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Another Kilo, like the one with holes you posted.
If as suggested in the article that was after a six-month deterrence patrol, that's patently insane - the normal length for a USN deterrence patrol is 70 to 90 days, with USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) holding the record for the longest one at 140 days. And also from the article, it seems like five-month patrols may be routine for British SSBNs.Probably not good for these British boats to pull this off frequently.
Vanguard Submarine Arrives Home Absolutely Caked In Algae
The Royal Navy nuclear ballistic missile boat looked like a sea monster that had emerged from a long slumber at the bottom of the ocean.
If I had to guess, it got hit in the bow and the midships hole is right about where one would typically expect the battery compartment to be on a diesel-electric boat, so I'm thinking battery explosion after the resulting fire. Even if it wasn't a total constructive loss, I don't think the yard at Sevastopol is capable of doing that level of work.Well this sub is probably going to scrap.
Russian Submarine Shows Massive Damage After Ukrainian Strike
Photos of major damage to a Russian Navy submarine attacked while in dry dock in Crimea point to the boat being a complete write-off.
I like to keep up with the news of the British fleet. For the last 20 years I have seen and read throughout that time how their defense budget and lack of crew have brought down their readiness and mobility. The fact that the UKs entire nuclear doctrine and response sits on 4 vessels is alarming. The crew will grow complacent, morale drags, equipment starts to fail, and the condition of the boat deteriorates. Imagine on the return trip home a day out from Port and you get the order to launch the birds after six months at sea and the sub is in that condition. Now she'll sit in dock for a year and 25% of the UKs strike capabilities are gone with it.
There's not a drydock left on the Black Sea that repair her. She'll need a floating drydock and a tow to Murmansk or St. Petersburg to make that journey.
Four "bombers," as the RN calls them, is what they had to work with starting in the late 1960s with the old R-class; they did still have the Avro Vulcans and smaller strike aircraft but those were downgraded to a tactical nuclear role with the WE.177 nuclear bomb. They wanted to build a fifth R-class to guarantee one boat would be on station at all times, but the budget wasn't there at the time. As it was though, they ran eight-week patrols with the R-class. In theory, four boats should still be enough to maintain one on station, one in overhaul, and two at the pier or on workups; it sounds like the maintenance side is slipping and the overhaul periods are going way over schedule. Alternatively, with the regular vodka-induced threats of nuclear strikes, they might be trying to keep two boats on patrol at all times.
