North Korea Deploys Torpedo Carrying Midget Subs (SSM Type MS-29 Yono class )

 Photos from Parkc999K

SEOUL — North Korea has developed a new type of midget submarine fitted with torpedo launch tubes, allowing it to attack South Korea warships more easily, a report said Tuesday.

Satellite images of a naval base in the North's southwestern city of Nampo, published by JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, show what appears to be a 17-metre-long (56-feet) submarine with a tube-like structure attached to its top.

"We have concluded that it is a torpedo launch tube," the paper quoted an unidentified Seoul intelligence source as saying.

The paper said the new Daedong-B midget submarine moves faster than larger submarines and is harder for military radar to detect.

The South accused the North of sending a 29-metre Yono-class submarine to torpedo the Cheonan warship in March which sank with the loss of 46 lives. The North denies the charge.

The newspaper said the North has long used midget submarines to infiltrate spies into the South. It said Seoul military officials now suspect Pyongyang has developed a more powerful midget sub to carry torpedoes and other weapons.

South Korea's defence ministry and intelligence agency declined to comment.

Cross-border tensions have been high since the Cheonan incident, and rose further after the North's deadly artillery attack on a South Korean border island on November 23.

Source: AFP via Google News

 MS-29 Yono class SSM

(North Korea)

Notes: As of late 2010, ten of these midget submarines are in service with the North Korean navy. They are the largest type of midget submarine operated by that force. It is thought that they are built by Yukdaeso-ri shipyard, and that all ten are assigned to the West fleet. It’s not known exactly when they entered service but it’s thought that the first commissioned in 2001.

The Yono (sometimes transliterated Yeono) design is a larger evolution of the Sang-O and “Yugo” types. They are a monohull design with fixed snorkel inductor. A prominent bullnose is at the extreme bow, this is used for towing as on infiltration missions, they are often paired with a “mothership”, usually a converted trawler. There is only one hatch topside, in the sail. The broad keel beam is not for any hydrodynamic effect, but rather to provide a stable platform ashore as these subs are serviced and sometimes stored out of the water.

There are two (or three) variants to the design:

1) The baseline model has two internal 21” tubes (no reloads) and limited swimmer support facilities.

2) The more recent model has externally-carried torpedoes (as seen in the photo).

3) It is known that some are equipped with a keel lock-out hatch for divers in the forward area (displacing the internal tubes); these may or may not also have the external torpedo carriage points and may in fact be the same design as the second type.

The engines are commercial German diesels and not specifically designed for submarine use. A fiberglass window on the bow apparently serves an unknown type of sonar. The radar is a reverse-engineered Japanese civilian type. A HF radio is fitted.

The torpedoes are underslung and free-swim away from the midget sub. The advantage of this arrangement is that firings are quieter and obviously internal space is freed up, the disadvantage is that in peacetime the torpedoes wear out quickly and are susceptible to ocean damage prior to reaching the patrol area.

This is the first midget submarine design to use any appreciable amount of sound-silencing technology.

As the midget submarine/ infiltration craft arm of the North Korean navy is it’s only segment still receiving any appreciable funding, it’s likely more of this class will be built.

Displacement: 95t surfaced, 130t submerged Dimensions: 95’2”x9’9”x10’4” Machinery: Diesel-electric: 1 MTU diesel (exact type unknown), 1 electric motor (w/lead-acid battery), 1 shaft w/non-CP 5-bladed skewed prop Max speed: 11kts surfaced/snorkeling, 8kts submerged Range: unknown Diving depth: unknown Complement (est): 6 + 6 SpecOps (in swimmer version)

WEAPONS-Torpedoes

Source: HarpoonDatabase

North’s New Midget Subs Are Torpedo Equipped

Daedong midget submarine (photo : Brahmand)

North Korea’s new midget submarines feature torpedo launch tubes, according to South Korean intelligence sources, suggesting that the North is planning more torpedo strikes.

According to sources, satellite imagery examined by South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials have shown 4-meter-long (13.1 feet) torpedo launch tubes attached to North Korea’s new line of “Daedong-B” mini-submarines. Intelligence authorities from both countries had suspected that satellite images showed launch tubes attached to the submersibles. An intelligence tip later confirmed that they were for lightweight torpedoes.

