Project 971 Akula nuclear strike submarine
Bellona Web has reported that the construction of a training centre for the Indian Navy in Sosnovy Bor, 70 kilometers west of St. Petersburg in Russia is possibly connected to the the lease of nuclear submarines by India.
The training center, which is large enough to train 300 submariners, was built in record time following the visit of Russian President Vladamir Putin to India in Dec 2004.
Officials at Sosnovy Bar have only confirmed that an International training center is being built. They have categorically stated that no nuclear reactors will be housed in the new building. However, the fact that the training center for Russian nuclear submariners is also located at Sosnovy Bor has fuelled speculation. Bellona Web quoted an expert familiar with the Russian submarine building program as saying that the building could well house a simulator for a nuclear submarine. A simulator, not an actual reactor, is all that would be needed for training.
Project 971 Akula nuclear strike nuclear submarines Leopard (Left) and Bars (Right). Photo Copyright © Pravda
Indian plans to lease Project 971 Akula strike nuclear submarines from Russia have been reported in the Press for sometime now. The Russians reportedly linked the lease of Akulas to the purchase of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (Formerly Admiral Groshkov) and its complement of aircraft consisting of MiG 29K/KUB fighter and Ka-27 and Ka-31 anti-submarine helicopters. Now that the Groshkov deal is well under way, movement on the lease of two Akulas was to be expected.
The Akula is powered by a VM-5 pressure water reactor with a OK-650 reactor core rated at 190MW. The reactor powers a GT3A turbine rated at 35MW. The propulsion system provides a maximum submerged speed of 33 knots and a surface speed of 10 knots. The submarine can dive to depths of 600 meters and stay submerged for 100 days. It needs a crew of 73 sailors and officers to operate.
The Akulas are reportedly as quiet as the US Navy Los Angeles class submarines. They are, however, noisier than the improved Los Angles class boats.
The Akula Class carry up to twelve Granit torpedo tube launched cruise missiles and Novator SS-N-15 Starfish and the Novator SS-N-16 Stallion anti ship missiles.
The cost to India of acquiring two Akula submarines and their support infrastructure along with training of the crews has been estimated at $2 billion.
Russia intends to use the money from the Indian lease to complete two Akula class submarines currently under construction at the Amur Shipbuilding yard. One of them has been completed to the extent of 70 to 85 percent while the other one is 40 to 60 percent complete.