The ships that the fleet cannot do without. The modern search and rescue service of the Russian Navy, the Department of Search and Rescue Operations of the Russian Navy (UPASR), has existed since 1993. This is a special service of the Russian Navy, designed to carry out work on search and rescue support (PSO) of the fleet forces: search and assistance to damaged and distressed ships, rescue their personnel, raise sunken ships, as well as rescue aircraft crews that have suffered an accident over by the sea.
The control bodies of the UPASR of the Russian Navy are subordinate to the forces of the PSO of the Navy (military units), which include sea and road search and rescue vessels (boats) of various types and projects:
1) rescue ships of submarines;
2) rescue tugs;
3) diving vessels (boats, boats);
4) fire-fighting vessels (boats).
Search and rescue vessels, their features and special equipment, as well as deep-sea rescue vehicles will be discussed in this article.
Keel vessels are designed for underwater cargo operations: setting dead anchors, booms, clearing fairways, lifting sunken objects. Usually low-sided single-deck, with a powerful lifting device, placed, as a rule, in the stern. In essence, they represent a seaworthy high-speed version of a floating crane.
Keel and rescue vessels - project 141 were built in the 1980s in Rostock (GDR). The ships were intended for receiving from the shore, transporting, staging and cleaning the roadstead equipment, consisting of anchors, barrels, chains and steel ropes. Thanks to the lifting equipment on board, ships are able to participate in rescue, ship lifting and underwater technical work.
Main characteristics: full displacement of 5250 tons. The maximum travel speed is 13.7 knots. Cruising range 2000 miles at 11 knots. Autonomy 45 days. The crew is 47 people. Power plant - 2 diesels, 3000 hp
Some of the vessels were converted into rescue vessels with the installation of special equipment on them, including: GAS "Oredezh-M", OGAS MG-329M "Sheksna", GAS sound underwater communications "Protey-6", GAS sound underwater communications MGV-5N, 1 pressure chamber, 1 marine television complex MTK-200.
Manned deep-sea rescue vehicles (OGAS) and unmanned underwater vehicles are based on the vessels of the project. For example, the Panther Plus unmanned vehicle is based on the Aleksandr Pushkin killer vessel, which can operate at a depth of up to 1000 meters. The device is equipped with two mechanical manipulators Shilling Orion and RigMaster, on which it is possible to install cable cutters and a circular saw for cutting complex structures up to 90 millimeters thick.
The "Panther Plus" working ROV of light class includes an automatic depth and course keeping system, an echo sounder, an underwater positioning system with satellite GPS, a soil erosion device. The device has two controllable television cameras of increased photosensitivity, located above the manipulators, and rear-view cameras, which allow recording the data of the underwater situation on the DVR and controlling the actions of the manipulators.
One of the main advantages of the complex is its air mobility, which allows it to be delivered to any part of the planet using military transport aircraft in a short time.
The fleet rescue service includes 4 vessels of project 141.
Keel vessels - project 419 were built in the 1960s-1970s in Rostock, East Germany. These ships have a total displacement of 3151.4 tons. Full speed - 13, 2 knots. The cruising range is 4000 miles. Crew - 45 people. Power plant - 2 diesels 885 hp each.
The fleet rescue service includes 1 ship of project 419.
Rescue ship "Commune" deserves a separate article, because this is the oldest ship in the world, in fact, in service and performing combat missions. It entered the combat strength of the fleet in 1915. During its service, the vessel has repeatedly successfully coped with the tasks of lifting sunken submarines and other objects.
The vessel has a displacement of 3100 tons, a cruising range of 4000 miles, a crew of 23 people. The power plant includes two diesel engines with a capacity of 600 hp.
The vessel is equipped with an underwater robot "Panther Plus" and can be a carrier of deep-sea rescue vehicles.
Rescue vessel "EPRON" project 527M - another veteran of the Russian Navy. It entered the fleet back in 1959. Nevertheless, to this day it has been quite successfully fulfilling its tasks.
The vessel has a total displacement of 3,034 tons, full speed - 18.8 knots, cruising range - 10,500 miles, crew - 135 people. Power plant - 2 diesels 3500 hp each.