The Daedong-B model is said to be 17 meters long, 4 meters wide and 2.2 meters high. One special characteristic of the midget submarine, intelligence sources said, is the rear of the vessel, which is shaped like a ramp to easily enable agents to get on and off.

North Korea has also been holding exercises with the new submarines.

“Intense military exercises with the midget submarines were conducted by North Korea in July and recently while South Korean and U.S. troops were holding joint exercises,” a South Korean intelligence official said, adding that the drills were aimed against South Korean vessels.

Based on the evidence, intelligence authorities believe North Korea is now capable of carrying out attacks with its mini-submarines, along with its Yono class submersibles, which the South Korean government believes the North used to sink the Cheonan in March.

North Korea has not made any direct threats to attack the South with its torpedoes since March, which it did on a regular basis before the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan.

However, North Korea’s preference for torpedoes is well-known, and they have been the weapons of choice for Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-il.

In April 2007, North Korea’s state broadcaster Korean Central Television (KCTV) showed Kim Jong-il instructing marines in a military drill involving torpedoes. The “Dear Leader” was reported to have “laughed with vigor” and immensely approved the torpedo training. Kim was said to have mounted a torpedo-equipped submarine himself and “went out to the wild seas” with the seamen.

North Korean propaganda claims that its torpedo boats sunk the U.S.S. Baltimore in 1950, although the U.S. battleship was never deployed in the Korean War. On the day cited by North Korea for the attack, the U.S.S. Juneau and two British warships destroyed several North Korean torpedo boats escorting supply vessels without any significant return fire from the North Koreans. 

Source: Joong Ang Daily via Defense Studies 

U-209: KRI Cakra and KRI Nenggala Class Subs Photos Video

Virginia Class: Nuclear-powered attack submarine

The US Navy's Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarine is as a successor to the Los Angeles class. It was designed as a smaller, cheaper and more versatile alternative to the Seawolf class. It is worth mentioning that the Seawolf class showed itself to be too costly and insufficiently versatile at a time after the dissolution of the USSR info the CIS had removed the grand strategic  threat of the Soviet forces and ushered in a new world order demanding cheaper solutions for a whole range of lower threat operational tasks. The US Navy therefore wanted a new generation of SSNs. Production run of the Seawolf was stopped with only three vessels built.

   The Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarine, was conceived as an advanced 'stealthy' type with multi-mission capability for the completion of deep-ocean service in the anti-submarine role and also for shallow-water service in a whole range of littoral tasks. A total of 30 of these submarines are planned. Currently five boats of Virginia class are commissioned and are in active service. These are USS Virginia, USS Texas, USS Hawaii, USS North Carolina and USS New Hampshire. The USS New Hampshire is a Block II submarine and has a number of improvements. The Virginia class submarines are built by the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation and Northrop Grumman Newport News. The building programme is in fact collaborative, with Electric Boat making the cylindrical central section of the hull, and Newport News the bow and stern sections as well as three modules to be inserted in the central hull, each of the companies makes the reactor plant module foe the submarine it completes.

   The Virginia class submarines are fitted with 12 vertical launch system (VLS) tubes and four 533-mm torpedo tubes. The VLS can launch 16 submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missile. Torpedo tubes are used to fire a total of 26 Mk.48 heavyweight torpedoes and Sub Harpoon anti-ship missiles. These boats can be also used for special operations. It is the first US submarine to employ a built-in Navy SEAL staging area allowing a team of 9 men to enter and leave the submarine.

   The Virginia class submarines incorporate newly designed anechoic coating, isolated deck structures and new design of propulsor to achieve low acoustic signature. It is claimed that noise level of the Virginia is equal to that of the Seawolf class.

   These submarines are powered by the S9G pressurized water reactor, two turbine engines with one shaft and pumpjet propulsor. It is worth mentioning that nuclear reactor was designed to last as long as the submarine. It will run for 33 years without refueling. Submarines of this class are fitted with with multi-band satellite communication system.

