This article will discuss one of the most secret divisions of the Russian Ministry of Defense - the Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI). GUGI is directly subordinate to the Ministry of Defense and is engaged in deep-sea and oceanographic research, search and rescue of sunken ships, physiological studies of the effect of great depths on the human body, tests of emergency rescue equipment.
Service in the GUGI on special nuclear submarines and nuclear deep-water stations (AGS) is considered the most dangerous and responsible. Diving depths of 3-6 kilometers, secret tasks of state importance, the need for high technical literacy, knowledge of the operation of units and assemblies, psychological stability required the formation of crews exclusively from officers and a medical board for selection, similar to that for astronauts.
The GUGI hydronauts are the elite of the Russian submarine forces. The work of the 10th detachment of hydronauts of the GUGI was awarded the Order of Nakhimov. Apart from them, only the crews of the cruisers "Peter the Great", "Varyag" and "Moscow" were awarded this order. It is the hydronauts and their work that are the most secret part of the GUGI.
The Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research is armed with surface ships, nuclear submarines and deep-sea vehicles. Let's consider them in order.
Surface ships
Oceanographic research vessels of project 22010 "Cruise" - a series of special-purpose vessels for comprehensive research of the World Ocean. The vessels of the project can explore both the thickness of the ocean and its bottom. For these purposes, deep-sea manned and autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles are based on the ship. Also oceanographic vessels can be used for rescue purposes - the equipment allows you to search for sunken objects on the seabed. The vessels have an equipped platform for one helicopter. The vessel of the project can operate in ice and, along with mapping, performs the functions of a universal surface and underwater reconnaissance officer.
The main special equipment of the vessels of the project 22010 are manned autonomous deep-sea vehicles of two types: project 16810 "Rus" and project 16811 "Consul".
The ships of the project have a displacement of 5230 tons, a speed of up to 15 knots, a cruising range of up to 8000 miles, an autonomy of 60 days and a crew of up to 60 people.
Two propeller-driven propellers (VRK) driven by electric motors are installed as a propeller. Each VRK is capable of rotating 360 degrees, which ensures the retention of the OIS - even in a strong storm, the vessel can be located practically without displacement from a given point.
The reconnaissance capabilities of the vessels of the project are not known for certain, but the work of the ship "Yantar" in October 2016 off the coast of Syria produced a wide resonance. The vessel had been standing over the submarine fiber-optic cables for some time, and rumors circulated in Western media about Yantar's ability to listen to such cables and even cut them.
Currently, the fleet includes one vessel of the project - "Yantar", the second ship - "Almaz" is being tested and will be transferred to the Navy this year.
Experimental research vessels - project 11982 are intended for testing special technical equipment, participating in search and rescue operations, conducting research and oceanographic operations. These vessels are capable of operating in ice, mapping water areas, performing the functions of a universal deep-water and surface reconnaissance vessel, and can perform the functions of a rescue and cable vessel.
The vessels have a maximum speed of 12 knots, a cruising range of 1000 miles, an autonomy of 20 days, a crew of 16, and an expedition of 20.
As part of the Russian Navy, two ships of project 11982 - "Seliger" and "Ladoga", are currently in service. Another ship - "Ilmen" - is under construction.
Closed transport floating dock "Sviyaga" project 22570 "Kvartira" has a lifting capacity of 3300 tons, length - 134 m, width - 14 m, draft 2, 67 m. The transport dock is equipped with an automated control system for work with a payload (submersion / ascent). The dock is used as a carrier for autonomous deep-sea vehicles. It also provides transportation of ships and vessels along inland waterways from north to south.
Rescue sea tugs of project 20180 "Zvezdochka" are intended for search and rescue operations, providing testing of naval weapons and equipment. Also, ships can search and survey sunken objects. For these purposes, a deep-sea vehicle of the "Consul" or SGA type of project 18271 "Bester" is located on the vessel. To monitor underwater objects, the ship is equipped with remotely controlled unmanned underwater vehicles "Tiger" and "Quantum".
