Soviet submarine K-131: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox ship career |
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|Hide header=December 31, 1964 June 6, 1966 September 30, 1966[3] Northern Decommissioned 1994 for scrapping |
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|Ship country= [[Soviet Union]] |
|Ship country= [[Soviet Union]] |
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|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval}} |
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|Ship ordered= |
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|Ship laid down= |
|Ship laid down=31 December 1964 |
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|Ship launched=6 June 1966 |
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|Ship commissioned= |
|Ship commissioned=30 September 1966 |
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|Ship decommissioned= |
|Ship decommissioned=1994 renamed K-192 |
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|Ship in service= |
|Ship in service= |
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|Ship fate= |
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|Ship status= |
|Ship status=Laid up; awaiting scrapping |
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{{Infobox ship characteristics |
{{Infobox ship characteristics |
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|Ship class=[[Echo-class submarine|Echo II-class]] [[submarine]] |
|Ship class=[[Echo-class submarine|Echo II-class]] [[submarine]] |
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|Ship displacement= |
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|5000|LT|t|0|lk=in|abbr=on}} surfaced |
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*{{convert|6000|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged |
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|Ship length= {{convert|115|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |
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|Ship beam= |
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|Ship beam= {{convert|9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |
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|Ship draught= |
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|Ship draught= {{convert|7.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |
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|Ship draft= |
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|Ship propulsion=2 × pressurized water nuclear reactors, {{convert|30000|shp|kW|-2|abbr=on}} turbines, two shafts |
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|Ship propulsion= |
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|Ship speed= |
|Ship speed=*{{convert|20|kn|lk=in}} surfaced |
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*{{convert|23|kn}} submerged |
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|Ship |
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|Ship test depth= |
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|Ship sensors= |
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|Ship EW= |
|Ship EW= |
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|Ship armament= |
|Ship armament=*8 × [[P-5 Pyatyorka|SS-N-3 "Shaddock" cruise missiles]] |
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*6 × {{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes forward |
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*4 × {{convert|16|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes aft |
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|Ship notes= |
|Ship notes= |
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[[File:Echo II class SSGN.svg|thumb|Echo II-class submarine]] |
[[File:Echo II class SSGN.svg|thumb|Echo II-class submarine]] |
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'''''K-131''''' was a Project 675 ([[NATO reporting name]] [[Echo-class submarine|Echo II-class]] [[submarine]]) of the [[Soviet Navy]]'s [[Northern Fleet]], she was also redesignated '''''K-192'''''.<ref name=k-192>{{cite web|title=RUSSIAN K-159 SUBMARINE ACCIDENT|url=http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/index.html?http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/592/5542.php|publisher=www10.antenna.nl|accessdate=8 November 2012}}</ref> |
'''''K-131''''' was a Project 675 ([[NATO reporting name]] [[Echo-class submarine|Echo II-class]] [[submarine]]) of the [[Soviet Navy]]'s [[Northern Fleet]], she was also redesignated '''''K-192'''''.<ref name=k-192>{{cite web|title=RUSSIAN K-159 SUBMARINE ACCIDENT|url=http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/index.html?http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/592/5542.php|publisher=www10.antenna.nl|accessdate=8 November 2012}}</ref> |
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==Operational history== |