Radio-technical and hydroacoustic weapons: two navigation radars "Don", GAS Pegas-2M ", GAS" Oredezh-1 ", GAS sound-underwater communications MG-26" Hosta ".
Special equipment: winch 25 tons, cargo boom 12 tons, biteng - two 200 tons each, drainage capacity 3600 cubic meters. m / hour, seven fire extinguishing barrels with a capacity of 220 cubic meters. m / h, diving bell VK for depths up to 800 m, diving bell SK-64 for depths up to 500 m, working chamber RK-680 for depths up to 450 m, observation chamber NK for depths up to 300 m, complex of pressure chambers, complex of normobaric rigid spacesuits "Hardsuit 1200", remote-controlled unmanned underwater vehicle "Tiger", deep-sea remote-controlled vehicle "Panther Plus".
The vessel provides towing of vessels with a displacement of more than 15,000 tons. Its four interconnected pressure chambers can simultaneously decompress up to 48 people.
Rescue vessels - project 05360 were built in the 1970s at the Vyborg shipyard. Ships of the project 05360 are carriers of underwater rescue vehicles and shells. Designed for search, designation and survey of sunken objects and rescue operations using underwater vehicles.
Main characteristics: full displacement of 7460 tons. Full speed 15, 85 knots. Cruising range 6500 miles at 14 knots. The crew is 96 people. They can take on board 40 rescued people. Power plant: 1 diesel, 6100 hp
Special equipment: 2 autonomous underwater vehicles, 1 underwater bell, MTK-200 television control equipment.
The fleet currently includes two ships of this project.
Rescue vessels - project 05361 were built in the 1980s at the Vyborg shipyard. Search and rescue vessels of project 05361 are carriers of underwater rescue vehicles and shells. Designed for search, designation and survey of sunken objects and rescue operations using underwater vehicles.
Main characteristics: full displacement of 7980 tons. Full speed 16.6 knots. Cruising range 6500 miles at 14 knots. They can take on board 40 rescued people. The crew is 84 people.
To search for sunken objects, the Trepang-2 complex towed remote-controlled finder is used for depths of up to 2 km. Ships are equipped with hydroacoustics to determine their place and the location of the underwater vehicle, for underwater communications and for detecting underwater objects.
The fleet includes two ships of the project.
Rescue vessel "Alagez" project 537 "Octopus" - the only representative of the project in the fleet. The ship entered service in 1989.
Main characteristics: full displacement of 14,300 tons. Full speed 20.4 knots. Cruising range 15,000 miles at 10 knots. Crew of 315 people, including 62 officers and 80 warrant officers. Power plant: 2 diesels 12,650 hp each, 2 bow thrusters, 2 aft retractable rudder propellers.
Radio-technical and hydroacoustic weapons: general detection radar MR-302 "Cabin", 3 navigation radars "Don", GAS "Gamma", MGA-6 "Kashalot".
Special equipment: 2 diving complexes for depths up to 200 m, 1 sea TV complex MTK-200, 5 water jet monitors 500 m each3/ h, drainage system 4000 m3/ h
The vessel has several speedboats, as well as a hangar and a platform for receiving the Ka-27 search and rescue helicopter.
The vessel provides for the simultaneous placement of an uninhabited remotely controlled vehicle and four manned underwater vehicles. The main descender device provides descent and ascent of underwater vehicles at waves up to 5 points. The vessel has a thruster, which allows it to be steadily held in a given place, and a deep-sea anchor.
The complex of diving equipment ensures the performance of diving operations at depths of up to 250 meters. It includes a hydrobaric chamber, which allows imitation diving descents to maintain the necessary physiological fitness of divers during long autonomous trips. In the pressure chambers of the diving complex, rescued submariners can undergo decompression. The vessel is equipped with modern means of rendering assistance to emergency ships and sunken submarines. The vessel is equipped with a remote-controlled deep-sea vehicle of British production "Tiger".
Rescue vessel "Igor Belousov" - the lead rescue vessel of the ocean class, project 21300 (code "Dolphin").
Designed to rescue crews, supply air, electricity and life-saving equipment to emergency submarines or surface ships lying on the ground or being on the surface. In addition, the ship can search and survey emergency facilities in a given area, including as part of international naval rescue teams.
