Russia kills off its ‘golden fish’

Press, 13 July 1985, Page 18

Russia kills off its ‘golden fish’

By

IAN MATHER,

Defence Correspondent of the ‘Observer’, London

Russia has stopped production of the world’s fastest submarine after building only seven, according to United States naval sources. The Alpha submarine has been regarded by Britain and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries as a serious threat. The Royal Navy based its case for a new type of heavyweight torpedo on forecasts of dozens of Alphas by the beginning of the next century. It can travel at 50 miles (80 kilometres) and hour, which is faster than any torpedo, and dive to 3000 feet, (900 metres), deeper than any torpedo. The latest edition of “Jane’s Fighting Ships” describes the Alpha as “a new concept of attack submarine with a length-beam ratio very different from its predecessors, much improved propulsion plant with high speeds and a very deep diving depth.” But, according to evidence just released in Washington, the Russians have “killed” production because of the expense. “Alpha turned out to be a very expensive submarine. In fact they call it ‘Zolotoya Ryba,’ the golden fish, the most expensive submarine in the world,” Admiral Kinnaird

McKee, deputy assistant navy secretary told a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee. The Alpha has a hull made from titanium, a very strong lightweight alloy. Pressure built up in Congress for the United States Navy to copy the Russians. But, according to some experts in the West, the Alpha was never the threat it was made out to be. These experts point out that the first model, which was completed in 1974, was a total failure and was dismantled in 1974. Even after major modifications, problems continued, and production was slow, with only six going into service since 1976. Alpha was so noisy it could be picked up miles away. The Russians tried to make it quieter, but failed and terminated the programme, according to Admiral McKee, whose evidence was obtained by the Washington publication, “Navy News and Undersea Technology.” Titanium is not a rare metal, but the cost of extracting it from the ore is expensive. Welding pieces together is particularly difficult because the work has to be done in an inert gas atmosphere.

Oxygen would reduce the strength of the weld. Admiral McKee told the committee that if the United States went over to. titanium “you would see half as many submarines.” American officials estimate that the cost of a submarine would increase between two and five times. In 1981 Britain decided to spend £ 218 million (SNZ6O2 million) on 100 new Spearfish torpedoes, with an intention to buy a total of 770, largely on the basis of the alpha threat. Experts are divided on whether Admiral McKee was giving the full story. Some argue that a new generation of Russian submarines, which have been given the code-names Mike, Sierra, and Akula by the West, will turn out to have titanium hulls and some very sophisticated features. They argue that the Russians have been pursuing a number of developments which the Americans abandoned, and that the United States Navy is on the defensive because of Russian advances.