==Operational history== |
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===Fire=== |
===Fire=== |
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On |
On 18 June 1984,<ref name=andy>{{cite web|title=Soviet and Russian Peacetime Submarine Accidents|url=http://andysvault.narod.ru/navy_ussrsubacc.htm|publisher=andysvault.narod.ru|accessdate=8 November 2012}}</ref> while under the command of Captain First Rank E. Selivanov, ''K-131'' suffered a catastrophic fire while on patrol in the [[Norwegian Sea]] off the [[Kola Peninsula]].<ref name=russia>{{cite web|title=The Russian Northern Fleet Nuclear submarine accidents|url=http://spb.org.ru/bellona/ehome/russia/nfl/nfl8.htm#O16|publisher=spb.org.ru|accessdate=8 November 2012}}</ref> A short circuit in an electrical switchboard in the eighth compartment ignited the clothes of an electrical officer, and spread first to other equipment in that compartment, then into the seventh compartment. Before it was extinguished, the fire had killed 13 men. |
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===Aid=== |
===Aid=== |
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The fire affected one of the two reactors, forcing the submarine to surface. Using ''K-131''{{'}}s fresh water supplies, the |
The fire affected one of the two reactors, forcing the submarine to surface. Using ''K-131''{{'}}s fresh water supplies, the submarine's crew managed to reduce the temperature in the burning compartments from {{convert|150|C|F|abbr=on}} to {{convert|108|C|F|abbr=on}}, but by this time the Soviet [[cargo ship]] ''Konstantin Yuon'' had arrived and hooked up a pipe to help.<ref name=russia /> All the cooling water went into the ocean, and its [[radioactivity]] levels were unknown. The service ship ''Amur'', which had a nuclear waste processing plant on board, then arrived to assist ''K-131''. However, the heavily contaminated water caused ''Amur''{{′}}s treatment plant to break down.<ref name=russia /> How much nuclear waste leaked into the ocean has never been fully verified. |
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==Fate== |
==Fate== |
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After returning to the Soviet Union, ''K-131'' was anchored in [[Ara Bay]]. Then she was towed to [[Russian Shipyard Number 10|Russian Shipyard No. 10—Shkval]]. She was renamed K-192. On June 25, 1989 a serious leak occurred in a cooling pipe. Photos of the evaporating cooling water coming out from the reactor compartment became front-page news in Norway.<ref>[https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2018/06/19/soviet-nuclear-submarine-norway-fire-cold-war/ "Was a nuclear-able Soviet sub near Norway’s coasts during a deadly 1984 fire?" author Thomas Nilsen. June 19, 2018 ]</ref> The submarine was then stationed at the Ara-guba Naval base on the Kola Peninsula. At the end of November 1996 the Naval Yard in Polyarny defuelled the 37 years old K-5 submarine.<ref>[https://bellona.org/news/nuclear-issues/russian-navy/1997-02-decommissioning-of-nuclear-submarines-at-polyarny title "Decommissioning of nuclear submarines at Polyarny" Author Igor Kudrik. February 19, 1997.]</ref> |
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After returning to the Soviet Union, ''K-131'' was anchored in [[Ara Bay]] until 1994. Then she was towed to [[Russian_Shipyard_Number_10|Russian Shipyard No. 10—Shkval]]. To this day{{when?|date=April 2016}} the Soviet, and later Russian, navies have been unable to remove her reactors.<ref name=russia /> |
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==Fire and rescue== |
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On 21st August, 1980, the Shell Gas tanker "Gari" sailing toward Japan at 0605 hrs Japan Standard Time witnessed distress flares on the starboard bow (Position given as 26 3N 129 18E)Officer of the Watch was 2nd Officer Dave Hinks, and he joined the bridge lookout, shortly another series of flares was sighted confirming a vessel in distress. |
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Captain was called, engine room advised that movements may be required. Vessel was approached and confirmed to be a submarine (later identified as an Echo I or II class Russian submarine). Being so low it hadn't initially shown up on radar. |
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The following account taken from Engineer aboard the ss Gari, Ronald Farnfield, confirmed by newspaper clippings, photographs, copies of telegrams <ref>telegram from Shell Tokyo, with message from Captain Ivanov, Naval Attache, Russian Embassy Tokyo</ref> also <ref> telegram from Shell London with message from Naval Attache, USSR Embassy London. </ref> and this article: <ref>https://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/theater/659.htm</ref> |
