CDB ME “Rubin” – in the Field of Foreign Economic Activities

The importance of submarines under present-day conditions is confirmed by the aspirations of many countries to have submarines in their Navies, since it is the most stealthy, invulnerable, and at the same time relatively cheap in aggregate cost weapon.

The design of diesel-electric submarines (DES) for export which were supplied to 14 countries in different regions of the world ocean takes one of the most important places in 100-year history of CDB ME “Rubin”.

Diesel-electric submarines of “Whiskey”, “Foxtrot” and “Kilo” class became a kind of a standard design of submarines at the World market of weapons and military technology.

Russian submarines won a well-deserved reputation thanks to their architecture, combat capabilities, sur-vivability and reliability, sufficient stock of spare parts and large displacement margin for modernization.

Already in 1950s a diesel-electric submarine Project 613 was designed in the bureau which was constructed in PRC starting from late 1950s.The specialists of “Rubin” supported the construction of these submarines and the Chinese partners still value this period of technical cooperation. The period of creating the export version of 641 project “Foxtrot” submarine for Indian Navy became one of the most

important stages. Simultaneously the bureau was working on the 3-d generation Kilo class submarine (877 project submarine, Chief Designer Mr.Yu.N.Kormilitsin), the characteristics of which were much better as compared with the existing prototypes of that time. For export versions of submarines of Project 877EKM the comprehensive operational and combat experience of using I641K submarines in different regions and weather conditions of the World Ocean (India, Libya, Cuba) was taken into account.

The emergence of Soviet submarines on the world market of military technology and weapons was of not only political importance but also forced us in the conditions of tough competition to implement with greater intensity new scientific and engineering solutions, meeting the requirements of potential customers. For mastering of the new weaponry and equipment the training submarines of project I641K and 877EKM project submarines were attached to 650 USSR Navy Training Center.

Due to the difficulties to detect 877 submarine byship's sonars, she was specifically characterized as “a black hole in the ocean”. She became well known due to its unique hull architecture, low noise, reasonable extent of automation of submarine control processes, perfect habitability conditions for the crew, simple base facilities. The highest low-noise characteristics are confirmed by US data of 1996 (fig.l).

The first country to sign the contract for the supply of 877 EKM project submarine was India. The supplies commenced in 1986.At this moment of time the bureau was already engaged in development of the new 636 project submarine - a further development of Kilo-class submarine with better characteristics in stealthiness, underwater speed, range and some other parameters.

Two project 636 submarines are supplied to PRC Navy, some submarines are being built for foreign customers. Besides that at the moment project 877EKM submarines of the Indian Navy are undergoing repairs and modernization. The modernization envisages the installation of the tactical missile system Club-S. The submarine acquired new tactical features, remained competitive and at the same time Russia did not violate the frames of international obligations. CDB ME “Rubin” and 0KB “Novator” have first presented the information on the missile complex “Club-S” at the International Exhibition “IMDEX ASIA '99” in Singapore.

The work in the sphere of military-technical cooperation requires deep and comprehensive analysis of trends in the world market, long-range forecast of situations and, undoubtedly, "skill in maneuvering”.

Direct contacts with submarine designers in foreign countries at prestigious international exhibitions of weapons and military technology are of great importance. Such meetings provide an opportunity to not only get the first-hand information but also extend contacts with representatives of companies and Navies - potential customers of submarines, and retrace the trends in ship design.

The submarine is one of the most science-based and technically sophisticated objects. Designing of submarines is the exclusive privilege of well-developed countries. This is the indicator of the country's technical level and its potential. The submarine is the “locomotive” pulling the development of the most advanced technologies.

Thus the political and technical aspects played the decisive role in the evolution of Russian submarines. The marine policy of the state assigned the missions for Navy, Navy formulated the requirements for the industry, the designers offered new technologies providing the solution of these problems. This is the basic process of designing each and every submarine.Submarine projects originated in a rather complicated for our country period (1980 - 2000), have enabled us to look into the future with optimism, assure us that we haven't lost the staff of submarine designers, businesslike spirit and preserved main cooperation links.

To provide the forecasts in rapidly changing political and geopolitical situation is a difficult task. The creator should look into the future taking into account different factors and the experience of working in the field of shipbuilding for many years. The design of Russian submarines in the first decades of the XXIst century will not differ greatly from the ships of the end of the XXth century. However, the subsequent ships will be different, without any doubt.

The motto of the bureau “Progress and quality” is confirmed not only by the renewal of exhibits every year at international exhibitions but it is implemented in new designs and modernisation of submarines supplied to foreign navies. The bureau designers always move ahead and do not yield their positions to competitors.

As it has been already extensively covered in mass media, the bureau has designed a project of the 4th generation submarine “Amur 1650” for export. Having

smaller displacement, “Amur 1650” will have better combat efficiency and considerably lower noise level in comparison with Kilo class submarines. It is the characteristic feature of technologies used in Russian submarine shipbuilding. In December 1997 the keels of two submarines of this class have been laid in FUE “Admiralty Shipyards”: “Saint-Petersburg” - for the Russian Navy and Amur 1650 - for export, the latter causes constant interest of specialists. There are negotiations with foreign customers regarding the supply of these submarines.

The design envisages the possibility to install AIP to Amur 1650 submarines. Fuel cell plant will be arranged in a separate compartment (module); the plant will be functioning independently, without being serviced by the crew during sails. It should be noted that this requires the development of expensive shore-based infrastructure including new facilities with cryogenic and chemical technologies. Therefore, the necessity to construct non-nuclear submarines with different types of AIPs should be in each case substantiated by deep military-economic and tactical research work.

While designing ships and especially submarines the greatest attention should be paid to the solution of all problems related to personnel rescue. This process started to be implemented on the basis of the vast international integration. The ultimate aim is to exclude the loss of submariners in the time of peace. In the XXIst century the international rescue system using the

common standard technologies should be created.

Many kinds of weapons, not only naval, will be created on the basis of basic models. It is confirmed by technical-economic analysis, meets the requirements of the country's economy and will make life easier for our defence structures including Navy. This method will create objective conditions permitting to simplify considerably the infrastructure of submarine basing system and reduce the nomenclature of technical maintenance and repair systems.

The submarine of the 4th generation “St.Petersburg” is a pilot project of the XXIst century. On the basis of the materials, equipment and weapons of this ship all the Russian submarines in the coming decade will be developed.

We are of the opinion that the prospective markets for Russian submarines can be found in the countries of Asian-Pacific region where the specialists of the bureau are implementing active marketing policy: they make the presentations, arrange the publications in local press, participate in the exhibitions and conferences. With “Amur 1650” entering the international market one can hope for expanding this geography especially taking into account the fact that the specialists of the bureau are working on the project of “Amur 950” submarine.