Red Star Thursday (Красная Звезда в четверг)

Russian Navy to return Kirov CGN to Service.

The Russian Navy has stated its intent to return the nuclear-powered cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” to service with the Northern Fleet. The vessel has been docked in the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk for the last 9 years.

The “Admiral Nakhimov” was taken out of service in 1990 and the Navy long intended to scrap the vessel. However, during a meeting in Sevmash last week, Russian Navy reps indicated their desire that the ship be returned to service with the Northern Fleet. As part of the return to service, there will be significant updates to the electrical equipment and new C2 equipment installed. Additionally, the main armament will be updated beginning with the removal and replacement of the “Granit” missile system with new models.

 

Given the length of time in storage, especially where the nuclear plant is concerned with the Admiral Nakhimov, it will be interesting to see which of the two major overhaul projects gets to sea first – the Gorshkov which is being converted for the Indian Navy or the Admiral Nakhimov. The ex-Gorshkov has run into significant delays owing to the refit of electrical and C2 systems and given the exodus of Russian shipyard workers to better pay and benefits in the yards in Poland, there can’t be a wealth of talent and experience around to undertake this dual effort. Additionally, the class itself has had a checkered past in terms of problems in construction and operations. The currently operational Peter the Great (Ru. Pyotr Velikiy) experienced significant delays in construction and was the subject of controversial statements from then Russian Northern Fleet Chief Commander, Admiral Vladimir Kuroedov said that Pyotr Velikiy’s reactor was in an extremely bad condition and could explode “at any moment”. The statement was subsequently withdrawn and the ship put in port for a month to effect any needed repairs (note: the crew was docked 1/3 of their pay in the process).

 

Sweden solves Cold War ‘submarine’ mystery

Remember the infamous “Whiskey on the Rocks” incident when a Soviet “Whiskey” SS found itself embarrassingly aground and going high/dry inside Swedish waters? About a year later, Sweden claimed to have acoustic evidence of other Soviet subs intruding in local waters (recall this was at the same-time the Cold War was really warming up again). Well, seems that mystery might be solved:

In 1982, Sweden claimed that it had recordings from a Soviet submarine in the waters of the Stockholm archipelago. It’s now emerged that the recording was of a Swedish charter boat. The recording was made during a submarine hunt by the Swedish military on October 12th, 1982. It strengthened suspicions that Soviet subs were intruding in Swedish waters.

This spring FOI (Swedish Defense Ministry) learned that a civil vessel, the charter boat Amalia, happened to be near the area of the Swedish Navy operation when the recording was made in 1982. Luckily enough, Amalia lasted until 2008 and a test recording of Amalia’s working propeller was made in April.

“The conclusion is that it was likely the charter boat Amalia, which was in the area the same day, which is the source of the noise from a propeller found on the recording,” concluded the agency’s statement. Roger Magnegard, the spokesman for the Swedish Armed Forces, welcomed the finding, but said it did not disprove the theory that Soviet subs were present in the archipelago at the time.

Read the rest of the story in Russia Today here.