The Soviet Union broke the ice with nuclear icebreakers and knew no equal. There were no ships of this type anywhere in the world - the USSR had absolute dominance in the ice. 7 Soviet nuclear icebreakers.
"Siberia"
This ship was a direct continuation nuclear installations"Arctic" type. At the time of commissioning (1977), Siberia had the largest width (29.9 m) and length (147.9 m). The ship operated satellite system communication responsible for fax, telephone connection and navigation. Also present: a sauna, a swimming pool, a training room, a relaxation salon, a library and a huge dining room.
The nuclear-powered icebreaker "Siberia" went down in history as the first ship to carry out year-round navigation in the direction of Murmansk-Dudinka. He also became the second unit that reached the top of the planet, entering the North Pole.
"Lenin"
This icebreaker, launched on December 5, 1957, became the world's first ship equipped with a nuclear power plant. Its most important differences high level autonomy and power. Already during its first use, the vessel demonstrated excellent performance, thanks to which it was possible to significantly increase the navigation period.
During the first six years of operation, the nuclear-powered icebreaker covered more than 82,000 nautical miles, navigating over 400 ships. Later, "Lenin" will be the first of all ships to be north of Severnaya Zemlya.
"Arctic"
This nuclear-powered icebreaker (launched in 1975) was considered the largest of all existing at that time: its width was 30 meters, length - 148 meters, and side height - more than 17 meters. The unit was equipped with a medical unit, where there was an operating room and a dental unit. All conditions were created on the ship, allowing the flight crew and the helicopter to be based.
"Arktika" was able to break through the ice, the thickness of which was five meters, and also move at a speed of 18 knots. The unusual color of the vessel (bright red) was also considered a clear difference, which personified a new nautical era. And the icebreaker was famous for being the first ship that managed to reach the North Pole.
"Russia"
This unsinkable icebreaker, launched in 1985), was the first of a series of Arctic nuclear installations with a capacity of 55.1 MW (75,000 horsepower). The crew has at their disposal: the Internet, the Nature salon with an aquarium and living vegetation, a chess room, a cinema hall, as well as everything else that was present on the Sibir icebreaker.
The main purpose of the installation: cooling of nuclear reactors and use in the conditions of the Arctic Ocean. Since the ship was forced to constantly be in cold water, it could not cross the tropics to find itself in the southern hemisphere.
For the first time, this vessel made a cruise voyage to the North Pole, specially organized for foreign tourists. And in the 20th century, a nuclear icebreaker was used to study the continental shelf at the North Pole.
The design feature of the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker, commissioned in 1990, is that it can be retrofitted into a battle cruiser at any time. Initially, the ship was used for Arctic tourism. Making a transpolar cruise, it was possible to install meteorological ice stations operating in automatic mode, as well as an American meteorological buoy. Later, the icebreaker, which was stationed near Murmansk, was used to supply electricity to facilities located near the coast. The vessel also found use in the course of research in the Arctic on the effects of global warming.
"Yamal"
nuclear icebreaker The Yamal was laid down in 1986 in the USSR, and launched after the end of the Soviet Union in 1993. Yamal became the twelfth ship to reach the North Pole. In total, he has 46 flights in this direction, including the one that was specially initiated to meet the third millennium. Several emergencies occurred on the ship, including: a fire, the death of a tourist, and a collision with the Indiga tanker. The icebreaker was not injured during the last emergency, but a deep crack formed in the tanker. It was Yamal that helped transport the damaged ship for repairs.
Six years ago, the ice drift completed a rather important mission: it evacuated archaeologists from the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, who reported their own disaster.
"50 Years of Victory"
This icebreaker is considered the most modern and largest of all existing ones. In 1989, it was laid down under the name "Ural", but since there was not enough funding, for a long time (until 2003) it stood unfinished. Only since 2007 the ship could be operated. During the first tests, the nuclear-powered icebreaker demonstrated reliability, maneuverability, and a top speed of 21.4 knots.
At the disposal of the passengers of the ship: a music room, a library, a swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a restaurant, as well as satellite TV.
