An important advantage of the promising Russian fifth-generation multipurpose nuclear submarines "Husky" may be a relatively low cost, experts say. At the same time, the price of boats can compete with the technical characteristics of submarines for the title of the main advantage. Already, there are suggestions that the cost of new submarines will be significantly cheaper than the Yasen-M boats currently under construction. For the Navy, this is especially important, given the fact that in the fleet, new submarines will have to replace all multipurpose boats of the third generation, including the submarines of Project 949 Antey (the “urban” series of boats, these were the tragically lost submarine K-141 “Kursk ") and project 971" Schuka-B ", which are quite numerous.
Information about the boats of the "Husky" project is currently extremely limited. It is known that work on the project of a multipurpose nuclear submarine with cruise missiles (SSGN) of the 5th generation is being carried out by the SPMBM Malachite, information about this first appeared in the Russian media back in December 2014. At the same time, it was reported that the development of a new submarine is being carried out on an initiative basis, without a technical assignment from the Russian Ministry of Defense. On July 17, 2015, the Russian media reported that the new submarine was being designed by the Malachit designers on one base platform, but in two versions: a multipurpose nuclear submarine, focused on fighting enemy submarines and SSGNs, focused on fighting enemy aircraft carriers.
On August 8, 2016, information appeared that a contract was signed between the Russian Ministry of Defense and SPMBM "Malachite" for the development of a promising submarine. Apparently, we are talking about research work to develop the appearance of the future nuclear submarine, and the technical design of the submarine itself will begin only after 2020. Experts believe that the Husky anti-submarine version will be armed with the Caliber anti-submarine missiles, this submarine, first of all, will be designed to destroy the strategic submarines of the potential enemy (the Ohio and Vanguard nuclear submarines). The second version of the submarine will receive anti-ship hypersonic cruise missiles "Zircon" and will be designed to destroy large surface ships of the enemy (aircraft carriers, UDC, landing craft, missile cruisers, destroyers, etc.).
Multipurpose nuclear submarine of project 885 "Ash"
The lack of information about the boats of the "Husky" project at the present time is not something surprising, given the fact that research on the project is still underway and even the appearance of the future submarine has not yet been fully determined. The boat exists only in the form of sketches and renders, but little is known about some of its features. For example, it has already been reported that the Husky boats will receive a two-hull design, the submarine's underwater displacement will be about 12 thousand tons (Yasen has 13 800 tons). In terms of its dimensions, the promising submarine will be smaller than the 4th generation Yasen-M submarines under construction today.
The 5th generation submarine will have even less noise than the 4th generation submarines, which include the Yasen and Yasen-M multipurpose nuclear submarines. The boat hulls will be built using modern composite materials. The submarine's multi-layered structures will have to reduce the reflections of enemy sonar signals and help reduce the weight of the submarine. Most likely, all boats will receive new means of communication, they can be integrated into a single network. Along with the Yasen / Yasen-M submarines, the new Husky will become the main means of the Russian fleet in countering the American Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups (AUG).
It is expected that research and development work on the project may be completed by the end of 2018. By this time, the preliminary design will be completed, after which the boat developers will be able to move on to the technical design. Earlier, RIA Novosti, citing Vice Admiral Viktor Barsuk, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for Armaments, reported that the laying of the first multipurpose nuclear submarine of a new generation (Project Husky) could take place in the final part of the adopted State Armaments Program for the period 2018-2025. Viktor Barsuk called the estimated date for laying a promising submarine - 2023-2024. He made the corresponding statement in Severodvinsk at the end of July 2017, where he flew to the laying ceremony for the new Ulyanovsk nuclear-powered ship.
The main factor in increasing the combat effectiveness of Project Husky boats is their equipping with a new missile system with a Zircon 3M22 hypersonic cruise missile. This complex was successfully tested in 2017, during which the rocket developed a speed of up to Mach 8. Missiles moving at such a speed are very difficult to track and, accordingly, intercept, since it manages to approach the target from the moment it is detected by the radar. At the same time, it will be three times faster than anti-ship missiles of the previous generation. For example, anti-ship missiles R-700 "Granit" or R-800 "Onyx" could reach speeds of Mach 2.5. It is also reported that the submarines of the project "Husky" will be able to carry cruise missiles "Caliber", the effectiveness and combat capabilities of which have been tested and confirmed in the armed conflict in Syria.
Renders recently published by the Malakhit design bureau allow us to judge how these solutions will be implemented in the design of the new submarine. The presented photographs show the launchers located in the middle and bow parts of the boat. In particular, 8 open covers are visible in the middle of the submarine's hull. According to experts, there will be 40-48 missiles here, since a similar design of launch containers on the Yasen multipurpose nuclear submarines can hold from 4 to 5 missiles, depending on their type.
Another striking feature of the new submarines may be the use of various unmanned underwater vehicles. A number of sources even reported that Project Husky boats would carry a Status 6 nuclear torpedo. And Oleg Vlasov, who is the head of the robotics department of Malakhit, said that the new boats will be integrated with systems operating in airspace, that is, submarines will be able to launch UAVs to conduct reconnaissance and search for targets. It is also believed that the torpedo tubes on the promising submarine will be located in the middle of the hull, as was done on the Project 885 Yasen submarines, while in the bow there will be various sonar equipment and launchers for cruise missiles.
Possible appearance of promising multipurpose nuclear submarines of the Husky project
Also, in the Russian media, the incredibly low acoustic signature of future boats, in the construction of which composite materials will be widely used, is quite widely noted. In addition to this, it is assumed that the boats of the Husky project will be equipped with the latest technologies aimed at reducing acoustic visibility and noise. According to Viktor Barsuk, the new submarines are expected to be two times quieter than those of the previous generation.
To some, the appearance of new submarines of the Husky project may seem superfluous, since the construction of multipurpose nuclear submarines of the Yasen project has been launched in the country, however, progress and development of technologies do not stand still. The addition of hypersonic cruise missiles to the arsenal of submarines, the integration of robotics, an increased level of work automation, a significant reduction in noise (if the declared values are reached) significantly increase the combat effectiveness of the boats of the new project.
Earlier it became known that when working on the 5th generation multipurpose nuclear submarine "Husky", the vast experience gained in the development of boats of projects 671, 971, 885 and their various modifications was used. And in March 2018, the St. Petersburg Marine Engineering Bureau "Malachite" completed work on the creation of a preliminary design of the 5th generation submarine "Husky", after which the process of discussing the project with representatives of the Russian Navy began. As noted by the general director of "Malakhit" Vladimir Dorofeev, in addition to the technical characteristics, the new project should also differ in its economic component. "Our ships should become not only more powerful, but also cheaper" - emphasized the general director of the company developing a promising boat.
