Papa class submarine

''K-222'', Soviet designation Project 661 ''Anchar'', was a Soviet Navy nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, the only one of its design. ''K-222'' was claimed to be the world's fastest submarine. Originally named ''K-162'', the boat was renamed ''K-222'' in 1978. It is best known in the West by its NATO reporting name, Papa class.

Design

The project was intentionally conceived to be highly innovative by discouraging the reuse of prior technical solutions. While forcing innovation, this also slowed development. Project 661 began in 1959, with the design task assigned to OKB-16, one of the two predecessors (along with SKB-143) of the Malakhit Central Design Bureau, which would eventually become one of the three Soviet/Russian submarine design centers, along with the Rubin Design Bureau and Lazurit Central Design Bureau.

''K-222'' was designed as an extremely fast attack submarine, and was the first submarine built with a titanium hull. The twin-propeller boat was armed with 10 SS-N-7 Starbright (П-70 «Аметист») missiles in individual tubes forward of the sail, between the inner and outer hulls, which were both made of titanium alloy. Similar in design to the , ''K-222'' was designed to intercept and attack aircraft carrier groups. Like the Charlie class and the later , her cruise missiles could only be reloaded in port, making the vessel one of the Soviet Navy's "one shot" boats.

''K-222'' had two light-water reactors, designed to be as compact as possible. Unusually, there were no diesel generators, and batteries served as her only emergency power source.

The boat is regarded as a predecessor to the and s, and may have served to test technologies later used in those classes.

History

''K-222'' was laid down on 28 December 1963, commissioned on 31 December 1969 at Severodvinsk, and assigned to the Soviet Red Banner Northern Fleet for the duration of her career. The boat was said to be the world's fastest submarine, allegedly reaching a record submerged speed of during trials. The unofficial maximum speed, reached 30 March 1971, was . ''K-222''s high speed came at the price of high costs during construction, and both excessive noise and significant damage to external hull features when used.

Within the Soviet Navy, ''K-222'' was commonly referred to as the "Golden Fish", in reference to her development and construction costs.

On 30 September 1980, one of ''K-222''s nuclear reactors was damaged during shipyard maintenance. By 1988, the boat had been placed in reserve at the Belomorsk Naval Base in Severodvinsk. Beginning 5 March 2010, the submarine was dismantled at Sevmash, the only facility capable of handling its titanium hull. In an unusual move, the scrapping was performed with the reactors and nuclear fuel still on board, as no provisions had been made in the design for removal of the reactors. The scrapping also began before the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development had chosen an international consultant for the fuel's unloading.

''K-222'' in popular culture

The sole Papa-class submarine is briefly featured as participating in Soviet anti-convoy operations in the Atlantic in Tom Clancy's ''Red Storm Rising'' novel, surprising and frustrating the escorts' commanders, until she is sunk by the United States Navy.Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising, 1989

References

Further reading

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External links

Project 661 (Anchar)
at Bellona.no
* Project 66

Fastest submarine of the world
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{{DEFAULTSORT:K-222
Nuclear submarines of the Soviet Navy
Ships built in the Soviet Union
1968 ships
Cold War submarines of the Soviet Union
Russian and Soviet navy submarine classes
Cold War naval ships of the Soviet Union

fr:Classe Papa