The main task assigned to the icebreaker is escorting caravans in the Arctic seas. But the ship was also intended for Arctic cruises.
Rosatom proposed to the Ministry of Defense to modernize the Sovetsky Soyuz nuclear icebreaker by installing special equipment military nature. After that, the ship can be used in Arctic waters as a mobile command post for the newly created Joint Strategic Command North. "Our Version" figured out how realistic this idea is and what could be behind it.
As we know, the Ministry of Defense has already received an offer from Atomflot, but the reaction of the military department is still unclear. Unofficial sources are also silent. All this gives rise to two versions: either the Ministry of Defense has not yet decided how to respond to such a proposal, and does not know what to say, or some kind of plan has really matured in the depths of the ministry, but it is so secret that any information is shrouded in secrecy .
On the "Soviet Union" there is a place for a gun
The Sovetsky Soyuz is the fourth ship in a series of nuclear-powered icebreakers of the Arktika type of project 10520. It was built at the Baltic Shipyard and put into operation in 1989. Its displacement is about 23 thousand tons, maximum speed travel - 20 knots. Nuclear steam generating plant OK-900A, developed in OKBM named after V.I. I.I. Afrikantova, includes two water-cooled power reactors with a nominal capacity of 171 megawatts each, which allows the ship to autonomously stay at sea for seven months.
Thus, it is obvious that the icebreaker has wide possibilities. That's just why they are military?
Here you need to reveal a secret: from the very beginning, icebreakers of this type were designed so that they could be converted into a warship in a short time. For this, onshore warehouses are stored necessary equipment, and some systems in a mothballed state are right on board. So, in the bow of the ship in front of the wheelhouse, a fire control radar of the MP-123 removable artillery mount was installed.
Given this circumstance, the idea of converting the icebreaker into a command ship no longer seems so unexpected. It seems even more logical against the background of statements about the development of the Arctic and Russia's plans to create an Arctic naval fleet. Therefore, although the question arises of how modern equipment manufactured 30 years ago can be considered, it is still worth recognizing: the idea of converting an icebreaker to a command ship may, in principle, turn out to be viable.
On you, Shoigu, what is worthless to us
However, as in any project, it gets up main question: how much will it cost to transform a civilian icebreaker into a combat unit? And why did Rosatom suddenly decide to abandon the ship in favor of the military? What an attraction of unheard-of generosity?
Here it is worth paying attention to the fate of the "Soviet Union". After the collapse of the USSR, icebreakers were looking for areas of application for a long time, they tried the "Soviet Union" in various qualities. From 1991 to 1997, it was used for Arctic tourism, and at the same time to perform research work. However, the use of a nuclear-powered icebreaker as a carriage for tourists was hardly an adequate way to recoup the costs of its maintenance. In March 2002, while the icebreaker was moored at the berth in Murmansk, its power plant was used to supply onshore facilities. At the same time, the power of the installation reached 50 megawatts.
From the very beginning, icebreakers of this type were designed in such a way that they could be converted into a warship in a short time. To do this, the necessary equipment is stored in coastal warehouses, and some systems are in a mothballed state right on board.
As a result, in 2010, the "Soviet Union" was withdrawn from the fleet. It was reported that work on technical restoration and modernization was planned on it. Two years later, it was announced that the withdrawal of the "Soviet Union" from the technological reserve would be completed by 2014. Then the cost of loading fuel for the two reactors of this nuclear-powered ship and its repair was estimated at a billion rubles.
However, Rosatom's promises never came true. Of course, it would be interesting to know how much money the corporation has written off over the years for the repair of the icebreaker, but, alas, this is unlikely to succeed. As a result, a version arises: it seems that in the department of Sergei Kiriyenko they simply decided to transfer their old problem to the Ministry of Defense, entrusting the military to put the "Soviet Union" in order. Well, what - the budget of the Ministry of Defense is growing every year and under the brand name of the need to defend the Arctic, the transfer of the icebreaker will look like a completely patriotic decision.