Name	Laid down	Commissioned	Status
USS Virginia (SSN-774)	1999	2004	in service
USS Texas (SSN-775)	2000	2006	in service
USS Hawaii (SSN-776)	2004	2007	in service
USS North Carolina (SSN-777)	2004	2008	in service
USS New Hampshire (SSN-778)	2007	2008	in service
New Mexico (SSN-779)	2008	expected in 2009	-
Missouri (SSN-780)	2008	expected in 2011	-
California (SSN-781)	?	expected in 2013	-
Mississippi (SSN-782)	?	expected in 2013	-
Minnesota (SSN-783)	?	expected in 2014	-
North Dakota (SSN-784)	?	expected in 2014	-

Entered service	2004
Crew	134 men
Diving depth (operational)	over 250 m
Diving depth (maximum)	?
Sea endurance	unlimited
Dimensions and displacement
Length	114.9 m
Beam	10.3 m
Draught	9.3 m
Surfaced displacement	7 800 tons
Submerged displacement	?
Propulsion and speed
Surfaced speed	25 knots
Submerged speed	32 knots
Nuclear reactors	1 x S9G
Steam turbines	2 x ?
Armament
Missiles	12 x vertical launch system tubes for UGM-109 Tomahawk missiles
Torpedoes	4 x 533-mm bow tubes for Mk.48 torpedoes
Other	smart mines in place of torpedoes

Source: Military Today

Alfa class

The second Soviet titanium-hulled submarine design, the Project 705 Lira, known in the West as the Alfa class, came to light in December 1971, when the first unit was commissioned. Five more followed in 1972-82.

The Alfa class was the world's fastest and deepest diving submarines as of their time. An extensive automation allowed to reduce crew to only 30 men. These advanced submarines had their crews completed from officers and warrant-officers only. It also featured an advanced low drag configuration and was extremely maneuverable. The Alfa class submarines were significantly smaller than contemporary attack submarines.

A single reactor and turbine plant drive the boat at the phenomenal 42 knots under water. Reactor's power could be rapidly increased, as well as submarines speed. However what was not realized at the time was that there was a serious flaw in the lead-bismuth system of the Alfa's 40 000 hp reactor cooling system. The plant was very unreliable, and the cost led to the Lira/Alfa being nicknamed the 'Golden Fish'.

It is worth mentioning that Alfas had sophisticated crew rescue system. It provided safe exit for entire crew from maximum depth.

When British and American submariners first encountered the Alfa they were astounded. The result that NATO navies allocated massive R&D funding to the development of deep-running torpedoes.

By this time all Alfa class boats have been decommissioned or remain in reserve, however their current state is likely to be poor.

Entered service	1971
Crew	31 men
Diving depth (operational)	?
Diving depth (maximum)	750 m
Sea endurance	50 days (stores)
Dimensions and displacement
Length	81 m
Beam	9.5 m
Draught	8 m
Surfaced displacement	2 800 tons
Submerged displacement	3 680 tons
Propulsion and speed
Surfaced speed	20 knots
Submerged speed	42 knots
Nuclear reactors	1 x 155 MW
Steam turbines	2 x ?
Armament
Torpedoes	6 x 533-mm torpedo tubes for conventional or nuclear torpedoes
Other	up to 36 mines in place of torpedoes

Source: Military Today

Project 705/705K ALFA class Russian Submarine part 2

Source: Sicqnus at Youtube

Project 705/705K ALFA Class Russian Submarine part 1

Source: Sicqnus at Youtube

Russian Submarine Video

Source: Papelpopov at Youtube

Oscar II Class

The Project 949A Antey, known in NATO as the Oscar II class is a successor to the previous Oscar I class. Out of 19 planned boats 11 were built at Severodvinsk. Three more boats are incomplete, however it is unlikely that these will ever be commissioned. Active Oscar II class submarines are in service with the Northern and Pacific fleets. Currently these are among the most capable Russian submarines.

The Oscar II class has a lengthened hull by some 10 m, possibly for a quieter propulsion and upgraded electronic systems, and an enlarged fin, which improves underwater maneuverability. These boats are the third largest submarines in terms of displacement and length. Only the Soviet Typhoon class and American Ohio class boats are larger. However these are still the largest attack submarines ever constructed.

These cruise missile boats were designed to attack US aircraft carrier battle groups or coastal installations.

The Project 949A Antey is a double-hulled design, which comprises an inner pressure hull and outer hydrodynamic hull. Separation between both hulls provides significant reserve of buoyancy and improved survivability against torpedoes. The outer hull has a weak magnetic signature, which prevents detection by Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) systems. The reinforced sail is intended to break through the Arctic ice.

