Apple type Los Angeles. The underwater enemy is the Los Angeles class nuclear submarine. Los Angeles class

Atomic submarines like "Los Angeles"

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 cruise missiles long range firing (with a conventional or nuclear warhead), 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 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 №12 1988

Basic performance characteristics Los Angeles class

Normal displacement: 6080-6330 t
Total displacement: 6927-7177 t
Length: 110 m
Width: 10 m
Draft: 9.75 m
Power plant: single-shaft, S6G nuclear reactor, two steam turbines, power plant power 35,000 hp.
Speed: surface 22/ submerged 30 knots
Armament: 4 Harpoon and 8 Tomahawk missiles in 12 vertical launchers; 4 533 mm TA, ammunition 24 torpedoes Mk.48, Mk.46 or mines
Crew: 14 officers and 127 sailors

Los Angeles-class multipurpose nuclear submarines

The basis of today's submarine force general purpose The US Navy operates the Los Angeles class nuclear submarine. Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines are designed to combat enemy submarines and surface ships, protect nuclear missile submarines and aircraft carrier strike formations. It is also envisaged that nuclear submarines will be used to protect sea and ocean communications, lay mines and strike enemy coastal targets with long-range cruise missiles.
The design of this nuclear submarine was developed at the end of 1971 by the American company Newport News Shipbuilding. The lead boat of the series, SSN688 Los Angeles, was laid down in January 1972, and in November 1976. came into operation. The construction of the entire series of 62 ships, gigantic even by American standards, was carried out until September 1996, when the nuclear submarine SSN773 Cheyenne entered service.
Los Angeles-class submarines have a single-hull architecture over most of their length and, unlike all previous series, do not have light hull structures in the area of ​​the auxiliary machinery compartments.
The hull, made of high-strength steel, 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 3 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.
The boat's buoyancy reserve is 15%.
The standard displacement of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine is 2000-2400 tons greater than that of previous series nuclear submarines, which is primarily due to the use of a more powerful nuclear power plant and new electronic equipment, as well as increased ammunition.
As the main power plant, the boat is equipped with a nuclear power plant developed by General Electric, the composition of which is standard for all serial nuclear boats. It includes a steam generating unit with an S6G reactor and two turbines that transmit rotation through a gearbox to a seven-bladed propeller.
Compared to previously used serial reactors of the S5W type from Westinghouse Electric Corp. The S6G reactor can transfer more than twice the power to the shaft and has a higher percentage of 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 10 years.
The armament on the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine is combined into a torpedo-missile system, which has 4 torpedo tubes installed at an angle to the centerline plane of the boat, as well as ammunition for torpedoes, anti-submarine and anti-ship missiles And cruise missiles for shooting at ground targets.
The typical ammunition load of the first subseries of nuclear submarines (SSN688-SSN718) consists of 14 torpedoes, four Harpoon anti-ship missiles and 8 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Harpoon missiles on submarines are located in hermetically sealed capsules - launch containers in which anti-ship missiles are fired from the launch vehicle. After leaving the water, the capsule splits into three parts and sinks. The flight of the anti-ship missile continues while the launch accelerator is operating. At the same time, the consoles are automatically opened, the main engine is started and enters flight mode, and the launch accelerator is separated from the launch vehicle. The flight of the missile to the area where the target is located, the coordinates of which are determined by the ASBU according to the data of the SAC PL, occurs at a relatively low altitude (30m). After capturing the target with an active radar seeker during the final phase of the flight, the missile descends to the very surface of the water and hits the target or gains altitude, diving onto it.
The Tomahawk missile launcher, unlike the Harpoon missile launcher, does not have a sealed capsule. Its propulsion engine and the rocket itself are sealed during an underwater launch. After being fired from the TA, the missile moves underwater due to the energy of the water imparted to it by a turbopump. When the launch accelerator is subsequently turned on and in operation, the rocket is brought to the surface, where the wing consoles unfold and the air intake of the main engine, which is retracted flush with the body, is folded out. The latter is launched and enters flight mode, and the launch accelerator is separated from the rocket. For use with submarines, including Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, several modifications of the Tomahawk missile launcher have been created for firing at ground targets with conventional (non-nuclear) warheads (TLAM) and nuclear warheads (TLAM-N), as well as for destroying ships and vessels ( TASM).
The disadvantage of the submarines of the first subseries was the impossibility of salvo firing of a significant number of cruise missiles, since there were only 4 torpedo tubes, some of which were supposed to contain torpedoes for self-defense. For this reason, the second subseries (SSN719-SSN750) was built with vertical launchers for Tomahawk cruise missiles located in the developed nose end of the pressure hull. Such launcher accommodates 12 Tomahawk missile launchers in special CLS launch containers developed by Westinghouse Electric Corp. They protect missiles from impact sea ​​water and ensure their firing from an underwater position.
The CLS launch container is a steel cylinder 7.6 m long and 0.61 m in diameter, the ends of which are sealed with special plugs. Centering and fastening of the rocket is carried out using a special support device at the bottom of the container and side fixing inserts. Under the support device is the firing system on the United Technologies Corp. gas generator. with a UTG 21 squib on solid rocket fuel grade 800. The signal to the detonator, which ignites the cartridge, is issued by the firing system launch unit.
The design of the CLS launch container allows it to be easily restored for reuse after the rocket is fired.
The vertical launch of the Tomahawk missile launcher from the Los Angeles-class submarine is controlled by equipment from Singer Co., compatible with the fire control system used on the boats. It provides the necessary data to the missile’s on-board equipment, controls the mechanism that opens the hatch with a waterproof lid over the corresponding launcher container, and issues a command to activate the firing system in this container. The excess pressure created by the gas generator pushes out the rocket, which easily destroys the upper end membrane plug, which can withstand significant external pressure.
During the development of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine, much attention was paid to the development of highly effective 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 (4.57 m in diameter), a conformal noise direction-finding sonar, a towed antenna placed on the boat hull in a casing, and other hydroacoustic systems. It is serviced by four operators.
Submarines of this type are equipped with a special navigation complex MINI SINS, AN/BPS-15 radar, AN/WSC-3 satellite communication station, AN/BQS-15 mine detection sonar, AN/UYK-7 computer, Mk 117 fire control system and more. radio-electronic equipment.
During the construction of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine, the improvement of radio-electronic equipment was carried out on the basis of a unified control and monitoring system Mkll7. On ships of the third subseries (starting with SSN751), built according to the improved Improved Los Angeles project, the AN/USQ-82 (V) ship multiplex data transmission system is installed, which allows you to combine information coming from weapons and lighting systems, as well as from general ship systems and transmit it via multiplex cable.
Due to the use of acoustic coatings on the hull and other measures, submarines of this subseries have improved acoustic characteristics. These boats have become more suitable for use under ice, for which the wheelhouse rudders have been moved to the bow area.
According to available information, at the end of 1999 the following nuclear submarines of the first subseries were withdrawn from the fleet and prepared for dismantlement: Baton Rouge (SSN689), Omaha (SSN692), Cincinnati (SSN693), Groton (SSN694), Birmingham (SSN695), New York City (SSN696), Indianapolis (SSN697), Phoenix (SSN702), Boston (SSN703), Baltimore (SSN704), Atlanta (SSN712).
Thus, as of the beginning of 2000, the US Navy had 51 of the 62 Los Angeles-class boats built. At the same time, boats of the first subseries Los Angeles (SSN688), Philadelphia (SSN690), Dallas (SSN700), La Jolla (SSN701), Buffalo (SSN715) in 1999-2000. it was planned to be retrofitted to install removable DDS deck containers with landing craft and to accommodate light divers from SEAL units.
In 1999-2003 for the use of ASDS landing craft, it was planned to retrofit the nuclear submarines Greeneville (SSN772), Charlotte (SSN766), Columbus (SSN762), Hartford (SSN768).