But still, doubts are born: is it possible to create a command post on such a gigantic, weakly protected and slow ship? After all, it will be incredibly easy to detect and destroy such an object, and therefore significant forces will be required to protect it. And if you imagine that a missile hitting a nuclear icebreaker can cause radioactive contamination of a large area, then the idea of Rosatom will seem completely ridiculous.
Viktor Kravchenko, Chief of the Main Staff of the Navy (1998 - 2005), admiral:
- The fleet does not need to convert icebreakers into command posts at all, since all large ships of the Russian Navy have the ability to place them on board. It's not just about the flagship Northern Fleet heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov", but also ships of the first rank. These ships are equipped by special means communications and fleet management equipment, as well as protective equipment. Why use something else is completely incomprehensible. To create a command post from an icebreaker, you will need large, completely unjustified financial investments. Moreover, the icebreaker "Soviet Union" was used exclusively for civilian purposes, so it will have to be almost completely modernized. The assertions that the icebreaker will be able to pass through the ice and that is why the fleet in the North needs such a command post also does not stand up to scrutiny. Such options for using icebreakers were not considered even under the Soviet Union. In the ice, he simply has nothing to control. Apparently, Rosatom has no money and does not know how to use their ship, so they offer such adventurous options.
Specifically
Proposals for the creative use of ships with nuclear power plants appear regularly. For example, in 1997, the idea was born to use nuclear-powered ships to ensure Northern delivery. This is how a unique experiment was carried out: a submarine of the Northern Fleet delivered cargo to the Kharasavey shift camp in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. However, the military sailors could not fully complete the task: due to the shallow water, the boat could not approach the shore closer than 300 meters, since there was a danger of bottom silt getting into the reactor cooling system. Therefore, bags of flour and sugar were unloaded through the loading hatch onto the ice, after which the goods were delivered to the village on reindeer teams.
In 2000, the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering began to study the possibility of converting Project 941 Akula nuclear submarines into underwater vehicles. The project was initiated by the Ministry of Defense and OJSC Norilsk Nickel. The latter was forced to rent several icebreakers to deliver its products from the Taimyr Peninsula to the mainland, so the idea of carrying cargo under the ice looked very promising. However, the project was never implemented, since in order to convert the submarines into transports, they would have to be almost completely rebuilt, in addition, due to the shallow water, the submarine had to overcome part of the way on the surface, following the icebreaker.
Another idea to use submarines in national economy arose in 2011, when the Ministry of Defense decided to decommission all Project 941 Akula strategic nuclear submarines. At the Sevmash enterprise in the North Dvina, it was proposed to convert the Sharks into underwater gas carriers or sea trucks. However, this idea was abandoned immediately after the budget was drawn up, which turned out to be astronomical. However, in 2014 the idea got a second wind: Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that the technology of under-ice oil and gas production has a great future, so the idea of nuclear submarine gas carriers should not be completely written off.
Russia is the only country with a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers. Nuclear icebreakers are much more powerful than diesel ones, so there are simply no analogues in the whole world. The most important advantage of the nuclear fleet is the absence of regular refueling, which is very convenient and beneficial in permafrost conditions.
The most massive project is the Arktika-type icebreakers (project 10520). These include six nuclear-powered icebreakers built in the USSR and Russia.
Nuclear-powered icebreakers of the Arktika class are used to escort cargo and other ships along the Northern Sea Route. This route includes the Barents, Pechora, Kara, East Siberian Seas, the Laptev Sea and the Bering Strait. The main ports on this route are Dixon, Tiksi and Pevek.
1. The icebreaker "Arktika" was laid down on July 3, 1971 at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad and only on April 25, 1975 was put into operation. He is the ancestor of this class and the first to visit the north pole. This happened on August 17, 1977 at 4 am Moscow time.
The nuclear icebreaker of project 10520 is a complex and expensive engineering structure. There are almost 1,300 rooms on the ship, including: - 155 cabins, a galley and a dining room, a club-cinema hall for 108 seats, a medical unit with an operating room, a gym, a library and other amenity facilities to ensure a comfortable life for the crew and passengers during a long separation from “ mainland” - two power plants with backup and emergency diesel generators, workshops, fire extinguishing and ventilation systems corresponding to a nuclear power facility - a helipad with appropriate infrastructure, a radio center, etc. and so on.
