Basic Information

Name

Delta IV Class (Project BDRM Delfin Class) Russian Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine

Designation

Delta IV Class

Alternate Designation

Delta IV Class; Project BDRM Delfin Class

Equipment Type

Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN)

Manufacturer

Severodvinsk Shipyard

Date of Introduction

1985

Description

The Delta IV Class (Project BDRM Delfin Class) Russian Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine. Seven Delta IV-class submarines were built; all are still in service in the Russian Navy. The submarines, based at the Sayda Guba Naval Base, operate in the Northern Fleet. The Severodvinsk Shipyard built these vessels between 1981 and 1992. The last vessel was K-407 Novomoskovsk. The design of the Delta IV class resembles that of the Delta III class and constitutes a double-hulled configuration with missile silos housed in the inner hull. The submarines have an operational diving depth of 320 meters (1,050 ft), with a maximum depth of 400 meters (1,300 ft). The propulsion system allows speeds of 24 knots (44 km/h) submerged using two VM-4 pressure water reactors rated at 180 MW. It features two turbines of type GT3A-365 rated at 27.5 MW. On 29 December 2011, a shipyard fire broke out in the drydock where a Delta IV-class vessel named Ekaterinburg was being serviced. It was reported that the fire managed to spread to the submarine, that all weapons were disembarked from the submarine and the nuclear reactor was shut down beforehand. On 1 July 2019, a fatal fire occurred on the small special mission submarine Losharik during operations in the Northern Fleet's training area west of Kola Bay. There was speculation that the Losharik's mothership was present, possibly the Belgorod, Podmoskovye, or Orenburg.

Naval & Littoral Specifications

Crew 135

Beam 12.20 m

Draft 8.80 m

Variants

Delta I (Project 667B Murena) No Longer in Service. The Delta-class submarines could deploy on alert patrols in the marginal ice-seas of the Soviet Arctic littoral, including the Norwegian and Barents Seas. Consequently, unlike their predecessors, they no longer needed to pass through Western SOSUS sonar barriers to come within range of their targets. To improve the accuracy of the missiles, the Delta I-class submarines carry the Tobol-B navigation system and the Cyclone-B satellite navigation system. After authorization of the development of the class in 1965, the first Delta I, K-279, was commissioned into the Soviet Northern Fleet on 22 December 1972. A total of 18 submarines of this class were built, and all served Soviet Navy, under the designation Project 667B Murena (eel). In 1991, nine Delta I-class submarines were still in active service. Their decommissioning began in 1994, with the removal of the missile compartments scheduled by 1997. All submarines of this class were taken out of service by 1998 and were scrapped by 2005.

Delta II (Project 667BD Murena-M) No Longer in Service. The Delta II-class submarine was a large ballistic missile submarine designed to remedy shortcomings in the Delta I-class submarine. The design was essentially the same, however, the submarine was lengthened in the fourth and fifth compartments by 16 meters (52 ft) to allow the installation of four more missile tubes. The NATO reporting name, Delta II indicates this submarine as a visually distinguishable new class. The Soviet designation, 667BD Murena-M indicates this submarine is an improved Delta I. Only four submarines of this class were built, apparently in favor of building the following class, the Delta III, and all Delta IIs were out of service by 1996.

Delta III (Project 667BDR Kalmar) Only one vessel on active status. The 667BDR Kal'mar (Squid) Delta III-class submarine is a large ballistic missile submarine. Like the earlier Delta-class submarines the Delta III class is a double-hulled design with a thin, low magnetic steel outer hull wrapped around a thicker inner pressure hull. Development began in 1972 at the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering.[citation needed] The submarine was the first that could launch any number of missiles in a single salvo, also the first submarine capable of carrying ballistic missiles with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. The submarine carried 16 of the R-29R missiles each carrying 3 to 7 MIRVs, with a range of 6,500 to 8,000 km (4,000 to 5,000 mi), depending on the number of re-entry vehicles. The Delta III class was also equipped with a new battle management system the Almaz-BDR for the fire control of torpedoes in deep-water, also a new inertial navigation system Tobol-M-1, and later the Tobol-M-2. A hydroacoustic navigational system called Shmeľ (Bumblebee) allows the submarine to determine its position from hydroacoustic buoys. On 30 September 2008, a Russian Navy spokesman reported that Ryazan had successfully completed a 30-day transit from a base in northern Russia under the Arctic ice cap to a base on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Navy added that Ryazan will soon be assigned to regularly patrol the Pacific Ocean. K-433 Svyatoy Georgiy Pobedonosets was involved in a collision with a fishing vessel on 22 September 2011. The submarine did not sustain serious damage.

