[] TL: SOVIET NUCLEAR-POWERED SHIPS AND SUBMARINES SO: Jackie Walsh, Greenpeace International DT: 12-SEP-91 17:09:42 GMT Keywords: nuclear weapons nfs submarines warships ussr greenpeace gp reports / Section 1. Soviet naval reactor numbers. By spring 1991, the Soviet Union operated about 170 nuclear- powered ships and submarines. Combined they carried 324 nuclear reactors, or some 60% of all the world's sea-based nuclear reactors. As in the West, the Soviet naval nuclear propulsion program has been particularly focused on submarines: more than 90% of all Soviet naval reactors, some 294 in total, are on board submarines. There are around 122 reactors powering 61 strategic submarines, another 120 reactors on board 61 attack submarines, and 52 reactors on board 31 cruise missile submarines. In addition, five research and trial submarines carry six reactors. Twelve 12 surface ships carry 24 reactors, including seven icebreakers each with two reactors, three cruisers also with two reactors each, as well as a missile test range ship and a barge carrier each powered by two reactors. The Soviet Union bases its nuclear-powered vessels at its two major Fleet areas in the Barents Sea and the Pacific. None are based with the Baltic or the Black Sea Fleets. Section 2. The Northern Fleet The Kola Peninsula is the center of Soviet naval nuclear propulsion. Two of every three Soviet nuclear-powered vessels are based in the Northern Fleet area, some 116 in total, including 106 submarines and 10 surface ships. Headquarters for the Northern Fleet is at Severomorsk, near Murmansk on the Kola Fjord, and nuclear-powered vessels operate from there and from Murmansk, Polyarnyy, Bolshaya Litsa, Olenya Guba, Sayda Guba, Ura Guba, and Gremikha near Iokanga. Nuclear- powered submarines also are build at the large Severodvinsk yard at the White Sea with repair, overhaul and cruise missile conversion taking place at the nearby Little Star yard on the Zagry peninsula. Nuclear-powered vessels based on the Kola peninsula include 38 strategic missile submarines with 76 reactors, 19 cruise missile submarines with 32 reactors, 45 attack submarines with 88 reactors, and four research and trial submarines each with one nuclear reactor. Surface ships include two cruisers, seven icebreakers, and a single nuclear-powered barge carrier each of which carry two nuclear reactors. The total number of nuclear reactors based in the Kola peninsula is approximately 220. Section 3. Operations Ballistic missile submarines periodically deploy from their home bases to predesignated patrol areas putting their nuclear missiles in range of selected targets in Europe, USA, China, and Pacific countries. Deployment of still longer-range missiles means that Soviet strategic missile submarines increasingly can "stay home" in protected patrol areas closer to Soviet shores. Normally, some 12-15 submarines (about 20 percent) are on patrol or in transit to and from patrol stations. Cruise missile and attack submarines conduct independent patrols, protection of surface groups, and are deployed in response to foreign naval operations. Attack submarines also routinely deploy with strategic missile submarines on patrol. The nuclear-powered icebreakers are operating in Arctic waters to keep the northern sea lanes icefree as well as to assist civilian ships. Icebreakers also conduct occational trips to the North Pole as research/tourists cruises. Section 4. Construction Overall, accidents, budgetary constraints, and changing military objectives over the past few years have forced the Soviet Union to reduce the number of operational nuclear-powered vessels. Consequently, since 1990 naval nuclear reactors on board Soviet ships have declined by some 56 from 380 to 324, or about 14 percent. The nuclear power plants onboard these vessels will need to be dismantled and safely disposed of, but Soviet scrap yards are heavily overbooked and even more nuclear submarines are sceduled to be decommissioned in the years to come. But the Soviet Union continues, like the other nuclear navies of the world, to build nuclear-powered vessels. Five ship yards throughout the Soviet Union currently have nuclear-powered ships and submarines under construction: Ship Yard Construction Underway Nuclear Reactors Severodvinsk (Arctic) Delta IV SSBN 2 PWR [new class] SSBN [possibly 2 PWR] Oscar II SSGN 2 PWR Akula SSN 2 PWR [new class] SSGN [possibly 2 PWR] Admiralty (Leningrad) Victor III SSN 2 PWR Baltic (Leningrad) Arktika AGBN 2 PWR Kirov SGN 2 PWR Sormovo (Gor'kiy) Sierra SSN 2 PWR Komsomol'sk (Pacific) Akula SSN 2 PWR Section 5. The Pacific Fleet The Pacific