DontPissUsOff
01-09-2004, 16:52
Overview
With the ongoing acquisition of new ships for the Navy, many ageing warships are being retired. Among these types is the Delta-IV ballistic-missile submarine, once the mainstay of the Seaborne Strategic Missile Forces. Many of the Delta-IVs in service are obsolescent, and a number are barely even seaworthy. In recent months, equipment failures and mechanical problems have become more and more common, and it is in fact debateable whether in wartime any of the current fleet of 200 Delta-IVs would survive long enough to carry out its' mission.
Thus, the Naval Office concluded that the Delta-IVs available were to be scrapped, to make way for replacement with Typhoon submarines. This is not as easy as might be thought; many of the ships' reactor casings are becoming old and brittle, and the danger of contamination of the ships is one of which the Naval Office is very conscious.
It has been decided to convert 100 of these vessels into Delta-V SSGNs, carrying 80 cruise missiles of the P700M (SS-N-19B) or P800 (SS-N-26) types. Standard mix is 26 P700M and 54 P800 missiles. The ships are also to have their sonars, propulsion systems and fire-control systems updated, plus through hull inspections. It is not anticipated that these ships will be for sale.
With the ongoing acquisition of new ships for the Navy, many ageing warships are being retired. Among these types is the Delta-IV ballistic-missile submarine, once the mainstay of the Seaborne Strategic Missile Forces. Many of the Delta-IVs in service are obsolescent, and a number are barely even seaworthy. In recent months, equipment failures and mechanical problems have become more and more common, and it is in fact debateable whether in wartime any of the current fleet of 200 Delta-IVs would survive long enough to carry out its' mission.
Thus, the Naval Office concluded that the Delta-IVs available were to be scrapped, to make way for replacement with Typhoon submarines. This is not as easy as might be thought; many of the ships' reactor casings are becoming old and brittle, and the danger of contamination of the ships is one of which the Naval Office is very conscious.
It has been decided to convert 100 of these vessels into Delta-V SSGNs, carrying 80 cruise missiles of the P700M (SS-N-19B) or P800 (SS-N-26) types. Standard mix is 26 P700M and 54 P800 missiles. The ships are also to have their sonars, propulsion systems and fire-control systems updated, plus through hull inspections. It is not anticipated that these ships will be for sale.