BS-64 Podmoskovye - New Russian Special Mission spy-sub
BS-64 Подмосковье (Podmoskovye = ‘Moscow Oblast’) is a Project 09787 DELTA-IV STRETCH ballistic missile submarine which has been converted into a host submarine for nuclear powered midget-subs. She was relaunched on October 22nd and is expected to join 29th Separate Brigade of submarines of the Northern Fleet at their secretive base at Olenya Guba (Deer Bay) on the Murmansk Oblast. The 29th Separate Brigade operate a range of Special Mission submarines (read ‘Spy submarines’) for GUGI (Main Directorate Deep Sea Research). Podmoskovye will be used as a Host Submarine (‘mother submarine’) for some of the midget submarines based there, most likely including the elusive Project 10831 LOSHARIK.
Source: Zvezdochka-ru.livejournal (in Russian)
Original artwork - CLICK for HIGH-RESOLUTION
Artist's impression showing LOSHARIK midget sub below the hull and a SHELF nuclear reactor pod as payload.
It is likely that Podmoskovye will be involved in the laying of the ‘SHELF’ Russian arctic sensor network. See Russia seeks submarine advantage in Arctic (SHELF system, GUGI special mission subs)
There are several hatches along the aft casing which have yet to be explained. Source: YOUTUBE
View on YOUTUBE:
Source: MilitaryRussia.ru
Source: kuleshovoleg.livejournal (in Russian)
Source: kuleshovoleg.livejournal (in Russian)
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Source: Zvezdochka-ru.livejournal (in Russian)
Source: Zvezdochka-ru.livejournal (in Russian)
Conversion to Special Mission Host Submarine
Work on BS-64 started at the Star shipyard in Severodvinsk on the White Sea in 1999 although she laid up unfinished for many years until 2012 when work resumed. The missile section, which originally held 16 x R-29RMU Sineva (SS-N-23A SKIFF) liquid-fueled missiles which each carry four independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) was cut out and replaced by a very long hull insert of similar diameter. The insert is slightly longer, adding about 7m to the overall length (174m vs 167m). Despite the ample space provided by the double-hull configuration a raised deck is still required although the ‘hump back’ of the original missile section is removed.
Example DELTA-IV SSBN before modification. Note the hump-back section for the missiles.
Missile section of a DELTA-III submarine showing the double-hull construction. The section removed from Podmoskovye was similar.
BS-64 during conversion with missile silos already removed, 2005. Source MilitaryRussia.ru
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