The ships have a displacement of 5,500 tons, a maximum speed of 14 knots, and a crew of up to 70 people. The ships are equipped with a helipad for one Ka-27 helicopter; they are also equipped with equipment for towing other ships and three cargo cranes. Two aft cranes, with a lifting capacity of 80 tons and a lifting height of arrows from 4, 5 to 19 meters, carry out lowering and lifting of rescue vehicles or loading and unloading operations, provide lifting of sunken, floating or bottom objects, including large-sized ones.
The ships of this project are equipped with two diesel-electric power plants "Shorkh" KL6538В-AS06 3625 hp each. each, as well as four 1680 kW diesel generators and two 1080 kW generators. The propellers of the vessel are two fixed-pitch propellers on the rudder-propellers and two bow thrusters.
To date, the Navy includes one vessel of the project - the lead ship "Zvezdochka".
Oceanographic research vessel of the project 20183 "Akademik Aleksandrov" has a displacement of 5400 tons, a maximum speed of 14 knots, a crew of 65 people. The propulsion system is similar to that on the ships of Project 20180. The ship has a landing area for one Ka-27 multipurpose helicopter. The ice class of the vessel Arc-5 allows independent sailing in one-year Arctic ice with a thickness of up to 0.8 m in winter-spring navigation and up to 1 m in summer-autumn navigation. The sailing area is not limited.
“Akademik Aleksandrov” is classified as an oceanographic research vessel and is described as “a multipurpose vessel of the reinforced ice class, designed to carry out research and scientific work on the shelf of the Arctic seas, support the operation of Arctic marine equipment, and rescue operations in the Arctic”.
Currently, the fleet includes one vessel of the project - "Akademik Aleksandrov". The possibility of laying a second vessel is being considered.
Submarines, nuclear deep-sea stations, deep-sea manned vehicles
Research nuclear submarine of special purpose - carrier of manned deep-sea vehicles of project 09786 BS-136 "Orenburg". Initially, the nuclear submarine was built according to the project 667BDR "Kalmar" and entered the fleet in 1981, but in 1996 it was assigned to the subclass of special purpose nuclear submarines. After the corresponding modernization "Orenburg" in 2006 entered the fleet as a special purpose nuclear submarine. The submarine has an underwater displacement of 15,000 tons. The power plant consists of two pressurized water reactors VM-4S.
On September 27, 2012 during the expedition "Sevmorgeo" BS-136 "Orenburg", performing the role of the carrier of the deep-sea nuclear research station - the submarine AC-12 of project 10831, known as "Losharik", reached the North Pole.
The current status of the sub is unknown. Possibly under repair at Zvezdochka CS.
Special-purpose nuclear submarine of project 09787 BS-64 "Podmoskovye". Built according to the project 667BDRM "Dolphin" and entered the fleet in 1986. In 1999, the nuclear submarine was sent to the Zvezdochka CS for repair and refurbishment under the project 09787. On December 26, 2016, after the modernization of the special purpose nuclear submarine BS-64 "Podmoskovye", it was transferred to the fleet. The nuclear submarine has the following characteristics: an underwater displacement of 18,200 tons, a maximum immersion depth of 550-650 m, a crew of 135-140 people. GEM - 2 VM-4SG reactors with a total capacity of 180 MW.
Nuclear deep-water stations of project 18510 "Nelma". Presumably, the complex was created for reconnaissance operations, jamming on the routes of combat patrols of nuclear-powered ships of the Russian Navy, solving scientific and technical problems, rescuing people in extreme situations, lifting various equipment from the military equipment of a potential enemy sunken in the sea and for carrying out other special operations …
AGS project "Nelma" have a total displacement of about 1000 tons and are equipped with one reactor with a capacity of 10 MW. The case is made of titanium alloy. During the design, the wheelhouse was not provided, but due to the fact that the airlock hatch was flooded with water even with a slight roughness of the sea, it was later mounted during the next repair. AGS do not have weapons. For deep-sea diving operations, they are equipped with a pressure chamber. They are capable of diving to a depth of 1000 m.
