On March 19, Russia celebrates the Day of the Submariner, established by the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy dated July 15, 1996 "On the introduction of annual holidays and professional days in the specialty."
The birth of the Fleet
The date for the professional holiday was not chosen by chance. On March 19 (March 6, Old style), 1906, submarines in the Russian navy were separated into an independent class of warships. This is evidenced by the order of the Maritime Department No. 52 dated March 24 (March 11, Old style), 1906, signed by the Minister of the Sea, which states: "The Sovereign Emperor [Nicholas II], on the sixth day of March of this year, deigned to order ... to include the category of submarines in the classification of ships of the navy." This day is considered the official date of birth of the submarine forces of the Russian fleet.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, almost all the leading powers had just begun building a submarine fleet.
Although several experimental submarines and even a series of 50 ultra-small submarines designed to defend naval fortresses were built in Russia in the 19th century, the design and construction of submarines, as one of the most important areas of military shipbuilding, originated in the country in the first decade of the 20th century.
Heroes of the Depths
The first Russian combat submarine to join the fleet was the Dolphin (Destroyer No. 113), the construction and testing of which were completed in 1903. The first submarines in Russia were called destroyers, or semi-submerged vessels. The real name – the submarine – was established only in 1906.
For the first time, submarines, as a new class of ships that had not yet received official recognition, took part in combat operations in the Russian-Japanese war. A series of 13 submarines, the so-called "fish series" (named "Dolphin", "Skat", "Burbot", etc.), was transferred by rail to the Far East in 1904 to participate in the war with Japan. Russian Russian submarines as part of the forces dedicated to the defense of Vladivostok forced the enemy to abandon operations against the Russian naval base.
The formation of the first submarine force unit, the submarine brigade in the Baltic Fleet, dates back to 1911. The brigade was based in Libava (now Liepaja, Latvia) and consisted of 11 submarines, the Khabarovsk and Europa floating bases.
During the First World War (1914-1918), submarines were used to fight on maritime communications. By the end of the hostilities, an independent branch of the fleet was formed – the submarine forces, which could solve both tactical and operational tasks.
The initial stage in the history of Soviet submarine shipbuilding was in 1920-1926, when several small submarines purchased abroad during the First World War were assembled at one of the Black Sea factories.
In 1930-1939, the USSR fleet was replenished with 20 large, 80 medium, 60 small submarines and 20 underwater minelayers. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), there were 218 submarines in four fleets, 211 of them Soviet-built. During the war, their crews sank about 100 warships and destroyed over 200 transports. More than six thousand submariners were awarded orders and medals, and 21 submariners were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
In the post-war years, the intensive development of enterprises that built submarines began. At the same time, work was underway to create new submarine bases in all fleets, primarily in the Northern and Pacific fleets.
The solemn ceremony of welcoming the submarine "Volkhov" of the Pacific Fleet submarine unit, which returned to its permanent base after completing combat service at sea, in Vladivostok
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Vitaly Ankov
In 1958, the first Soviet nuclear submarine "K-3" (Leninsky Komsomol) joined the fleet, and 10 years later the Navy had more than 50 nuclear submarines. The introduction of nuclear power plants on submarines gave them unlimited navigation autonomy.
In 1967, the Navy included the first strategic missile submarines (nuclear submarines armed with ballistic missiles).
With the equipping of submarines with ballistic and cruise missiles carrying nuclear weapons, and the appearance of nuclear power plants on submarines, the submarine forces entered the ocean and became the main striking force of the Navy, possessing high mobility, stealth, and the ability to solve operational, strategic and strategic tasks.
The decades of global confrontation in the oceans during the Cold War were the final stage in the formation of the national underwater school, the time of the development of the submarine forces of the Russian Navy, which turned into the main branch of the fleet, which is currently the most important argument of the country in strengthening maritime security.
The Russian Navy's modern submarine forces are based on modern nuclear-powered strategic and multi-purpose submarines armed with sea-launched ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. The force also includes diesel-electric (non-nuclear) submarines.
Submarine forces as a striking force of the fleet have a number of properties that determine their advantage in the armed struggle at sea: stealth of actions, the ability to conduct combat operations in any area of the World Ocean, the ability to deliver powerful nuclear missile strikes against militarily important enemy targets and most effectively conduct combat operations against combat surface ships, submarines, enemy transports and vessels. They have the ability to operate under the ice of the Arctic basin and little dependence on hydrometeorological conditions in the combat area.
Organizationally, submarines are part of all fleets. The Northern and Pacific Fleets have the most powerful groups of submarine forces.
Today, submarines of various classes continue to carry out combat duty and combat service within the framework of the Russian national security system. The presence of a modern submarine fleet allows Russia to remain one of the largest maritime powers. Therefore, the creation of submarines continues today. Currently, the construction of the Yasen and Borey nuclear-powered missile submarines has been completed. This series was followed by ships of improved designs - "Borey-A" and "Yasen-M." These are technically more complex nuclear-powered ships with the intellectualization of combat operations, with the introduction of advanced information technologies and electronic weapons. They have new characteristics in terms of physical fields, weapon control systems, and maneuverability.
Technologies of the future
Along with the construction of fourth-generation submarines, work is already underway to create fifth-generation submarines . The Husky project boats, which combine the capabilities of a multi-purpose and strategic submarine, will be designed for strategic deterrence and destruction of surface ships/submarines, reconnaissance, as well as strikes against ground targets with precision weapons.
The Russian submarine forces are also updating the non–nuclear component - diesel-electric submarines of the Varshavyanka project are being built. For its invisibility, the Varshavyanka is called a "black hole in the ocean" in NATO. Significant firepower and high stealth allowed the project to become one of the best non-nuclear submarines in the world .
In parallel with Varshavyanka, a series of non-nuclear diesel-electric submarines of the next generation (IV generation), Project 677 Lada, is being built.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, these boats are the most modern and promising Russian non-nuclear submarines "in terms of combat effectiveness and a number of other tactical and technical characteristics." In addition, the submarines are modest in size, allowing them to be used both in shallow water and at great depths. The lead submarine of this project, St. Petersburg, was accepted into the Russian Navy, but has been in trial operation in the Northern Fleet since 2010. In September 2021, she completed trial operation and became a full-fledged combat unit in the Russian Navy.
In parallel with the construction of new-generation submarines, a search and rescue support system for the actions of the Russian Navy's submarine forces is being developed.
Day of the Submariner
On the Day of the Submariner, celebrations are held at the main bases and naval bases, which pay a well-deserved tribute to all generations of submariners.
Traditionally, the Day of the Submariner is celebrated not only by the military, but also by designers, submarine builders, ship repairmen - all those who ensure the construction, repair and maintenance of combat readiness of the submarine fleet.
The material is based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources.
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