The construction of warships and support vessels of the Russian Navy is under the special control of the country's leadership. It is no coincidence that the nuclear missile carriers "Borey" and "Ash" are called "presidential series" by shipbuilders. With what results did the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) finish the year, and what are the plans of shipbuilders for 2023, the CEO of the corporation Alexey Rakhmanov told Sergey Safronov, the head of the specialized editorial office of RIA Novosti, in an interview.− Alexey Lvovich, what are the results of the implementation of the State Defense Order in 2022?
– Despite the problems we faced, the corporation handed over key orders planned for 2022 to the fleet.
Over the past three years, the Sevmash production association has been annually transferring nuclear submarine missile carriers built on its stocks to the state customer. In 2022, the third nuclear submarine of the Borei-A project, Generalissimo Suvorov, was commissioned.
In addition, the Navy received a new submarine "Ufa", a modernized nuclear submarine "Tambov", three mine defense ships. There are six ships in total. The main share of the state defense order has been fulfilled.
A number of orders have been transferred to this year, including the non-nuclear submarine Kronstadt, the frigate Admiral Golovko, the corvettes Mercury and Sharp. All these ships will be delivered to the fleet in the first half of the year.
The Admiral Golovko frigate will make the transition to the Northern Fleet in February to complete state tests with combat exercises. After that, the ship will be transferred to the Navy.
In addition, the frigate "Intrepid" will be out of repair, and will also return to the fleet of the Leopard submarine.
− What boats does Sevmash plan to transfer to the fleet this year?– Sevmash has gained a rhythm, thanks to which it is now again handing over to the customer one or two nuclear submarines a year.
This was the case in 2021, in 2022, and we hope it will be the same in 2023. These will be the Alexander III strategist and the Krasnoyarsk multipurpose one. The Arkhangelsk will join the Navy in 2024.
− Have you transferred to USC to work in three shifts on the State Budget in connection with the implementation of the tasks of the special operation?– Our work is selectively structured according to a three-shift regime in relation to key orders.
This applies, in particular, to such ships as the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov and a number of others. All the rest of the work goes systematically and according to schedule. Where necessary, we additionally introduce a three-shift mode. First of all, in terms of paint and varnish works, radiation control works – wherever activities cannot be carried out in the first and second shifts. Such work is carried out during the absence of workers in order to, having carried out the appropriate control, continue to receive progress on the technical readiness of ships.
The management of the USC and the enterprises belonging to the corporation are taking exhaustive measures, including to increase the shift of work, to avoid disruptions of contractual obligations for the construction and repair of ships.
− Are there any changes in the timing of the transition of USC enterprises to the production of civilian products (2025 – 30%, 2030 – 50%) in connection with the implementation of its?– At the moment, there have been no drastic changes.
It is advisable to assess the share of civilian products after the approval of the state armament program for a new period.
In the current circumstances, there may be changes both upward and downward. For our part, we are increasing the potential for the production of civilian products in all segments: cargo, commercial, small fleet, nuclear icebreakers.
− Which of the projects of the anaerobic installation for submarines is currently in priority: the development of the Rubin or Malachite Design Bureau? How do USC specialists evaluate the use of lithium-ion batteries on submarines? What developments do the corporation's enterprises have in this direction?– Work on the creation of an anaerobic power plant is being carried out on an initiative basis in two directions: an electrochemical generator with diesel fuel reforming (JSC "TSKB MT "Rubin") and a closed-cycle gas turbine engine (JSC "SPMBM "Malachite").
Currently, the works are in a high stage of readiness. Based on the results of their implementation, technical solutions will be offered for use in the Navy.
Lithium-ion batteries have increased power with the same weight and size characteristics as existing batteries. To make a decision on their use on submarines, it is necessary to conduct additional research on the safety of operation in a confined space.
− Is it possible to combine the use of an anaerobic plant and lithium-ion batteries?– The development of the "TSKB MT Rubin" provides for the use of these batteries together with an anaerobic installation, which should significantly increase the combat capabilities of promising non-nuclear submarines.
− Are there any other technologies that can be used on non-nuclear submarines to increase the time spent underwater?– Technically, the most optimal anaerobic plant is a nuclear reactor.
If we want to get the best performance for the best money, then we need to move towards a nuclear power plant. The question for which class of submarines it is applicable remains open.
Other options have their own risks. Rather expensive processes are needed to store oxygen and hydrogen on board. If the basic source for producing hydrogen and oxygen is diesel fuel, then taking into account its rise in price, the effectiveness of such anaerobic plants still raises questions. We did not get a confident result for ourselves for asserting that an anaerobic installation for a diesel-electric submarine (ed.) is the most effective solution.