According to projects 18510 and 18510.1, 3 AGS were built, according to open sources, all of them are in the fleet. Their carriers are BS-136 and, possibly, BS-64.
Nuclear deep-water stations of project 1910 "Kashalot" have an underwater displacement of 2000 tons, an underwater speed of 30 knots, a diving depth of more than 1000 m, a crew of 36 GUGI officers. The submarine's hull is made of titanium alloys. Probably, the submarine has an improved propulsion system, which has several lateral systems that change the vector of movement of the submarine. With these small thrusters, the Sperm Whale can hover over the basalt ocean floor.
The following equipment is supposedly installed on board the nuclear submarine: an echo sounder, a television observation system, a side-looking GAS, a magnetometer, a satellite navigation system, a high-frequency profiler, photographic equipment for shooting deep-water objects, a remote-controlled robotic arm, a water sampling system, a pressure chamber for divers and an exit system divers on the ground.
According to open sources, the fleet includes 3 AGS of the Kashalot project, but their exact status is unknown.
Nuclear deep-water station AS-12 project 10831 "Kalitka" or "Losharik" - the name by which she is known to the general public, was adopted in the fleet around 2010. AGS has a full displacement of 2000 tons. The body of the deep-sea station is assembled from high-strength titanium compartments with a spherical shape, in which the principle of a bathyscaphe is implemented. All compartments of the boat are interconnected by passages and are located inside the light hull. According to various sources, the AGS can dive to a depth of 3000 to 6000 m.
The station does not have any weapons, but at the same time it is equipped with a manipulator, telegrafeyr (bucket with a TV camera), dredge (rock cleaning system), as well as a hydrostatic tube. The crew of "Losharik" includes 25 people - all officers. The Losharik can be underwater for several months.
The presumed carrier of the AGS project is the special-purpose nuclear submarine BS-136 "Orenburg".
Research autonomous deep-water stations of projects 16810 "Rus" and 16811 "Consul" are based on ships of projects 22010 "Cruise" and 20180 "Zvezdochka". Bathyscaphes are built according to similar designs and have slight differences. The AS-37 of the Rus project entered the fleet in 2007, the AS-39 in 2011. "Rus" has a total displacement of 25 tons and can dive to a depth of 6000 m, "Consul" has a displacement of 26 tons, and is capable of diving up to 6270 m. The crew of the bathyscaphes is 2-3 people. The devices have a resource for 500 dives to a depth of more than 4000 m and 1000 dives to a depth of 4000 m.
Appointment of devices pr. 16810 and 16811:
1) classification and video filming of objects on the seabed;
2) performance of underwater technical works using a manipulator device;
3) inspection of underwater structures and objects;
4) delivery to the ground or lifting to the surface of objects weighing up to 200 kg.
Underwater vehicle DeepWorker 2000 is based on the Project 11982 experimental vessel "Seliger". The Canadian-made apparatus is capable of diving to a depth of 1000 m, the duration of the dive is 6 hours in normal mode and 80 hours in emergency mode. DeepWorker 2000 is equipped with 4 propellers with a power of 1 hp each. each. A wide range of additional equipment can be installed on the device: manipulators, video cameras, sonar, Doppler log, hydroacoustic navigation system. The aircraft has a hemispherical dome providing excellent visibility to the pilot. The dimensions of the dome make it easy to shoot photos or videos with non-specialized cameras without the need for expensive underwater cameras or boxes. The relatively small weight - 1800 kg - and the compactness of the apparatus allow the apparatus to be lowered and lifted by any ship's non-specialized crane of sufficient carrying capacity, as well as to be transported by any type of transport. The Deep Worker is operated by one pilot.