The vessel has a total displacement of 5,310 tons, a speed of up to 15 knots, a cruising range of 3,500 miles, a crew of 96 people, and a passenger capacity of 120 seats for the rescued (60 in pressure chambers).
Power plant: 2 boiler units KGV 1, 0/5-M, 4 diesel generators DG VA-1680 - 4 x 1680 kW, 2 diesel generators DG VA-1080 - 2 x 540 kW. Propellers: two propeller motors of 2400 kW each with output to two propellers Aquamaster US 305FP, two bow thrusters of 680 kW each.
The ship is equipped with the following navigation, electronic and navigational weapons: automated navigation complex "Chardash", navigation radar MR-231, navigation radar Pal-N3, navigation hydroacoustic system, automated communications complex "Ruberoid", hydrometeorological support, multifunctional television complex MTK- 201M, GMDSS facilities, shipborne automated telephone exchange, shipboard color television broadcasting system "Ekran-TsM".
Hydroacoustic armament:
1) hydroacoustic station "Livadia";
2) “Structure-SVN” sonar sonar station;
3) navigation hydroacoustic system "Folklore";
4) hydroacoustic station PDSS "Anapa";
5) a towed search complex with a working depth of up to 2000 m, including a side-scan sonar and a magnetometer.
Special complexes, devices and equipment.
Deep-water diving complex GVK-450 "Dolphin-GVK" … The complex has 120 seats, is located on 5 decks in the middle of the vessel and occupies more than 20% of the hull volume. It is based on 5 pressure chambers that can accommodate 60 rescued submariners. The complex also trains divers before diving. The pressure chambers have different purposes: residential, sanitary and reception and weekend. The complex includes a life support system for temperature and humidity regulation, oxygen saturation, removal of gaseous impurities and odors.
Project 18271 Bester-1 deep-sea rescue vehicle. Diving belldesigned for diving to a depth of 450 meters. It has the shape of a vertical cylinder and is equipped with portholes. Communication and video surveillance equipment, panels for supplying breathing mixture to divers and hot water for heating them are installed inside. The bell houses a diver-operator and two working divers with full equipment. For the passage of divers, the bell is connected to the GVK-450 receiving and output compartment. Descent and ascent is carried out by a lowering and lifting device.
Normobaric suits HS-1200 designed to work at a depth of up to 60 m and equipped with highly sensitive hydroacoustic and television equipment. Allow to carry out the necessary preparation of the object for the further operation of the manned rescue vehicle or divers.
Unmanned ROV "Seaeye Tiger" with a working depth of up to 1000 m.
Two onboard unified work and rescue boats of project 21770 "Katran"
Aviation complex with a helipad
Rescue deep-sea vehicles of project 1855 "Prize" belong to the class of mini-submarines. The tasks of the Prize-type SGA do not include scientific and oceanographic research, the devices are designed to rescue crews from emergency submarines by docking to emergency exits of submarines.
SGA have an underwater displacement of 110 tons, an underwater speed of up to 3, 7 knots, a cruising range of 39 km, a maximum immersion depth of 1000 m, a crew of 4 people plus 20 passengers, an autonomy of 120 hours or 10 hours with passengers.
The fleet includes 4 SGAs of the Prize project - one for each fleet. Carrier vessels: ships of projects 141C, 05360, 05361, 537 "Octopus" and the rescue vessel "Kommuna".
Rescue deep-sea vehicles of project 18271 "Bester-1" have an underwater displacement of about 50 tons, maximum speed up to 3, 2 knots, operating depth of immersion - 720 m, maximum depth - 780 m, cruising range - 9-11 miles, working autonomy without passengers - 72 hours, working autonomy with the rescued - 10 hours, crew - 3 people, the number of rescued - 18 people.
The rotary suction chamber installed on this SGA allows performing a rescue operation when the damaged submarine is heeled up to 45 degrees."
SGA can be transported by any vessel with a 50-ton cargo boom and even by transport aircraft.
The fleet includes 2 SGAs of this project. They are based on the vessels of projects 05360 and 05361, as well as on the Igor Belousov court of project 21300 Dolphin.