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"Sub was approached cautiously, she was "blackish, rust stained and carried no markings, there was an assortment of oddly dressed people on her deck wearing some kind of white headdress & shirts with blue trousers. Smoke was drifting out of the aft hatch and the people were throwing tin cans attached to rope over the side to pull back aboard and cool what appeared to be the outer hull of maybe the 3rd compartment from aft. On the foredeck amongst others were two men holding spread out between them a red flag. |
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"We passed slowly across her bows, a little apprehensively, and down her starboard side. We had absolutely no idea to whom she belonged. The characters on deck bore no resemblance to trained navy personnel & their garb was even more suspicious. The red flag obviously denoted communist origin. Chinese? Korean? Vietnamese? We didn’t know. |
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A life boat was prepared and lowered as we passed around her stern. In the water were floating bag-like objects that looked to be some kind of submarine escape gear. The lifeboat was set away the Chief Officer Ron Van Burken in command, and off. Dave Hicks coxing, 4th Engineer Geof House manning the engine and an assortment of Chinese crew. |
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They first investigated and confirmed the floating escape gear & then approached the sub, having strict instructions not to go along side. Standing off they made contact. The sub was Russian – unbelievable! - They’d had a fire, 9 dead, three injured. The dead were on the casing aft of the fin. Men, smouldering from the heat were appearing from the aft hatch wearing breathing apparatus to be splashed down with sea water by their comrades. The lifeboat asked to speak to the captain. There was some confusion and then one stepped forward. |
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Suppositions were made. There appeared to be no officers, was this a mutinty? There were no visible arms on deck. Could we take the injured? No – it would be easier to heli-lift them from the sub than from us and a helicopter and patrol boat were on their way. Morphine for the injured – certainly – They wanted to phone Moscow could they send 2 R/os (*Radio Officers) and an interpreter aboard to use our radio – certainly – Would we take 50 men off – No – Would we tow them – No. |
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The three Russians boarded the life boat and were checked for arms as they did so, and the boat returned. The Russians came aboard and the morphine ferried back to the sub. The lifeboat reported that the dead bodies had disappeared below and lifejackets had been brought on deck. Scuttling was a possibility, we waited. |
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The 3 Russians on the Gari were eventually put in touch with the Russian Embassy in Tokyo, and after this their attitude changed – They wanted help from no-one. I relieved the 4th Engineer in the boat and ferried soft drinks & fresh water to the sub. About this time the aircraft started arriving starting with a Japanese Beechcraft 200T, probably press to be followed by a host of surveillance aircraft flying at various levels from 50ft to 50,000 – A twin rotor Chinook helicopter arrived and by this time we had ferried the 3 Russians back to the sub. They weren’t interested. |
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The injured stayed in the sweltering heat. They would wait for a Russian freighter to arrive. We hung around til it did and then with three long blasts, flag at half mast we steamed close by the sub and paid our respects to the dead & bade them farewell. |
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22nd. Soviet Tug towing sub in SW direction to either Vladivostok or Vietnam. |
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23rd. Soviet Tug experiencing difficulties & stopped tow. Reason Unknown. Russia jamming British American & W. German transmissions into Russia since 21st Aug. |
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Arrived Sodegaura Japan & were met by a boat of white coated men with Geiger counters” |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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==Bibliography== |
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*{{cite book|last1=Polmar|first1=Norman|last2=Noot|first2=Jurrien|title=Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies, 1718–1990|year=1991|publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-570-1|name-list-style=amp}} |
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*{{cite book |last1=Vilches Alarcón |first1=Alejandro A. |title=From Juliettes to Yasens: Development and Operational History of Soviet Cruise-Missile Submarines |date=2022 |publisher=Helion & Co. |location=Warwick, UK |isbn=978-1-915070-68-5|series=Europe @ War (22)}} |
