Rare image of the reactor in a Russian nuclear submarine (Screenshot: Zvezda).
Zvezda, the channel of the Russian Defense Ministry, showed a video showing the reactor in the engine of a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
This is submarine Tula class of Project 667BDRM Delfin of the Russian Navy.
With nuclear powered submarinesthe main engine is the “heart” of the weapon, and it is quite rare for Russia to publish images of the reactor that The Drive evaluates.
Zvezda also said that this is the first time that a team of this channel has been allowed to film the reactor of the channel. nuclear submarines That.
The Soviet Navy received a total of 7 Project 667BDRM submarines (Western Delta IV class ships) between 1984 and 1990. These were the last of the Project 667 series of ballistic missile submarines. later joined the Russian Navy.
Each Delta IV class ship has a submerged displacement of regarding 15,500 tons and can carry up to 16 R-29RMU Sineva submarine-launched ballistic missiles. An R-29SMU missile can carry from 4 to 10 directional warheads (MIRV).
Each Project 667BDRM submarine is equipped with a pair of pressurized water reactors VM-4SG (PWR). The water in the PWR is a coolant, which, following being heated, is converted into steam to run turbines that produce electricity. The steam is then condensed back into liquid water and returned to the reactor’s cooling system.
Zvezda’s footage shows the lid of the reactor containing the nuclear fuel, with control rods regulating the nuclear reaction inside protruding from the top.
According to Zvezda, the VM-4SG is designed to run for regarding 10 years before running out of fuel inside. The exact composition of the fuel rods is unclear, but they are believed to use low-enriched uranium. By contrast, reactors on US nuclear submarines use highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium.
Like any nuclear-powered vessel, the two VM-4SGs powering the Tula have virtually unlimited range. This is especially important for ballistic missile nuclear submarines, which can “disappear” underwater for months at a time to ensure nuclear deterrence once morest adversaries.
According to Global Firepower, by 2021, Russia ranks third in the list of countries with the largest submarine fleet in the world with 64 units, following the US (68) and China (79).
However, the structure of China’s submarine fleet is largely diesel-electric. This line of ships is quite noisy and has to surface more often to refuel than nuclear-powered ships. Meanwhile, China’s nuclear-powered submarines are still considered quite young and still have many design shortcomings, as well as accompanying equipment compared to the other two countries.
Therefore, according to Popular Mechanics, the US and Russia are currently the two leading forces in submarines in the world. The rivalry of these two militaries dates back to the Cold War.