The history of the atomic killers of the Los Angeles subject arose in 1906, when the house of emigrants from Ellis Island (New Jersey) burst into the hall of the Immigration Service of Ellis Island (New Jersey). Russian Empire– Abraham, Rachel and their six-year-old son Chaim.

The kid turned out to be no mistake - when he grew up, he enrolled in 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 for more years if he had not gotten into trouble receiving a bribe of 67 thousand dollars (Rickover himself denied it to the death, declaring that this “nonsense” had no impact on his decisions).

In 1979, after a major accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, Hyman Rickover, as an expert, was asked to testify by Congress. The problem sounded prosaic: “One hundred nuclear submarines of the US Navy move in the depths of the oceans - and not a single accident with an active reactor strip in 20 years. And then the newly built nuclear power plant, which was trembling, collapsed. Maybe Admiral Rickover knows some kind of magic word?

The elderly admiral's answer was simple: no secrets, all you need to do is work hard with the people. Deal with every specialist individually, remove fools from working with the reactor in one gulp and kick them out of the fleet. All high-ranking officials who, for some reason, interfere with the preparation of individual 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 principles of work, otherwise even the most powerful and current submarines will be sunk in piles in peace-loving times.

Admiral Rickover's principles (safety and reliability above all) formed the basis of the Los Angeles project - the most numerous series in the history of the nuclear submarine fleet, consisting of 62 multi-purpose nuclear submarines. The direction of the “Los Angeles” (or “Moose” - the nickname of the rooks in the Soviet fleet) is the war against enemy surface ships and submarines, the screening of aircraft carrier groups and deployment areas of strategic missile submarines. Covert mining, search, special operations.

If we take the tabular characteristics as a basis: “speed”, “immersion depth”, “number of torpedo tubes”, then against the background of the 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 lethal for it. For comparison, the strong 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!

