the way, the manufacturing quality of the third-generation Soviet nuclear submarine propellers also increased (and their noise decreased) after the detective story with the purchase of high-precision metal-cutting machines from Toshiba. Having learned about the secret deal between the USSR and Japan, America threw such a scandal that poor Toshiba almost lost access to the American market. Late! “Pike-B” with new propellers have already entered the vastness of the World Ocean.

Some specific points, such as rational placement of equipment inside the boat, depreciation of turbines and power equipment. The reactor circuits have greater degree natural circulation of the coolant - this made it possible to abandon high-capacity pumps, and, consequently, reduce the noise of the Los Angeles.

It is not enough for a submarine to be fast and secretive - to successfully complete its missions, it is necessary to have a specific understanding of the surrounding environment, learn to navigate the water column, find and identify surface and underwater targets. For a long time, the only means of external detection were a periscope and a hydroacoustic post with an analyzer in the form of an acoustic sailor’s ear. Well, there’s also a gyrocompass that shows where the North is under this damn water.

Other means of collecting information include: equipment for measuring the speed of sound at various depths(absolutely necessary remedy for accurate determination of the distance to the target), AN/BPS-15 radar and AN/WLR-9 electronic reconnaissance system (for work on the surface), general overview periscope (type 8) and attack periscope (type 15).
However, no cool sensors and sonars helped the San Francisco nuclear submarine - on January 8, 2005, a boat traveling at 30 knots (≈55 km/h) crashed into an underwater rock. One sailor was killed, 23 more were injured, and the luxurious antenna in the bow was smashed to pieces.

USS San Francisco (SSN-711) after colliding with an underwater obstacle

To increase combat effectiveness, 12 more vertical launch silos for storing and launching Tomahawks began to be installed in the bow of each Los Angeles, starting with the 32nd boat. In addition, some submarines are equipped with a Dry Deck Shelter container for storing combat swimmers’ equipment.
Modernization was carried out not “for show”, but based on reality combat experience– “Los Angeles” aircraft are regularly used to strike coastal targets. "Moose" are covered in blood up to their horns - on the list of destroyed targets are Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Libya...

USS Greeneville (SSN-772) with Dry Deck Shelter attached to her hull

Returning to our initial conversation - what did the Americans end up with - a worthless tin "tub" with understated characteristics or a highly effective underwater combat system?

Purely from a reliability point of view, the Los Angeles has set a record that has not yet been broken by anyone - during 37 years of active operation on 62 boats of this type, not a single serious accident involving damage to the reactor core was recorded. The Hyman Rickover tradition is still alive today.

As for the combat characteristics, the creators of the “Moose” can be praised a little. The Americans managed to build a generally successful ship with an emphasis on the most important characteristics (stealth and detection means). The boat was undoubtedly the best in the world in 1976, but by the mid-1980s, with the advent of the first multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 971 “Pike-B” in the USSR Navy, the American submarine fleet again found itself in a “catch-up” position. Realizing that the Los was somewhat inferior to the Pike-B, the United States began developing the SeaWolf project, a formidable submarine cruiser priced at $3 billion apiece (they completed the construction of three SeaWolfs in total).

In general, a conversation about Los Angeles-class boats is not so much a conversation about technology, but a conversation about the crews of these submarines. Man is the measure of everything. It is thanks to the preparation and careful maintenance of equipment that American sailors In 37 years we managed not to lose a single boat of this type.

Post scriptum. In April 1984, retired Admiral Hyman Rickover received a cool gift for his 84th birthday - a 7,000-ton Los Angeles-class submarine attack ship named in his honor.