The Oscar II class SSGNs are armed with 24 P-700 Granit (NATO designation SS-N-19 Shipwreck) supersonic cruise missiles with a range of 550 km. Missile tubes are arranged in two rows with the launchers are placed between the inner and outer hulls and inclined at an angle. Missiles are launched while the submarine is submerged. A warhead of this missile weights 1 000 kg. Under the START treaty nuclear warheads of these missiles have been replaced with high explosive.

These submarines are also fitted with two 650-mm and four 533-mm torpedo tubes, capable of launching both torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. These include the SS-N-16 Stallion anti-ship missiles with a range of 50 km, carrying torpedoes, nuclear warheads or nuclear depth charges for use against surface ships or submarines.

The Oscar II class boats are fitted with a floating antenna buoy to receive satellite navigation signals, target designation data and radio messages at a great depth and under the ice.

Submarines of this class are powered by two pressurized water nuclear reactors, powering two steam turbines. These large boats are slow to dive and to maneuver, however they have a submerged speed of about 30 knots, which is sufficient to keep pace with their targets. Sea endurance is limited only by food supplies.

The famous Kursk was lost with all hands in the Barents sea in 2000. It was one of the first boats completed after the fall of the Soviet Union and was part of the Russian Northern fleet.

Entered service	1986
Crew	107 men
Diving depth (operational)	500 m
Diving depth (maximum)	830 m
Sea endurance	120 days
Dimensions and displacement
Length	154 m
Beam	18.2 m
Draught	9 m
Surfaced displacement	13 900 tons
Submerged displacement	18 300 tons
Propulsion and speed
Surfaced speed	16 knots
Submerged speed	28 knots
Nuclear reactors	2 x ?
Steam turbines	2 x ?
Armament
Missiles	24 x P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) cruise missiles
Torpedoes	2 x 650-mm and 4 x 533-mm torpedo tubes for torpedoes and anti-ship missiles

Source: Military Today

Oscar I Class

In 1970s the Soviet shipyard at Severodvinsk launched a single Project 881 Anchar unit that became known in NATO circles as the Papa class. This boat was considerably larger and carried two more missile tubes for the P-120 Malakhit (SS-N-9 Siren) anti-ship missiles than the contemporary Charlie class SSGNs. The Papa class was for many years a puzzle to Western intelligence services.

The answer appeared in 1980 at the same shipyard, however, with the launch of the even larger Project 949 Granit (NATO designation Oscar I class) SSGN. The Papa class unit had been conceived from 1958 as the cruise missile-launching predecessor to the titanium hulled Alfa class high speed and deep diving SSN. But because it's high underwater noise levels it had become the prototype for advanced SSGN concepts with a considerably changed powerplant and revised propeller arrangement.

The missile system had been created to test the underwater launched version of the P-120 for the subsequent Charlie II series of SSGN. The Oscar design introduced more improvements, and these included two 12-round banks of underwater-launched P-700 Granit (NATO designation SS-N-19 Shipwreck) long range supersonic anti-ship missile tubes outside the main pressure hull. In common with other Soviet submarines the Oscar class features a double hull, comprising an inner pressure hull and an outer hydrodynamic hull.

Only two Oscar I class boats were built. Both of these submarines were assigned to the Northern fleet. These boats were decommissioned in 1996 and scrapped a couple of years later. The Oscar I class boats paved the way for 11 of a planned 19 Project 949A Antey or Oscar II class SSGNs.

Entered service	1980
Crew	94 men
Diving depth (operational)	500 m
Diving depth (maximum)	830 m
Sea endurance	120 days
Dimensions and displacement
Length	145 m
Beam	18.2 m
Draught	9 m
Surfaced displacement	12 500 tons
Submerged displacement	16 500 tons
Propulsion and speed
Surfaced speed	16 knots
Submerged speed	28 knots
Nuclear reactors	2 x ?
Steam turbines	2 x ?
Armament
Missiles	24 x P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck)
Torpedoes	2 x 650-mm and 4 x 533-mm torpedo tubes for torpedoes and anti-ship missiles

Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
Archangelsk (K-525)	1975	1980	1980	decommissioned, scrapped
Murmansk (K-206)	1979	1982	1983	decommissioned, scrapped

Source: Military Today