Sierra-class submarine

The Sierra class, Soviet designations Project 945 Barrakuda and Project 945A Kondor, (NATO reporting names Sierra I and Sierra II respectively), are a series of nuclear-powered attack submarines intended for the Soviet Navy and currently in service with the Russian Navy.

A Sierra II-class submarine underway
Class overview
Name	Sierra class
Builders	Krasnoye Sormovo, designed by Lazurit
Operators	Soviet Navy  Russian Navy
Preceded by	Alfa class, Victor class
Succeeded by	Akula class
Built	1979–1992
In commission	1984–present
Planned	5
Completed	4
Cancelled	1
Active	4
General characteristics
Type	Nuclear attack submarine
Displacement	Sierra I: 7,200 tons (surfaced) 8,300 tons (submerged) Sierra II: 7,600 tons (surfaced) 9,100 tons (submerged)
Length	Sierra I: 107.16 m (351.6 ft) Sierra II: 110 m (360 ft)
Beam	Sierra I: 12.28 m (40.3 ft) Sierra II: 14.2 m (47 ft)
Draft	Sierra I: 8.8 m (29 ft) Sierra II: 8.8 m (29 ft)
Propulsion	Sierra I & II: 1 × PWR, 190 MW (HEU <= 45%[1]) 2 × 1,002 hp (747 kW) emergency motors 1 shaft, 2 spinners
Speed	Sierra I & II: 10 knots (18.5 km/h) (surfaced) Sierra I: 34 knots (63.0 km/h) (submerged) Sierra II: 32 knots (59.3 km/h) (submerged)
Range	Effectively unlimited, except by food supplies
Complement	Sierra I & II: 61 & 72
Armament	Sierra I & II: 4 × 650 mm (26 in) torpedo tubes (only Sierra I) 4 × 530 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes ( 6 x Sierra II) SS-N-21 Sampson SLCM SS-N-15 Starfish anti-submarine weapon: 200 kt depth charge or 90 kg HE Type 40 torpedo SS-N-16 Stallion, 200 kt depth charge or 90 kg HE Type 40 torpedo Minelaying configuration: 42 mines instead of torpedoes

The class resembles the Alfa-class submarine in having a light and strong titanium pressure hull which enables the submarines of the class to dive to greater depths, reduce the level of radiated noise and increase resistance to torpedo attacks. It is powered by a single OK-650 pressurized water reactor.

The upgraded version, the Sierra II class was specifically developed for search and destroy missions against US nuclear submarines. It has speeds and diving depth greater than its American counterparts at the time it was designed. It has also improved quieting and sonar.^[2]

Versions

Project 945 Barrakuda (Sierra I)

Project 945

The first submarine of the Project 945, Carp, was laid down in July 1979^[3] at the Gorky shipyard and was launched in August 1983 before being transferred to Severodvinsk for fitting out. It was laid up in 1997. The next hull to be built was Kostroma, which was launched in July 1986 and was commissioned in September 1987. K-276 Kostroma was put into a drydock after its 11 February 1992 collision with the US submarine Baton Rouge in the Barents Sea, off Kildin Island.^[4][5] The submarine was repaired on 3 June 1992 and was renamed Krab on 6 April 1993, but in 1996 its original name Kostroma was restored.^[6][7] The Sierra I class was also fitted with a releasable escape pod for the crew.^[8] The pod is covered by a V-shaped casing on the port side of the sail.

Project 945A Kondor (Sierra II)

Project 945A

The Project 945A has a considerably larger sail which is 5 m (16.4 ft) longer than the Sierra I class. The sail also has a curious flat, square leading edge. The masts are offset on the starboard side to make way for two escape pods in the sail. The starboard side also has a 10-point environment sensor fitted at right angles to the front end of the sail. Also, the Sierra II class has a much larger pod on its after fin. The pod houses the Skat 3 passive very low frequency towed sonar array.^{[citation needed]}

Of the two existing submarines of type Sierra II, the Pskov was in overhaul between 2011 and 2015 according to the Russian website Deep storm.^[9] The aforementioned website acknowledges activity of Nizhniy Novgorod under the command of Captain 1st Rank Alexey Ananko in both 2008 and 2013.^[10]

Both Nizhniy Novgorod and Pskov took part in a large naval exercise in October 2019.^[11][12]

Project 945AB (Sierra III)

Project 945AB

The single submarine of the Project 945AB was laid down in March 1990 but was scrapped in November 1993 before completion.^[13]

Aborted Barrakuda (Sierra I) modernization

Modernization of the Carp and Kostroma of Project 945 for the Russian Navy was anticipated in the 2010s, but in the event, was not completed. A January 2013 contract for refit and recommission of the two submarines was signed with the Zvezdochka Shipyard in Severodvinsk, with the refit expected to take three years.^[14] It was originally planned that the submarines would be transferred to Zvezdochka before end of April 2013, with the overhaul beginning in summer 2013. Zvezdochka was to carry out the refit, repair mechanical parts, and replace nuclear fuel and all electrical equipment of the submarines. The submarines were also expected to receive a new sonar, combat information management system (BIUS), the GLONASS navigation system and new armament consisting of the Kalibr cruise missiles.^[15] However, in March 2015 it was reported that the final decision on the modernization of submarines Carp and Kostroma had not yet been made due to cost issues.^{[16][17][needs update]}

Units

#	Name	Project	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Fleet	Status	Notes
B-239	Carp	945	20 July 1979	29 July 1983	29 September 1984	Northern Fleet	Reserve[18]
B-276	Kostroma	945	21 April 1984	26 July 1986	27 November 1987	Northern Fleet	Reserve	Projected repairs "indefinitely suspended" as of July 2018[citation needed]
B-534	Nizhniy Novgorod	945A	15 February 1986	8 July 1989	26 December 1990	Northern Fleet	Active as of 2019[11]
B-336	Pskov	945A	29 June 1989	28 July 1992	17 December 1993	Northern Fleet	Active	Overhaul completed in 2015.[9]

See also

• List of Soviet and Russian submarine classes
• List of submarine classes in service
• Future of the Russian Navy
• Attack submarine
• Cruise missile submarine