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

Canonical image of the submarine "Los Angeles"

On the other hand, sublime maximum speed has never been the most magnificent parameter of an underwater boat - already at 25 knots of acoustics the boats stop hearing anything due to the roar of the incoming water and the submarine becomes “deaf”, and at 30 knots the boat rumbles so much that it can be heard on the other side of the ocean. Exalted speed is a healthy, but not overly grandiose, quality.

The main weapon of any submarine is stealth. This parameter contains the rationale for the existence of a submarine fleet. Stealth is determined primarily by the level of the submarine's own noise. The level of the Los Angeles nuclear submarine's own noises did not simply meet international standards. Subject Los Angeles' submarine itself set global standards.
There were several reasons for the outstanding low noise of the Elks:

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

The quality of the screws. By the way, the quality of manufacturing of the propellers of third-generation Soviet nuclear submarines also increased (and their noise decreased) after the detective story with the purchase of high-precision metal-cutting machines from Toshiba. Having found out about the secret deal between the USSR and Japan, America made such a fuss that the low-power Toshiba almost lost access to the American market. It’s too late! “Pike-B” with newly made propellers has already entered the vastness of the World Ocean.

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

It’s important for a submarine to be agile and secretive - to successfully complete tasks it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the surrounding environment, learn to navigate the surface of the water, find and identify surface and underwater targets. For a long time, the only external detection weapons were a periscope and a hydroacoustic post with an analyzer in the form of an acoustic sailor’s ear. Give us another gyrocompass, demonstrating where Nord is under this damn water.

Other information collection weapons include: equipment for measuring the speed of sound at unequal depths (an absolutely necessary weapon for accurately determining the distance to a target), AN/BPS-15 radar and AN/WLR-9 electronic reconnaissance system (for working on the surface), periscope general view (lad 8) and attack periscope (lad 15).
However, no cool sensors and sonars supported the San Francisco nuclear submarine - on January 8, 2005, the boat, performing at 30 knots (≈55 km/h), crashed into an underwater cliff. One sailor was killed, 23 more were injured, and the gorgeous antenna in the nasal part was smashed to pieces.

To increase the battle efficiency, 12 more vertical launch shafts for storing and launching Tomahawks began to be installed in the nasal parts 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.

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

The final 23 boats were built according to the modified "Improved Los Angeles" design. The submarines of this entity were especially suited for operations in high latitudes under the ice dome of the Arctic. The wheelhouse rudders of the boats were dismantled, replacing them with retractable rudders in the nasal part. The screw was enclosed in a profiled ring attachment, which further reduced the degree of hum. The radio-electronic “filling” of the boat has undergone partial modernization.
The final boat of the Los Angeles series, named Cheyenne, was heralded in 1996. At the time when the final boats of the series were completed, the first 17 units, having served their assigned period, were already being scrapped. The Elks still form the backbone of the US submarine fleet; as of 2013, 42 submarines of this entity will still be in service.

Returning to our original tare-bar-rasta-bar - what did the Americans end up with - a worthless tin "tub" with underrated characteristics or a highly effective underwater brawl complex?

Impeccable from the point of view of reliability, 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 entity, not a single major accident with damage to the active reactor strip was recorded. The Hyman Rickover tradition is still alive today.

As for the combat characteristics, the demiurges of the “Moose” can be praised a little. The Americans managed to build a successful ship with an emphasis on superior characteristics (stealth and detection weapons). The boat, undoubtedly, was the most important in the world in 1976, but by the mid-1980s, with the advent of the first multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 971 “Shchuka-B” in the USSR Navy, the American submarine fleet again found itself in a “catch-up” position. Realizing some of the disadvantages of the “Moose” compared to the “Pike-B”, in the States the development of the “SeaWolf” project arose - a formidable submarine cruiser at a cost of $3 billion dollars apiece (in total they completed the construction of three “SeaWolfs”).

In general, a conversation about the boats of the subject “Los Angeles” is not so much a conversation about technology, but a conversation about the crews of these submarines. Man is the measure of everything. Actually, thanks to the preparation and scrupulous maintenance of equipment, American sailors managed in 37 years not to lose a single boat of this subject.

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

At periscope depth

The Los Angeles-type atomic killers began in 1906, when a family of emigrants from the Russian Empire - Abraham, Rachel and their six-year-old son Chaim - entered the hall of the Immigration Service of Ellis Island (New Jersey). 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 at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, 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 the one standing on the shore fell apart new nuclear power plant. Maybe Admiral Rickover knows some 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 of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine

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 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(completely 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 was thanks to the preparation and careful maintenance of the equipment that American sailors managed to not lose a single boat of this type for 37 years.

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.

"Los Angeles"- a series of attack nuclear submarines of the US Navy. Currently, the US Navy has 46 of the 62 Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines built. The first nuclear submarine of the series entered service in the city, the last, the USS Cheyenne, was completed in the city. The ships were built by Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat Division.

Nine Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines were deployed during the war. Persian Gulf(1991), during which Tomahawk missile launchers were launched from two of them.

Links

• ship.bsu.by Encyclopedia of ships / Multi-purpose submarines / Los Angeles.

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