Oscar Class Submarine - Project 949A Antey

Project 949A Antey

Eleven Project 949A Antey submarines were completed at Severodvinsk, of which five were assigned to the Soviet Northern Fleet.

At one stage it had been planned to develop a new fourth-generation follow-on to the Project 949A, but this plan was later scrapped.

The external differences between the two classes were that the 949A class is about 10 metres (33 ft) longer than its predecessor (~154 metres (505 ft) rather than 143 m (469 ft)), providing space for improved electronics and possibly quieter propulsion. It also has a larger fin, and a seven-bladed propeller instead of a four-bladed one.

Like all post-World War II Soviet designs, they are of double hull construction. Similarly, like other Soviet submarine designs, Project 949 not only has a bridge open to the elements on top of the sail but, for use in inclement weather, there is an enclosed bridge forward and slightly below this station in the fin/sail.

A distinguishing mark is a slight bulge at the top of the fin. A large door on either side of the fin reaches this bulge. These are wider at the top than on the bottom, and are hinged on the bottom. The Federation of American Scientists reports that this submarine carries an emergency crew escape capsule; it is possible that these doors cover it. The VSK escape capsule can accommodate 110 people.

The Oscar Class is commonly referred to as Mongo by crews of US patrol aircraft in reference to their massive size.

Northern Fleet Oscar class submarines
# Name Project Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
K-525 Arkhangelsk 949 25 July 1975 3 May 1980 30 December 1980 Decommissioned 1996, scrapped in 2004
K-206 Murmansk (ex-Minsky Komsomolets) 949 22 April 1979 10 December 1982 30 November 1983 Decommissioned 1996, scrapped in 2004
K-148 Krasnodar 949A 22 July 1982 3 March 1985 30 September 1986 Retired and to be scrapped in 2011
K-119 Voronezh 949A 25 February 1986 16 December 1988 29 December 1989 Active, after overhaul finished in November 2011
K-410 Smolensk 949A 9 December 1986 20 January 1990 22 December 1990 Inactive, in overhaul from November 2011 to 2013/2014
K-266 Orel 949A 19 January 1989 22 May 1992 30 December 1992 Active, to be overhauled in 2013
K-141 Kursk 949A 22 March 1992 16 May 1994 30 December 1994 Lost 12 August 2000
Pacific Fleet Oscar class submarines
# Name Project Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
K-173 Krasnoyarsk 949A August 4, 1983 March 27, 1986 December 31, 1986 Inactive,to be scrapped
K-132 Irkutsk 949A May 8, 1985 December 27, 1987 December 30, 1988 overhaul from 2008
K-442 Chelyabinsk 949A May 21, 1987 June 18, 1990 December 28, 1990 waiting overhaul/upgrade
K-456 Tver 949A February 9, 1988 June 28, 1991 August 18, 1992 Active
K-186 Omsk 949A July 13, 1989 May 10, 1993 July 20, 1996 Overhaul 2007-2008
Active
K-150 Tomsk 949A August 27, 1991 July 20, 1996 December 30, 1996 Active

Three more Project 949A Antey submarines were planned.

Unfinished Oscar class submarines
# Name Project Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
K-139 Belgorod 949A July 24, 1992 Converted for special missions.
K-135 Volgograd 949A September 2, 1993 Construction maybe restarted
K-165 Barnaul 949A April 1994 Construction stopped
launched incomplete

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