For 33 years of trouble-free operation, he traveled more than a million miles in the ice of the Arctic. In 1999-2000, he worked in the Arctic Ocean for a year without refueling and calling at the port.
Currently, the icebreaker is in the port of Murmansk, on "cold sludge". In August 2008, it was decommissioned.
2-3. The second icebreaker of this class, called "Sibir", is in the same place, awaiting disposal in 2015. This ship is completely identical to the "Arktika" and worked at sea from 1977 to 1992. Removed from service due to malfunction of steam generators.
In 1993, on board the Sibir, the anti-terrorist exercises Blockade of the Vympel group were held, dedicated to practicing the skills of freeing a nuclear icebreaker captured by terrorists.
Currently, the icebreaker is in cold sludge and is fully prepared for cutting: dock repairs have been completed, waste and nuclear fuel have been removed from the vessel, and the bottom has been sealed. According to plans, disposal will take place in 2015.
Displacement 21120 tons, length 147.9 m, width 29.9 m, depth 17.2 m, draft 11 m, NPP power 75000 hp, speed 20.8 knots.
An interesting fact: the icebreaker had an artillery mount on its bow; presumably in the bow had shafts for R-13 ballistic missiles. The living quarters are mounted on elastic mounts and shock absorbers and are isolated from the hull to keep noise out.
4. The third icebreaker "Russia" worked right up to 2013. It was laid down on February 20, 1981 at the Baltic Shipyard named after I.I. Sergo Ordzhonikidze in Leningrad, launched on November 2, 1983, commissioned on December 21, 1985, is the fourth nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world.
The ship can independently pass the tropics to work in the Antarctic, but then when crossing the tropics, the temperature in some rooms can rise above 50 ° C, which in turn can be detrimental to the individual mechanisms of the ship. It will also be necessary to reduce the power of the installation to a minimum. No one took risks, so all nuclear icebreakers worked in northern latitudes.
In 1990, for the first time in the history of Arctic travel, he made a cruise voyage for foreign tourists to the North Pole.
In 2012-2013 the icebreaker even managed to work in the Gulf of Finland and ensure the escort of ships to the port of Primorsk
The "Rossiya" has introduced a set of design solutions aimed at further improving the ice qualities of the nuclear-powered ship. In particular, it is provided with devices to reduce the interaction of propellers with ice, means for better icebreaking, protection of the hull from sticking and corrosion, and also for improving the cleanliness of the channel behind the icebreaker. The composition of the equipment that provides ice reconnaissance, including during the polar night, has been changed. The nuclear-powered ship's hangar is designed for the Ka-32 all-weather helicopter.
Currently, the icebreaker is laid up and the process of unloading spent fuel has begun. According to the plans, the disposal will take place after 2015, together with the nuclear icebreakers Arktika and Sibir. The icebreaker was put into sludge due to lack of nuclear fuel for the next campaign and the refusal to extend the life of the reactor.
5. The next regular icebreaker "Soviet Union" was put into operation in 1989 and is currently being re-equipped in the port of Murmansk.
An interesting point is that the icebreaker is designed in such a way that it can be retrofitted into a warship in a short time. Some of this equipment is in a mothballed state on board, and some is in coastal warehouses. In particular, a fire control radar of the MP-123 detachable artillery mount was installed on the tank in front of the felling.
In March 2002, during the icebreaker's mooring at the berth in Murmansk, for the first time in practice, its power plant was used to supply onshore facilities. At the same time, the power of the installation reached 50 megawatts. The experiment was successful, but was considered unprofitable.
The service life of the icebreaker is set at 25 years. In 2007-2008, the Baltic Shipyard supplied equipment for the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker, which makes it possible to extend the life of the vessel.
Currently, the icebreaker is planned to be restored, but only after a specific customer is identified or until transit along the Northern Sea Route is increased and new areas of work appear. As stated in August 2014 CEO Rosatomflot Vyacheslav Ruksha, “We are extending the service life of the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker and will restore it by 2017.”
