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by Paul Beaver, Group Spokesperson, Jane's  It
now seems that the most likely explanation for the sinking of the Kursk
was an explosion in the forward weapons space - the torpedo compartment
- during weapons drills. It is likely that the warhead of a type 40 Veder
torpedo or "Stallion" missile exploded, ripping a hole in the
pressure hull of the submarine.This in turn would have caused water to flood the submarine, which then lost trim and plunged to the sea bed. The captain would have equalised the trim on the sea bed but in doing so the submarine listed to 60 degrees from the vertical to starboard. In the same action, the cooling water for the twin nuclear reactors would have been restricted because the intakes are on the keel and the reactors would have automatically shut down, leaving the submarine without power except for batteries. Evacuation & Rescue - the options facing the Russian Fleet Commander are limited - by the condition of the submarine, the means available and the weather conditions. The use of rescue submarines might be difficult because the list which the Kursk has adopted on the sea bed makes docking difficult. Diving bells such as those used by the oil industry might work in getting small, but manageable packages of sailors across from the Kursk to another submarine. But all thoughts of raising the submarine or even righting it appear to have been dropped. The US Navy has two specialist Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs) named Avalon and Mystic which can dive to 5,000 feet and carry 24 survivors in each sortie. It is air transportable and would take about 48 hours to reach Russia, if requested. The UK Royal Navy has practised free escape from 500 feet but with professional crews. The Russian Navy has conscript sailors who may not be trained for this type of escape.
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a v a l F o r c e s
S p o n s o r :
Kursk fate shows up gaps in Russia's rescue system Kursk: did collision trigger explosion? Tragedy may lead to purge, but no new funds Russian Submarine Emergency Russian Navy: Assessment Rehearsing for DISSUB (Sept 96) Background Information:TYPE 65/DT/DST 92 Background Information:LR5 Background Information: Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles Background Information: OSCAR II (ANTYEY) (TYPE 949A) (SSGN)
Exclusive Economic Zones Naval Weapon Systems Navy International Survey Vessels
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