Yasen-class submarine

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

History
Yasen-class submarines were designed by the SKB-18 design bureau, with work on the initial design scheduled for start in 1977 and completion in 1985. The design task was subsequently taken over by the famous Malachite Central Design Bureau, which is one of the three Soviet/Russian submarine design centers, along with Rubin Design Bureau and Lazurit Central Design Bureau ("Lazurit" is the Russian word for lazurite).

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 Borei-class submarine, Severodvinsk, the lead unit of the Yasen class 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.

On 24 July 2009 work on a second Yasen submarine, named Kazan, was started. On 26 July the Russian navy command announced that starting in 2011, one multipurpose submarine would be laid down every year, although not necessarily of this class.

An August 2009 report from the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence estimated the Yasen-class submarines to be the quietest, or least detectable, of contemporaneous Russian and Chinese nuclear submarines but is still not as quiet as contemporary U.S. Navy submarines (i.e. Seawolf and Virginia class).

In April 2010 it was reported that the 7 May launch of the first boat had been postponed due to 'Technical Reasons'.

The launch of the first ship of this class and the beginning of sea trials was reported in September 2011.

A third submarine is expected to be laid down by the end of 2011. K-329 Severodvinsk went on her first voyage in September 2011 in order to conduct sea trials.

On November 9, 2011 Russia signed a contract for 4 Yasen class submarines to be delivered by 2016.

On July 26 2013 a third submarine, The Novosibirsk, was laid down.

Costs
It was speculated that the cost of the first Yasen-class submarine was around 1 billion USD. Although another source claims that the price was actually 2 billion USD. Recent reports from unnamed sources speculate that the first-of-class (Severodvinsk) unit cost was 50 billion rubles (roughly 1.6 billion USD) while the second boat (Kazan) will cost an estimated 110 billion rubles (3.5 billion USD). This would make Kazan the most expensive SSN/SSGN in the world together with USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23). A single Yasen class submarine allegedly costs as much as two Borei class submarines.

In 2011, (then) Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov criticized the ever increasing cost of the Borei and Yasen class submarines. The Minister described the massive increase in cost between the first and the second Yasen class submarine as "incomprehensible". However, he insisted that the Ministry of Defence and Sevmash (builder) would resolve the issue. Officials from the United Shipbuilding Corporation replied that work done in Sevmash accounts to only 30% of the submarines completion cost, the remaining 70% being linked to suppliers/contractors.

Description
The vessel's design is claimed to be state-of-the-art. The Yasen-class nuclear submarine is presumed to be armed with cruise missiles, with several types suggested, but not limited to the 3M51 Alfa SLCM, the P-800 Oniks SLCM or the RK-55 Granat SLCM as well as the 3M-54 Klub (SS-N-27 "Sizzler"). The 3M-54 Klub has several variants including the 3M54E (terminal-supersonic) and 3M54E1 (subsonic) antiship, 91RE1 antisubmarine, and the 3M14E land-attack variant. It will also have 8 x 650 mm and 2 x 533 mm tubes as well as mines and anti-ship missiles such as the RPK-7.

This class is the first Russian submarine to be equipped with a spherical sonar, designated as Irtysh-Amfora. The device (allegedly the Irtysh/Amfora sonar system) was tested on a modified Yankee class submarine. The sonar system consists of a spherical bow array, flank arrays and a towed array. Due to the large size of this spherical array, the torpedo tubes are slanted. The hull is constructed from low-magnetic steel. The submarine has a crew of about 90, suggesting a high degree of automation in the submarine's different systems. The newest U.S. attack sub, the Virginia-class submarine, has a crew of 134 in comparison.

Yasen-class submarines will be the first Russian SSNs/SSGNs equipped with a fourth generation nuclear reactor. The reactor will allegedly have a 25-30 year core life and will not have to be refueled.

A VSK rescue pod is carried in the sail.

Deployment
None to date. Unit still fitting out after being launched.

Satellite photos
The first unit K-329 Severodvinsk can be seen in the waters of the naval base/submarine manufacturing/scrap base of Severodvinsk, Russia The image suggests that the Yasen true length is about 140m.
 * K-329 at 64.57518°N, 39.80055°W