Atomic scientists laugh at the meaning of the ships' names. "Russia" is destroyed, and the "Soviet Union" is restored.
At one time, the "Soviet Union" brought and unloaded the Moskvich-2141 car onto the ice of the North Pole. Believe it or not, the leadership of AZLK wanted to promote its products to the West with such an unusual step. Although this miracle of the Russian auto industry flatly turned out to start, at an impromptu auction it was sold for 12 thousand dollars to the owner of a network of gas stations from the United States, and later safely delivered to a happy buyer at home. Thus, a historical maximum price for Moskvich-2141 was set.
6-10. The next icebreaker "Yamal" is on the list of my favorite ships. This is one of all nuclear-powered ships that this moment We are working in full force on the Northern Sea Route.
The icebreaker was laid down in 1986 and launched in 1989. In 2000, he made an expedition to the North Pole to meet the third millennium. Yamal is the seventh ship to reach the North Pole. In total, he made 46 flights to the North Pole.
Everyone remembers this icebreaker by its distinctive coloring on the forecastle (bow of the ship) in the form of shark teeth. Looks amazing live! The stylized image on the bow of the icebreaker appeared in 1994 as a design element for a children's cruise, then left at the request travel companies and over time became traditional
The ship can break ice, moving both forward and backward. Reversing the engine (changing the direction of rotation from full turns in one direction to full turns in the other) takes 11 seconds, with a propeller weight of 50 tons. Also, the nuclear-powered ship has a double hull made of AK-28 steel. At the point of collision with ice, the outer hull has an "ice belt" five meters high and 46 mm thick, in other places the thickness of the outer hull is about 30 mm. The body is covered with a half-millimeter layer of special paint "Inerta-160" to reduce friction. That still colossus!
There are several incidents associated with this icebreaker that I would like to talk about:
On December 23, 1996, a fire broke out on the ship, as a result of which one crew member died. Nuclear reactors were not injured, the fire was extinguished within 30 minutes.
- On August 8, 2007, a 65-year-old tourist from Switzerland, through negligence, fell overboard an icebreaker and died after hitting the water and propellers.
- On March 16, 2009, in the Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea, during ice escort, the Yamal collided with the Indiga tanker. As a result of the impact, a crack with a total length of 9.5 m was formed on the main deck of the tanker with an opening of up to 8 mm. The tanker was in ballast, pollution environment Did not happen. Then the tanker was escorted by Yamal to Arkhangelsk for repairs.
At that time, when we were in Murmansk, the icebreaker was in a floating dock and was undergoing scheduled repairs.
1-13. "50 Years of Victory".
Today it is the largest operating icebreaker in the world. It was laid down on October 4, 1989 under the name "Ural" and launched on December 29, 1993. Further construction was suspended due to lack of funds. In 2003, construction was resumed, and already on February 1, 2007, the icebreaker entered the Gulf of Finland for sea trials, which lasted two weeks. The flag was raised on March 23, 2007, and on April 11 the icebreaker arrived at its permanent home port of Murmansk. On July 30, 2013, the icebreaker reached the North Pole for the hundredth time!
The estimated maximum ice thickness that the icebreaker must overcome is 2.8 m.
"50 Years of Victory" is a modified project 10520 "Arktika", which has many differences from its predecessor. The vessel uses a spoon-shaped bow, which was first used in the development of the Canadian experimental icebreaker Kenmar Kigoriyak in 1979 and convincingly proved its effectiveness during trial operation. Installed on the icebreaker digital system automatic control new generation. The complex of means of biological protection of the nuclear power plant was modernized, which was re-examined in accordance with modern requirements Rostechnadzor. An ecological compartment equipped with the latest equipment for the collection and disposal of all waste products of the vessel.
14. The next icebreaker, the first nuclear, grandfather "Lenin"
Now it is located in Murmansk, stands at the pier and works as a full-fledged museum. It was built in 1959 and did a lot of useful things for the Northern Sea Route.
Due to the high power of the power plant and high autonomy, the icebreaker showed excellent performance already in the first navigation. The use of a nuclear icebreaker made it possible to significantly extend the period of navigation.