Hospital ships of the B-320 "Ob" project were built in the 1980s in Szczecin, Poland. The main job of these ships is to provide medical support to operational squadrons operating at a considerable distance from the main basing points, and to naval forces on the islands and in poorly equipped areas of deployment.
The ships have a total displacement of 11623-11875 tons, a maximum speed of 19 knots, a cruising range of up to 10,000 miles, a crew of 124 people, and a medical staff of 83 people. The power plant of the ships consists of 2 diesels with a capacity of 7800 hp each. with.
The hospital is able to receive the wounded and sick both from the shore and at sea. For this, two ladders are provided on each side, an electric crane for lifting six casualties at once on the platform, a medical boat and a helicopter. The medical unit is concentrated directly in the middle part of the ship to reduce the pitching from the waves of the sea. There are surgical, intensive care, therapeutic, infectious, dermatological and admission departments, an intensive care unit, patient rooms, an X-ray room, a diagnostic center, a pharmacy and a medical warehouse. Bed capacity: for patients - 100 beds, for vacationers - 200 beds, in the evacuation version - 450 beds.
The fleet includes 3 vessels of this project. At the same time, only one of them has been modernized and is in a combat-ready state.
Rescue sea tugs - project 712 were built in the 1980s in Finland by order of the USSR Navy. The vessels are designed for independent towing of surface ships and vessels with a displacement of up to 40,000 tons, as well as for carrying out rescue operations of limited scope.
The vessels of the project have a total displacement of 2980 tons, a full speed of 16 knots, a cruising range of up to 6120 miles, a crew of 43 people. Power plant - 2 diesels 3900 hp each.
Special equipment: small-sized remote-controlled underwater vehicle "Tiger", diving equipment for working at depths of up to 60 meters, device for lifting people from water "Sprut-5", two evacuation and rescue containers "ESK-1", 8 submersible rescue electric pumps, 4 water jet monitors, towing bittens, main towing cable with a diameter of 56 mm and a length of 750 meters.
The fleet currently includes 4 ships of the project.
Rescue sea tugs - project 714 were built in Finland in the 1980s. These vessels have a total displacement of 2,210 tons, a speed of up to 14 knots, a cruising range of up to 8,000 miles, and a crew of 43 people. The power plant is represented by one 3500 hp diesel engine. The vessel is equipped with diving equipment for working at a depth of up to 40 meters, 2 water jet barrels.
The fleet includes 6 vessels of project 714.
Rescue tugs project 733С were built in the 1950-1960s. These vessels have a total displacement of 934 tons, full speed - 13.2 knots, cruising range - 8000 miles, crew - 51 people. Power plant - 1 electric motor with a capacity of 1900 hp. Special equipment: 2 water jet monitors 120 m each3/ h, drainage facilities with a capacity of 1000 m3/ h
The fleet includes 3 vessels of the specified project.
Conclusion
For the convenience of reading and perception of the material about the ships of the search and rescue service of the Russian Navy, it is divided into two articles. The first focused mainly on the largest, most technologically advanced and equipped ships. The second will focus on vessels that are simpler, but, nevertheless, very useful and necessary. It will also summarize the results of the vessels of the UPASR of the Russian Navy and draw the appropriate conclusions.
For now, let's summarize only interim results. The Russian Navy is armed with quite a few large search and rescue vessels. However, the small number of deep-sea rescue vehicles (1-2) per fleet immediately catches the eye. That is, not every ship capable of carrying such devices is equipped with them. Another thing that attracts attention is the age of the ships: all large ships were built in the 1980s, that is, their service life is coming to an end. Of course, one can hope that some of them will still serve as veterans of EPRON and Kommuna, but there is no adequate replacement for them yet. The only bright spot is Igor Belousov. A separate question is killer vessels: can we build them? After all, all comparatively modern ships of this type were built in the GDR. Do we have such competencies? In addition, there is a widespread use of foreign diving equipment, remote-controlled vehicles, and propulsion units. Most likely, the procurement of this equipment today is either impossible or very difficult, as well as its maintenance. Thus, the need for its import substitution is obvious.
