The Russian sub's secret missions

THE LONGER VERSION OF MY TIMES STORY YESTERDAY The Russian military call them the deep-sea Spetsnaz, a unique unit of senior officers, members of a top secret underwater intelligence service. Fourteen of these officers, known as hydronauts because their training is as tough as it is for astronauts, died in the devastating fire on board the Russian nuclear-powered submarine AS-12 “Losharik” in the Barents Sea, part of the Arctic Ocean, on July 1. Seven of them were of high rank. The fire which was not reported by the Russian government until 24 hours later has dealt a massive blow to a special operations service that relies on highly qualified personnel to carry out a multitude of tasks. These include hydrographic plotting of the Arctic Ocean, a key mission for President Putin’s ambitious plans in this region, intelligence-gathering on the world’s seabed fibre-optic cabling networks, and detection of “enemy” submarines and other vessels. The fire on the secret submarine occurred as Russia prepares to launch a floating nuclear power plant, called Akademic Lomonosov, which is due to be towed this month along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to the Arctic town of Pevek to provide electricity for a community engaged in extracting hydrocarbons and precious stones. The nuclear plant, dubbed by Greenpeace as “a floating Chernobyl”, and the AS-12 submarine are vital components in Mr Putin’s expansion plans for the Arctic which are alarming the West. The Losharik, nicknamed after a Soviet-era cartoon horse, is one of a kind. Western defence analysts believe there may be a sister submarine. But it has never been confirmed; perhaps unsurprising since this whole Russian project is protected by the highest secrecy classification. Although the Russian authorities seem confident the Losharik can be repaired for future operations, the loss of 14 officers from the special underwater service is bound to set back the programme of secret operations. The Losharik is unique in the Russian military for a number of reasons: *It is crewed solely by officers who serve with the main directorate for deep-sea research, known as GUGI or military unit 40056, an organisation headed by Vice Admiral Aleksei Burilichev, Hero of Russia. GUGI is separate from the Russian navy. *The submarine with a displacement of around 1,000 tons, 69 metres long and seven metres wide, has a titanium hull to provide extra pressure strength. It has a high maximum speed of around 30 knots (34.5mph). * Inside, instead of a single cigar-shaped tube as with other submarines, the structure consists of six or seven interlinked spheres, significantly adding to the boat’s ability to operate at extreme depths. *It is transported to its operating location docked underneath a “mother ship”, currently modified Delta class ballistic-missile submarines no longer part of the Russian nuclear deterrence patrols. So little has been released by the Russian authorities – let alone a photograph – that a number of myths have emerged about its capabilities. It is being claimed in some of the Russian military press that the Losharik can submerge to 6,000 metres (19,685ft). However, Ridzwan Rahmat, principal defence analyst for Jane’s information group who covers the Asia-Pacific from Singapore, said the maximum depth for the Losharik was about 1,000 metres. That’s still about three times the depth of a normal submarine which can usually operate down to 200-300 metres. The Losharik is like a submerged laboratory. It is packed with ocean data-gathering equipment and advanced acoustic systems to spy on foreign submarines. It may also be fitted with robot claws to “tap” into or cut western communication cables, although Mr Rahmat said there was no evidence it had this capability. It is also a key platform for Mr Putin’s grand strategy to dominate the Arctic region as the ice melts, opening up new shipping lanes. “The underwater terrain in the Arctic is changing all the time and currents need to be measured. The Losharik is involved in collecting scientific data,” Mr Rahmat said. The United States is engaged in the same vital research with their own submarines to guage the rapid changes going on under the ice in the Arctic. Mr Putin’s strategic intentions, according to a Pentagon white paper published in May, is to turn the Arctic into an energy and minerals resource base for Russia and to control future sea routes to give Moscow a “decisive voice” in the region. The GUGI chiefs will be under pressure to get the Losharik back into operational service as rapidly as possible.