Projects under construction
In the interests of the GUGI, a rather intensive construction of ships and nuclear submarines is currently underway. Further, it will be told about the projects that in the near future should enter service with the GUGI.
Oceanographic research vessel "Evgeny Goriglezhan" project 02670 is created on the basis of the MB-305 rescue tug, built in Poland, at the Szczecin shipyard in 1983 and serving in the Northern and Baltic fleets, which reduced the cost of its construction by 40%. According to project 02670, it will be reequipped for underwater technical work, environmental monitoring of the marine environment, oceanographic surveys of the bottom layer, and assistance to the search and rescue forces at sea. The ship will take on board manned deep-sea vehicles of the Rus, Consul type and rescue vehicles of the Bester type. Displacement of the vessel - 4000 tons, autonomy - 30 days, crew - 32 people and 25 members of the expedition. The commissioning of the vessel is planned for 2021.
Oceanographic research vessel "Akademik Ageev" of project 16450 "Garage-Guys". There is little information about the vessel. "Academician Ageev" is so classified that even its geometrical dimensions and displacement are not disclosed. Since the vessel is oceanographic, that is, it is designed to sail in the oceanic zone, making the longest voyages, including to the shores of the United States, it belongs to the first rank. In this connection, it can be assumed that its displacement is in no way less than 10,000 tons, and maybe more. It is known that it provides for a set of forces and means for research, including with the help of deep-sea unmanned vehicles, the possibility of basing which is provided on this ship.
Special-purpose nuclear submarine K-329 "Belgorod" project 09852 was originally built according to project 949A "Antey" but in 2012 the submarine was re-laid according to a new project. During the completion and alteration, the length of the submarine increased from 154 to 184 m, the width of the hull was 18.2 m, which makes the "Belgorod" the largest submarine in the world.
The submarine's underwater displacement is, according to open data, 30,000 tons, the maximum diving depth is 600 m, the underwater speed is 32 knots, the crew is 107 people. The power plant consists of two OK-650V reactors with a capacity of 190 MW each.
The main armament of "Belgorod" should be nuclear torpedoes "Poseidon" (the media reports about the ability of nuclear submarines to carry 6 such torpedoes), and the submarine can also carry the AGS project 10831 "Kalitka" and deep-sea unmanned aerial vehicles of the "Harpsichord-2R-RM" type.
The submarine is expected to enter service this year.
If little is known about the Belgorod nuclear submarine, then about special-purpose submarine "Khabarovsk" project 09851 - almost nothing. There is even no exact information whether she will be subordinate to the GUGI. It is assumed that a new type of reactor will be installed on the nuclear submarine and, like the Belgorod, it will carry the Poseidon strategic nuclear torpedoes.
Estimated characteristics of "Khabarovsk": length - up to 120 m, displacement - up to 10,000 tons, maximum immersion depth - 400-500 m, propulsion system - 1 nuclear reactor and a water jet. It is assumed that the submarine uses many of the design solutions previously worked out on the nuclear submarine of project 955 "Borey".
According to plans, "Khabarovsk" should be commissioned in 2022.
Conclusion
The secrecy of the GUGI's activities makes it difficult to objectively assess the work of the department. However, the fact that the most modern oceanographic vessels, nuclear submarines and deep-sea vehicles are being built for the department indicates that the state highly values the work of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research and is ready to invest in it.
Undoubtedly, GUGI works for the future, because it has long been known about the huge natural resources concentrated at great depths under water. For example, huge reserves of oil and gas have been discovered on the Russian Arctic shelf.
However, the leading role is assigned to military missions. Here is the opportunity to influence the deep-sea communications of a potential enemy, and the creation of new types of weapons capable of working at great depths, and missions to raise especially important objects from the ocean floor.
Therefore, the work of the GUGI in the coming years will receive decent funding and material and technical support.
However, if the future of the GUGI looks cloudless, other departments of the fleet are not doing so well. But more on that in the next article.
