The unique deep-sea search and rescue vehicle AS-40 "Bester-1", built at the Admiralty shipyards, which are part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, before the arrival of the new vessel "Igor Belousov" in the Pacific Fleet, performs tasks while on board the "Alagez".
SUBMARINE PLUS DEEP WATER APPARATUS
The designers named it "Bester", based on a unique breed of sturgeon fish (a hybrid of beluga and sterlet), which, according to experts, has phenomenal qualities. The Bester-1 itself is also a kind of hybrid, organically combining the functions of a miniature submarine and a deep-sea vehicle.
Built to be based aboard the Igor Belousov rescue vessel, the unique rescue vehicle is designed to directly rescue the crews of sunken submarines at depths of over 700 m.
The project, developed by Lazurit Central Design Bureau, incorporated many experimental and design developments that were successfully implemented in practice: a navigation system, fundamentally new propulsion and steering systems, a landing guidance system and attachment to an emergency submarine - a rotary suction chamber, which allows for the evacuation of people with a roll of up to 45 degrees. For comparison, all previous rescue vehicles built in our country and abroad could provide assistance to the crew in distress when the damaged submarine rolls no more than 15 degrees.
The new invention is a docking chamber in the lower part of the underwater vehicle with a device for centering and pulling to the coaming platform of the underwater object, which makes it possible to increase the safety of the rescued crew, who are evacuated from great depths.
The number of people being rescued has also increased; 22 people can be accommodated inside the Bester at the same time. Thanks to the oxygen regeneration systems, there is enough oxygen for everyone in the rescue apparatus for 10 hours. In addition, the new system of in-line ventilation makes it possible to start decompression of the rescued submariners already in the ascent process, which reduces the time of the subsequent stay of people in the pressure chambers.
TITANIUM: EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
The construction of the Bester-1 deep-sea rescue vehicle returned the Admiralty Shipyards to the direction that the plant specialists had not been involved in for more than 20 years - working with titanium alloy.
The experience gained at the enterprise in the 70s – 90s of the last century during the construction of Project 705 submarines and nuclear deep-water stations was in demand.
Officially "Bester" is the main order, but practically an experimental ship was built at the shipyards. During its construction, the specialists of the enterprise for the first time encountered new automated control systems based on elements of space technology: consoles, a rotary camera.
The Bester was launched in July 2013. After the completion and development of the mooring program, interdepartmental, factory sea and state tests began, the final stage of which was carried out in the summer and autumn of 2015. Its results confirmed the compliance of the apparatus with all the tactical and technical characteristics laid down in the project.
WE HAVE CONQUERED THE DEPTH!
The final launch to sea in September 2015 involved complex tests, the program of which included many tasks: additional search for a conditionally damaged submarine, docking with it and deep-sea diving of the device to 212 m.
“Everything happened for real. The operating boat of the Baltic Fleet "Vyborg" took part in the tests, which was specially laid down on the ground so that we could dock to it, "said the senior builder, senior builder Igor Andreev, in charge of the ship. - Directly in deep-sea diving involved 10 people: the crew, representatives of industry, military acceptance and the state commission. The dive took place with stops at 50, 100, 150 and 200 m. We hovered for just a couple of minutes, looked around in the compartments to make sure everything was in order, and moved on. At a depth of 212 m, the operation of manipulators, pumps, motors and control systems was checked. Everything went without comment: we dived, checked the equipment, surfaced. In total, the device spent about an hour at a depth, the entire dive-ascent procedure took about two hours. All in all, during the last stage of the test "Bester-1" made about 20 dives."
The ascent of the "Bester" took place with waves of 4 points, which made it possible to carry out one more test item - to check the seaworthiness of the vehicle in stormy conditions. Both the Bester itself and all the participants in the dive withstood the test of the storm.
The final point of the state tests - deep-sea diving to a depth of about 800 m - will be performed in the Pacific Ocean, after the device is included in the Russian Navy.
The acceptance certificate on the completion of the construction of the deep-sea rescue vehicle Bester-1 was signed on November 3, 2015. The members of the State Commission noted that the apparatus fully complies with the given tactical and technical characteristics and is able to cope with all the tasks assigned to it.
On board the Alagez search and rescue vessel. Photos provided by USC
TO THE LOCATION
On December 14, "Bester-1" was sent by road to Tver, where it was loaded onto an aircraft and underwent flight tests to check the reliability of the fastening. The staff of the Admiralty shipyards provided technical support in preparing the apparatus for the flight and its subsequent assembly at the base.
On the eve of 2016, a military transport aircraft with the Bester-1 deep-sea rescue vehicle on board landed at one of Vladivostok's airfields. The transportation of the unique cargo was successful.
According to the head of the search and rescue service of the Russian Navy Damir Shaikhutdinov, before relocation to the Pacific Fleet of the Igor Belousov rescue vessel, which is currently undergoing combat missions in the Baltic Fleet and is preparing for the inter-fleet passage, Bester will perform tasks while aboard the search and rescue vessel "Alagez".
Bester-1 has no analogues in the world in terms of its characteristics, and with its admission to the search and rescue support forces of the Navy, the capabilities to provide assistance to submariners in emergency situations will significantly expand,”concluded Damir Shaikhutdinov.
READY TO CONTINUE
The construction of Bester-1 has become the next stage in the development of the traditions of the company USC Admiralty Shipyards in the field of deep-sea shipbuilding and the creation of experienced, high-tech science-intensive orders.
In 2000, the autonomous deep-sea vehicle "Rus" was transferred to the Russian Navy, and in 2011 - the "Consul". Today, both vehicles are in service, and at the end of 2015, the Rus AGA successfully sank to 6,180 meters in the Atlantic.
"Bester" became the 77th deep-diving vehicle built at our enterprise, - stressed the general director of the shipyards Alexander Buzakov at the ceremony of signing the acceptance certificate of the rescue deep-diving vehicle.“Today the shipyards have production facilities, technologies and specialists for the construction of deep-water equipment, and we are ready to continue working in this direction.”
