Yasen-class submarine

Yasen class

Yasen-class SSN profile
K-329 Severodvinsk
Class overview
Name:	Yasen
Builders:	SevMash, designer Malakhit Lazurit Rubin
Operators:	Russian Navy
Preceded by:	Akula class
Cost:	Equivalent of US$1.6 billion
Building:	5
Planned:	12 (7 on order)
Completed:	2
Active:	1
General characteristics
Type:	Attack submarine
Displacement:	Surfaced: 7,700–8,600 tons Submerged: 13,800 tons
Length:	120–139 m (394–456 ft)
Beam:	13–15 m (43–49 ft)
Propulsion:	1 x KPM type pressurized water reactor
Speed:	Surfaced: 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) Submerged (silent): 28 kn (52 km/h; 32 mph) Submerged (max): 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range:	unlimited except by food supplies
Test depth:	600 m (2,000 ft)
Complement:	90 (32 officers)
Sensors and processing systems:	Rim Hat ESM/ECM Snoop Pair Surface Search Radar
Armament:	Yasen Class (Pr. 885) 8 x VLS equipped silos for either: 32 (8 x 4) with Oniks or 40 (8 x 5) with Kalibr-PL anti-ship, anti-submarine and land attack submarine launched weapon. Kh-101 cruise missiles. 10 × torpedo tubes (8x650mm and 2x533mm). Yasen-M Class (Pr. 885M) 10 x VLS 8 x torpedo tubes (6x650mm and 2x533mm). Igla-M

The Yasen-class submarine (Russian: Проект 885 "Ясень", "ash tree"; NATO reporting name: "Severodvinsk", also known erroneously as the Graney class) is the newest Russian nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine. Based on the Akula-class submarine and the Alfa-class submarine, it is projected to replace Russia's Soviet-era attack submarines, both the Akula and Oscar-class submarine.

According to one of the U.S. Navy’s top submarine officers Rear Adm. Dave Johnson, Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) program executive officer (PEO) submarines, "We’ll be facing tough potential opponents. One only has to look at the Severodvinsk, Russia’s version of a [nuclear guided missile submarine] (SSGN). I am so impressed with this ship that I had Carderock build a model from unclassified data [so that he could look at it every day on his way to his office].”

Yasen-class submarines were designed by the Malakhit Central Design Bureau, formed by the combination of SKB-143 and TsKB-16, with work on the initial design scheduled for start in 1977 and completion in 1985. Malakhit is one of the three Soviet/Russian submarine design centers, along with Rubin Design Bureau and Lazurit Central Design Bureau.

Construction on the first submarine started on 21 December 1993 with its launch slated for 1995 and commissioning for 1998. However, the project was delayed due to financial problems and it appeared during 1996 that work on the submarine had stopped completely. Some reports suggested that as of 1999 the submarine was less than 10 percent completed. In 2003 the project then received additional funding and the work of finishing the submarine continued.

In 2004 it was reported that the work on the submarine was moving forward, but due to the priority given to the new SSBN Dolgorukiy-class submarine, the lead unit of the class Severodvinsk would not be ready before 2010. In July 2006 the deputy chairman of the Military-Industrial Commission, Vladislav Putilin, stated that two Yasen-class submarines were to join the Russian Navy before 2015.