Work continues with batteries that use lithium, they keep their pace.
The development of the VNEU (air–independent power plant - ed.) rests on the unavailability of a number of key technological solutions, namely: storage of hydrogen on board, the use of reliable lithium batteries. Work in these areas continues, they have not stopped.
What can replace air? Answer: oxygen, which is in the tanks on submarines. And then the world did not come up with anything else, except for fuel cells with noble metals as catalysts and corresponding membranes, when oxygen and hydrogen hit the surface of which electricity is generated. These elements have been flying in space since 1967. There is nothing super innovative in these technologies.
But to come up with a compact energy source in the form of a small nuclear installation is an interesting topic. Research in this area is underway.
− Alexey Lvovich, earlier you spoke about the possibility of reducing the construction time of nuclear submarines by 8-13 months. Is it possible to implement this idea?– Work in this direction is ongoing.
They are caused by two factors: firstly, we have technological solutions that allow us to shorten the construction time. Secondly, the reduction will occur with the construction of serial samples, because we have from the head to the first serial, from the first serial to the second, the labor intensity in normal hours is reduced by 20%, and then by 10-12%.
For example, we launched the icebreaker Yakutia eight months earlier than planned and in a higher degree of readiness than the previous icebreakers of this project, and a nuclear reactor was already submerged in the hull. This became possible thanks to a whole range of measures, ranging from the introduction of lean manufacturing to the elimination of various kinds of losses, the use of new technologies.
Our task is to reduce the slipway construction period. We will send more saturated blocks to the slipway itself.
Now nuclear submarines have been under construction for about seven years, the task is to reach six. These plans should be implemented by 2028. The new construction dates will concern ships that will be laid down in 2027.
− The Central Design Bureau "Rubin" at recent exhibitions demonstrates a large range of underwater drones for civil and military purposes. Is unmanned shipbuilding a new trend in USC? What is the share of drone construction in the total volume of ship construction today, and what are the plans?– The creation of unmanned marine facilities is a priority for us, but it is not new.
The corporation has been doing this for more than ten years. Currently, work is underway to expand the functional tasks of unmanned vehicles, as well as more active use of artificial intelligence elements.
At the moment, the share of construction of marine drones is relatively low, but it is rapidly developing. The volumes of these products of the shipbuilding industry will constantly grow.
Further plans of USC in this area are associated with an increase in the range of marine robotic complexes being developed in the interests of potential customers.
The current SVO has once again proved that on the battlefield of the future, the main work will be carried out by unmanned autonomous vehicles of land, air, as well as water and underwater basing. For us, this trend is absolutely obvious for the next 30-40 years. We have formulated for ourselves several tasks that will allow us to use such drones. For example, to search for minerals, search and destroy the forces of a likely enemy.
I will refrain from specific examples, but such devices are already in service with the Navy. Some samples of unmanned vehicles have been adopted. We have enough developments, and this is a fact.
− How many new ships and submarines will the Russian Navy receive from USC in 2023? What kind of ships are they?– In 2023, USC plans to transfer at least 11 ships to the Navy.
These include five submarines (three nuclear and two diesel), ships of the far and near sea zones.
− How many ships are planned to be laid for the Russian Navy in 2023 and what projects?– In 2023, in cooperation with the Navy, we plan to lay two warships (a corvette at the Amur Shipyard, a base minesweeper at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard) and one support vessel (a medium sea tanker at the Nevsky Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant).
It is planned to conclude state contracts for the construction of a series of submarines and surface ships, the implementation of which will significantly increase the grouping of the Navy for use in the far sea and ocean zones.
– Are there any plans to include USC in Rostec following the example of the UAC?– USC has no information about any firm plans to incorporate the corporation into other companies.
– Are there any plans to merge USC and the Ak Bars shipbuilding holding?– And we are not thinking about that now either.
We have tasks that we implement at our shipyards.
– Does the construction of a promising aircraft carrier remain in USC's plans?– We proceed from the fact that first we need to approve the concept of an aircraft carrier, and then figure out where to build, when and for what money.
Both USC and the fleet have the concept, now they need to be combined.
We have a clear understanding of what a promising aircraft carrier should be. It should definitely be atomic. There are still disputes over the displacement of the ship.
− When will our only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov come out of repair and be handed over to the fleet?– This month, the ship is being taken out of the dock to the berthing wall of the 35th shipyard in Murmansk, where it stood before.
We will transfer it to the fleet in 2024 together with the nuclear cruiser Admiral Nakhimov.
We expect the release of Admiral Nakhimov in 2024. Electricity has already started to be supplied to it from the shore, I think in six months it will be ready for the crew to move in.