The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" is a smooth-deck vessel with an elongated middle superstructure and two masts; a runway for ice reconnaissance helicopters is located in the stern. The water-to-water type nuclear steam generating plant, located in the central part of the ship, generates steam for 4 main turbogenerators that supply 3 propeller motors with direct current, the latter drive 3 propellers (2 onboard and 1 medium) of a particularly robust design. There are 2 autonomous auxiliary power stations. Management of mechanisms, devices and systems - remote. The crew was provided with good living conditions for a long Arctic voyage.
The icebreaker "Lenin" worked for 30 years and in 1989 was decommissioned and put into eternal parking in Murmansk.
There were two accidents on the nuclear icebreaker Lenin. The first happened in February 1965. The reactor core was partially damaged. Part of the fuel was placed at the Lepse floating technical base. The rest of the fuel was unloaded and placed in a container. In 1967, the container was loaded onto a pontoon and sunk in Tsivolki Bay, the east coast of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
The second accident on the icebreaker occurred in 1967. A leak in pipelines of the third circuit of the reactor was recorded. During the liquidation of the leak, serious mechanical damage was caused to the equipment of the reactor plant. It was decided to completely replace the entire reactor compartment. Part of the fuel was placed again at the Lepse floating technical base. The reactor plant was towed to Novaya Zemlya in Tsivolki Bay and flooded.
Thanks to this icebreaker and these accidents, our modern ships are improved and safe, no matter what happens! Starting with Lenin and ending with 50 Years of Victory, one can see a huge leap in nuclear power and in the nuclear fleet, respectively.
The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" became the first domestic museum ship with a nuclear power plant, which was moored to the berth at the sea station of the hero city of Murmansk on May 5, 2009 and in five years has become one of the most visited sights of Murmansk. More than 100,000 visitors visited the nuclear-powered ship during its stay, official delegations and honored guests of the city of Murmansk come here.
15. "Taimyr" and "Vaigach".
These nuclear-powered icebreakers have a reduced draft and are designed to guide ships to the mouths of Siberian rivers.
The icebreakers were built in Finland at the Wärtsilä shipyard (Wärtsilä Marine Technics) in Helsinki by order of the Soviet Union. However, the equipment (power plant, etc.) on the ship was installed in the Soviet Union, Soviet-made steel was used. The installation of nuclear equipment was carried out in Leningrad,. This installation develops a power of 50,000 liters. With. and allows icebreakers to go through ice two meters thick. With an ice thickness of 1.77 meters, the speed of the icebreaker is 2 knots. Icebreakers can operate at temperatures down to -50 °C.
Details Category: Marine Transport Published: 09.08.2017The icebreaker "Soviet Union" is a nuclear-powered icebreaker of project 10521 Arktika, built in 1989. Designed for the most conditions of the Arctic with an ice thickness of up to 3 meters, as well as in the most short time can be converted for military use.
The vast territory of our country, stretching "from the southern mountains to the northern seas," as the popular song of Soviet times sang, makes it necessary to have a fleet that is able to move freely through the waters of these most severe seas and the Arctic Ocean. Powerful nuclear-powered icebreakers are the only type of ships capable of breaking through thick ice in the Arctic waters. Therefore, in the Soviet Union, and then in Russia, the creation of ships of this class was given and continues to be given great attention. As a result, our country is the only owner in the world of a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers.
In order to ensure dominance in the water space of this region, to fulfill national economic tasks, in the early seventies of the last century, a project was conceived and began to be implemented to create ten nuclear-powered ships of the Arktika class, named after the first ship in the series. After the "Arktika", "Siberia" and "Russia", on the last day of October 1986, the icebreaker "Soviet Union" was launched from the shipyard of the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad. In its creation, however, as in the production of other ships of the class, it was involved a large number of enterprises, including: OKBM im. Afrikantov from Gorky, Mayak Production Association in the city of Ozersk, Chelyabinsk Region, the Iceberg Central Design Bureau in Leningrad, etc.