Delta IV (Project 667BDRM Delfin) Seven Delta IV-class submarines were built; all are still in service in the Russian Navy. The submarines, based at the Sayda Guba Naval Base, operate in the Northern Fleet. The Severodvinsk Shipyard built these vessels between 1981 and 1992. The last vessel was K-407 Novomoskovsk. The design of the Delta IV class resembles that of the Delta III class and constitutes a double-hulled configuration with missile silos housed in the inner hull. The submarines have an operational diving depth of 320 meters (1,050 ft), with a maximum depth of 400 meters (1,300 ft). The propulsion system allows speeds of 24 knots (44 km/h) submerged using two VM-4 pressure water reactors rated at 180 MW. It features two turbines of type GT3A-365 rated at 27.5 MW

Delta IV Stretch class/PODMOSKOVYE special missions sub This DELTA IV-class submarine was modified for special missions. The missile compartment was removed and replaced with a module capable of deploying mini-submarines.

VERKHOTURYE (ex-Russian IMENI XXVI SEZDA KPSS) Commissioned: 1985 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

Ekaterinburg Commissioned: 1985 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

Podmoskovye Commissioned:1986 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

Tula Commissioned: 1987 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

Bryansk Commissioned: 1988 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

Karelia Commissioned: 1989 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

Novomoskovsk Commissioned: 1990 Class: Delta IV Class Status: Active Fleet: Northern Fleet

System

Alternative Designation Delta IV Class; Project BDRM Delfin Class

Type Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine

Builder Severodvinsk

Crew 135 (41 off. + 94 enl.)

Dimensions

Length, Overall 167.0 m

Length, Waterline 158.0 m

Beam 12.2 m

Draft 8.8 m

Displacement, Surface 11,740 tons

Displacement, Submerged 15,500 tons

Propulsion System

Engine Name 2 x VM-4SG

Engine Type pressurized water nuclear reactors (90 MW each) driving 2 sets Type OK-700A geared steam turbines

Engine Power 60,000 total shp

Auxiliary Power 2 x 225-shp electric low-speed motors

Maximum Surface Speed 14 knots

Maximum Submerged Speed 24 knots

Operating Depth 380 m

Maximum Crush Depth 450 m

Endurance 80 days

Communications

Note The submarine has two floating VLF and ELF antenna buoys to receive radio messages, target designation data, and satellite navigation signals while remaining at a safe depth.

Missile Weapon System

Missile #1

Name 16 x SS-N-23 Skiff (R-29RM Shtil) Intercontinental-Range Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)

Type Intercontinental-Range Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)

Manufacturer Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant

Length 14.9 m

Diameter 1.9 m

Launch Weight 47,000 kg

Payload Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles

Guidance System Astroinertial

Warhead Nuclear

Propulsion Three-stage liquid propellant

Range 8,300 km

Maximum Speed INA

CEP 500 m

Basic Load 16 x SS-N-23 Skiff (R-29RM Shtil) Intercontinental-Range Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)

Torpedo System

Torpedo Tube Launcher 4 x 533-mm bow tubes

Torpedo Type INA

Basic Load 12 x torpedoes

Radar Systems

Surface Search / Navigation Radar 1 x MRK-50 Albatros (Snoop Tray) surface search/navigation

Sonar Systems

Active / Passive Sonar 1 x MGK-500 series Skat-BDRM (Shark Gill) active/passive low-frequency suite

Active Mine-Avoidance Sonar 1 x MGK-519 (Mouse Roar**) active mine-avoidance sonar

Towed Passive Array Sonar 1 x Pelamida towed passive array

Caivation Monitor 1 x MG-512 cavitation monitor

Upward-Looking Echo Sounder 1 x MG-518 upward-looking echo sounder

Mine-Detection Sonar 1 x MG-519 mine-detection

Sound-Velocity Measurement 1 x MG533 sound-velocity measurement

Ice-Lane Detector 1 x NOR-1 active ice-lane detector

Surface Warning Sonar 1 x NOK-1 active surface warning

Protection

Hull Armor These are double-hull submarines, with the forward diving planes mounted on the sail. The diving planes can rotate to vertical for breaking through ice.The submarines have a high freeboard

Countermeasures INA

NBC Water Washdown System Yes

E/O 1 x Cod Eye radiometric sextant; 2 periscopes

EW Intercept 1 x MRP-10 Zaliv-P (Brick Pulp) intercept

EW Direction Finder 1 x Park Lamp** direction-finder

Image Sources

Note https://www.pinterest.com/pin/262334747028333242/; https://www.reddit.com/r/WarshipPorn/comments/abgz77/k407_novomoskovsk_ballistic_missile_submarine/