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Latest revision as of 13:22, 29 January 2024
| History | |
|---|---|
 Soviet Union | |
| Name | K-131 |
| Laid down | 31 December 1964 |
| Launched | 6 June 1966 |
| Commissioned | 30 September 1966 |
| Decommissioned | 1994 renamed K-192 |
| Status | Laid up; awaiting scrapping |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Echo II-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 115 m (377 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 9 m (29 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 × pressurized water nuclear reactors, 30,000 shp (22,400 kW) turbines, two shafts |
| Speed |
|
| Complement | about 90 officers and men |
| Armament |
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K-131 was a Project 675 (NATO reporting name Echo II-class submarine) of the Soviet Navy's Northern Fleet, she was also redesignated K-192.[1]
Design and description[edit]
The Echo II class was a nuclear-powered cruise-missile submarine, which could carry up to eight anti-ship missiles, designed to strike any aircraft carrier-borne nuclear threat. The missiles could be either conventional or nuclear and all eight fired within twenty minutes. The submarine would need to be surfaced and carried an array of electronics, radar and sonar to feed data to the missile while en route to its target. K-131 also had six 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes forward and four 406 mm (16 in) torpedo tubes aft.[2]
With a displacement of 5,000 tons when surfaced and 6,000 tons when submerged, K-131 was 115 metres (377 ft) long and had a beam of 9 metres (30 ft) and a draft of 7.5 metres (25 ft). She was powered by two pressurized-water nuclear reactors generating 30,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW) through two propellers for a maximum speed of 20 to 23 knots (37 to 43 km/h; 23 to 26 mph). She was manned by about 90 crew members.[3]
Operational history[edit]
Fire[edit]
On 18 June 1984,[4] while under the command of Captain First Rank E. Selivanov, K-131 suffered a catastrophic fire while on patrol in the Norwegian Sea off the Kola Peninsula.[3] A short circuit in an electrical switchboard in the eighth compartment ignited the clothes of an electrical officer, and spread first to other equipment in that compartment, then into the seventh compartment. Before it was extinguished, the fire had killed 13 men.
Aid[edit]
The fire affected one of the two reactors, forcing the submarine to surface. Using K-131's fresh water supplies, the submarine's crew managed to reduce the temperature in the burning compartments from 150 °C (302 °F) to 108 °C (226 °F), but by this time the Soviet cargo ship Konstantin Yuon had arrived and hooked up a pipe to help.[3] All the cooling water went into the ocean, and its radioactivity levels were unknown. The service ship Amur, which had a nuclear waste processing plant on board, then arrived to assist K-131. However, the heavily contaminated water caused Amur′s treatment plant to break down.[3] How much nuclear waste leaked into the ocean has never been fully verified.
Fate[edit]
After returning to the Soviet Union, K-131 was anchored in Ara Bay. Then she was towed to Russian Shipyard No. 10—Shkval. She was renamed K-192. On June 25, 1989 a serious leak occurred in a cooling pipe. Photos of the evaporating cooling water coming out from the reactor compartment became front-page news in Norway.[5] The submarine was then stationed at the Ara-guba Naval base on the Kola Peninsula. At the end of November 1996 the Naval Yard in Polyarny defuelled the 37 years old K-5 submarine.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ "RUSSIAN K-159 SUBMARINE ACCIDENT". www10.antenna.nl. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ^ "Project 659 / Echo I Project 675 / Echo II". www.fas.org. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ^ a b c d "The Russian Northern Fleet Nuclear submarine accidents". spb.org.ru. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ^ "Soviet and Russian Peacetime Submarine Accidents". andysvault.narod.ru. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ^ "Was a nuclear-able Soviet sub near Norway’s coasts during a deadly 1984 fire?" author Thomas Nilsen. June 19, 2018
- ^ title "Decommissioning of nuclear submarines at Polyarny" Author Igor Kudrik. February 19, 1997.
Bibliography[edit]
- Polmar, Norman & Noot, Jurrien (1991). Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies, 1718–1990. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-570-1.
- Vilches Alarcón, Alejandro A. (2022). From Juliettes to Yasens: Development and Operational History of Soviet Cruise-Missile Submarines. Europe @ War (22). Warwick, UK: Helion & Co. ISBN 978-1-915070-68-5.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1989 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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