The "Soviet Union" began to function in 1989 with a planned working resource of 25 years. Vessel registration - Murmansk port.
Description
All Arktika-class icebreakers have four decks and two platforms. To combat ice jams, the Soviet Union has a double hull made of alloy steel, which is particularly durable. The vessel has the ability to move through the water area, both in the forward direction and in the reverse mode, using three fixed-pitch propellers with four blades each.
The main node of the icebreaker are two OK-900A nuclear reactors that produce energy for the "Soviet Union". The working elements of a steam turbine plant are water and steam, which make the turbine rotor rotate. It consists of two steam generators. The power of each of them is 37,500 liters. With. The power supply system is backed up by a backup complex consisting of a 1,000 kW diesel generator and two emergency ones - 200 kW each.
A modern nuclear-powered icebreaker, which is the "Soviet Union", is a large floating house, which you can navigate without leaving the deck. Despite being equipped with high-tech equipment, there is still space on the ship to accommodate a wardroom, a dining room, a bar, a medical department, a sauna, a swimming pool, a cinema hall, etc.
Specifications
Here are some figures on the characteristics of the atomic icebreaker "Soviet Union", regarding its dimensions and functional parameters.
- Length - 147.9 m.
- Width - 29.9 m.
- Height on board - 17.2 m.
- Displacement - 21 120 tons.
- The highest speed in free water is 20.8 knots (approximately 38.5 km / h).
- Power - 75,000 liters. With
- Draft depth 11 m.
- The crew of the ship consists of 100 people.
- Autonomous navigation of the icebreaker - seven months.
Icebreaker Features
The features of the project "Soviet Union" was its possible conversion in a short time into a ship for military service. Some of this equipment is in a mothballed state on the ship, the rest is onshore. This provides for the use of the MP-123 shipborne artillery fire control system, consisting of a radar station that helps to detect and track targets, as well as a TV and an ECU (electronic control units). As a weapon, it is possible to use an artillery mount of the AK type (automatic ship).
When creating, much attention was paid to the security system of the "Soviet Union". A system of measures was developed that controlled and notified in time about any deviations in the operation of the nuclear filling.
- Loop control in the first coolant.
- System for detecting microscopic leaks in the coolant of a nuclear plant.
- Observation of the state of the metal of the shell of a nuclear reactor.
It must be said that over the years of operation of the Arktika-class icebreakers, not a single failure in the operation of this most complex device has been recorded. The reliability of the vessels remains at the highest level.
Exploitation
His activities were extremely varied. We list the main points of its operation.
- Arctic tourism (1991, 1992, 1997, 1998).
- Installation of equipment for meteorological observations in 1991. Combining tourist activities with research practice, the crew installed 5 automatic stations and 1 meteorological buoy from the USA on drifting ice floes.
- In 2002, the practice of connecting the power plant of the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker to the power grid of buildings on the coastline of Murmansk was tested. The experiment was a complete success, but was found to be too costly.
- In 2004, an expedition was organized to the underwater Lomonosov Ridge near the North Pole to carry out a unique drilling experiment. In addition to our nuclear-powered ship, two icebreakers from Sweden and Norway took part in it. A well 428 meters deep was drilled in the body of the ridge. The installation was located on the Norwegian ship Vidar Viking. "Soviet Union" and the Swedish "Oden" by their constant maneuvering freed the site for the experiment from ice jams.
- To increase the service life in 2007-2008, a new modern equipment. A year before, the "Soviet Union" ceased to be operated.
Currently, the icebreaker is working on re-equipment of the vessel. Their completion is scheduled for 2017.
The future of the fourth nuclear-powered icebreaker of the Arktika class is vague. The leadership of Rosatomflot, the current owner of the ship, wants to send it to the department of the Russian Ministry of Defense for use as the head command post of the Northern Fleet. The military department, in turn, hesitates, not considering this proposal expedient. Of course, the financial side of the issue also plays an important role. The maintenance of a nuclear ship costs a lot of money.
If the reprofiling of the "Soviet Union" does not take place, then the icebreaker will return to its usual labor activity. The term of his new labor resource- 20 years.
