Ukraines Only Sub Operational now
Ukraine’s only submarine, the Zaporozhye, has left the port of Sevastopol on the Black Sea for sea trials for the first time after many years of repairs.
Not bad for a 42-year old submarine...
The Soviet-era Foxtrot class (Project 641) diesel-electric submarine stood grounded at a dock in Sevastopol for years without repair and became a symbol of the demise of Ukraine’s navy.
Russian engineers repaired and serviced the submarine and a crew of Ukrainian submariners was trained at Russian naval bases.
“The sea trials of the Zaporozhye submarine is an important event for the Ukrainian navy,” Defense Minister Dmytro Salamatin said. “Successful sea trials will ensure the revival of Ukraine’s submarine fleet.”
The trials, scheduled until April 27, will test the submarine’s power plant and other key equipment while sailing on surface.
Though the submarine was built 42 years ago, the vessel has been upgraded with new equipment and will certainly raise the combat capability of the Ukrainian navy.
Submarines of this type are most efficient in the Black Sea as they feature low radar and noise signatures.
Russia, Bulgaria, and Romania also have one submarine each in the Black Sea.
Zaporizhzhia (U-01) (Ukrainian: Запоріжжя) is a project 641 (“Foxtrot” class) submarine, the only submarine of the Ukrainian Navy at the moment. She formerly carried the Soviet Navy pennant number B435.
Zaporizhzhia is run by a naval crew of 78, commanded by 1st Rank Capt. Oleh Orlov.
Zaporizhzhia’s keel was laid down in 1970 at the New Admiralty Shipyard in Leningrad. In 1970 she was commissioned into the Soviet Red Banner Northern Fleet where she conducted 14 patrols, including a port call in Cuba. In 1990 the submarine was transferred to the Soviet Black Sea Fleet serving there until 1994. In 1995, the submarine’s batteries permanently failed and she became abandoned without their replacement.
When the Ukrainians got her, she was in kinda rough shape
In 1997 the submarine was handed over to the Ukrainian Navy during the partition of the Black Sea Fleet.Like most of the country’s naval ships, she was renamed after one of Ukraine’s cities — Zaporizhzhia. The city’s community began to co-sponsor the ship, especially the accommodational needs of the crew. But it was only in 2003 when Ukrainian government became able to buy a new batteries set abroad and make Zaporizhzhia’s survival real. However, she was immediately placed under repair in Sevastopol.
In 2005, Zaporizhzhia was considered to take part in the 2006 joint exercise conducted by the Ukrainian Navy and the Italian Navy, but the end of her repair was postponed. Being on a years-lasting repair, Zaporizhzhia was an inactive military unit stated Defense Minister Anatoly Hrytsenko in April 2006. In January 2007, (Defense Minister) Hrytsenko stated that Ukraine intends to sell Zaporozhie, although this now seems delayed.
74 Foxtrots were built between 1983 and 2000. All but the Ukrainian boat are decommissioned. However six are preserved around the world as museums….
Specs:
Type: Submarine
Displacement: 1,952 long tons (1,983 t) surfaced
2,475 long tons (2,515 t) submerged
Length: 89.9 m (294 ft 11 in)
Beam: 7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
Draft: 5.9 m (19 ft 4 in)
Propulsion: 3 × Kolomna 2D42M 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) diesel engines
3 × Electric motors, two 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) and one 2,700 hp (2,000 kW)
1 × 180 hp (130 kW) auxiliary motor
3 shafts, each with 6-bladed propellers
Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h) surfaced
15 knots (28 km/h) submerged
9 knots (17 km/h) snorkeling
Range: 20,000 nmi (37,000 km) at 8 kn (15 km/h) surfaced
11,000 nmi (20,000 km) snorkeling
380 nmi (700 km) at 2 kn (3.7 km/h) submerged
Endurance: 3-5 days submerged
Test depth: 246–296 m (807–971 ft)
Complement: 12 officers, 10 warrants, 56 seamen
Armament: 10 × torpedo tubes (6 bow, 4 stern)
22 torpedoes.
Can also carry 32 MTD type mines or 26 PM-2 or RM-2 type mines.
Can be equipped with 4 MANPADS.
Handheld weapons include:
12 handguns Makarov PM
12 assault rifles (AK, AKM)