Fleet is the home base of some 54 nuclear- powered vessels. All of these are submarines except a single nuclear-powered cruiser and a missile range ship. The Pacific Fleet has its headquaters at Vladivostok. Nuclear-powered vessels reportedly does not operate from there but from several bases in the area including Petrovka. Other bases in the region includes Tarya on the Petropavlovsk's bay on the Kamchatka peninsula. Other bases may include Sovetskaya Gavan and Vladimir. Nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific Fleet include 23 ballistic missile submarines with 46 nuclear reactors, 12 cruise missile submarines with 20 reactors, 16 attack submarines with 32 reactors, and a single research submarine. Nuclear-powered surface ships include a cruiser as well as an auxhiliary ship for missile tracking each of which carry two reactors. All of these constructions will continue to produce nuclear waste throughout their 30 years or so service period with the Soviet Navy and eventually will have to be decommissioned and safely disposed off. Decommissioned submarines already awaiting disposal have not been counted in this paper. APPENDIX I. Below is an outline of Soviet nuclear-powered ships and submarines: SOVIET NUCLEAR-POWERED SHIPS AND SUBMARINES Type Number of Vessels Number of Reactors (Nor) (Pac) (Total) (Nor) (Pac) (Total) Submarines SSBNs 38 23 61 76 46 122 SSGNs 19 12 31 32 20 52 SSNs 45 16 61 88 32 120 Others 4 1 5 5 1 6 Subtotal 106 52 158 201 99 300 Ships CGNs 2 1 3 4 2 6 Icebreakers 7 0 7 14 0 14 Others 1 1 2 2 2 4 Subtotal 10 2 12 20 4 24 Total 116 54 170 221 103 324 BREAK-DOWN OF TYPES Nuclear-Powered Strategic Ballistic-Missile Submarines (SSBN): Numbers Active Class N.Reactors N.Weapons (Nor) (Pac) 6 0 Typhoon 2 x PWR 20 SS-N-20 SLBM 533/650-mm inch torpedoes SS/N/15 NDB SS-N-16 ASW missile 6 1 Delta IV 2 x PWR 16 SS-N-23 SLBM 533-mm torpedoes 5 9 Delta III 2 x PWR 16 SS-N-18 SLBM 533-mm torpedoes 4 0 Delta II 2 x PWR 16 SS-N-8 SLBM 533-mm torpedoes 9 9 Delta I 2 x PWR 12 SS-N-8 SLBM 533-mm torpedoes 6 5 Yankee I 2 x PWR 16 SS-N-6 SLBM 533-mm torpedoes 1 0 Yankee II 2 x PWR 12 SS-N-17 SLBM 533-mm torpedoes 38 23 = 61 Nuclear-Powered Cruise-Missiles Submarines (SSGN): Numbers Active Class N.Reactors N.Weapons (Nor) (Pac) 0 4 Charlie I 1 PWR 533-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB 6 0 Charlie II 1 PWR 8 SS-N-9 SLCM 533-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB 8 7 Echo II 2 PWR 4 SS-N-12 SLCM 533-mm torpedoes 2 0 Oscar I 2 PWR 24 SS-N-19 SLCM 533/650-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB SS-N-16 ASW missile 3 1 Oscar II 2 PWR 24 SS-N-19 SLCM 533/650-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB SS-N-16 ASW missile 19 12 = 31 Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines (SSN): Numbers Active Class N.Reactors N.Weapons (Nor) (Pac) 2 3 Akula 2 PWR SS-N-21 SLCM 533/650-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB SS-N-16 ASW missiles 2 0 Alfa 1 LMR 533-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB 3 0 Sierra 2 PWR SS-N-21 SLCM 533/650-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB SS-N-16 ASW missile 10 6 Victor I 2 PWR 533-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB 7 0 Victor II 2 PWR 533-mm torpedoes SS-N-15 NDB 18 7 Victor III 2 PWR SS-N-21 SLCM 533/560-mm torpedoes SS-N-16 ASW missile possibly SS-N-15 NDB 1 0 Yankee 2 PWR 533-mm torpedoes probably SS-N-15 NDB possibly SS-N-16 ASW missile 2 0 Yankee Notch 2 PWR 20+ SS-N-21 SLCM 533-mm torpedoes 45 16 = 61 Nuclear-Powered Non-Nuclear-Capable Submarines: Numbers Active Class N.Reactors N.Weapons (Nor) (Pac) 1 0 Yankee Trial 2 PWR [12 SS-NX-24 SLCM] [533-mm torpedoes] 1 0 Beluga SSN 1 reactor none 1 1 Uniform SSAN 1 reactor none 1 0 X-Ray SSQN 1 reactor none 4 1 = 5 NOTE: The Yankee Trial is not thought to be nuclear-armed. Nuclear-Powered Cruisers (CGN) Numbers Active Class N.Reactors N.Weapons (Nor) (Pac) 2 1 Kirov 2 PWR 20 SS-N-19 SLCM 533-mm torpedoes 3 ASW helicopters 2 1 = 3 (+1) NOTE: A fourth unit, the Andropov, is conducting sea-trials in the Baltic sea and is expected to deploy to the Pacific Fleet in 1992. Nuclear-Powered Non-Nuclear-Capable Surface Ships: Type Numbers Active Class N.Reactors (Nor) (Pac) Icebreakers 5 0 Arktika AGBN 2 PWR 2 0 Taymyr AGBN 2 PWR Auxhiliary 0 1 Kapusta AGN 2 PWR Barge Carrier 1 0 Sevmorput 2 PWR 8 1 = 9 NOTE: The fifth Arktika class icebreaker is expected to deploy to the Kola peninsula in late 91/early 92. A sixth Arktika class icebreaker is building at the Baltic yard in Leningrad. [Greenbase Inventory December 31, 1991 ] =======##=======