Soviet submarine K-64

Alfa class submarine (Project 705)
History
Soviet Union, Russia
Laid down	2 June 1968
Launched	22 April 1969
Commissioned	31 December 1971
Decommissioned	19 August 1974
Out of service	1972
Fate	Suffered a major reactor accident, 1972. Deemed too extensive to repair and subsequently scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type	Alfa-class submarine
Displacement	2300 tons surfaced, 3200 tons submerged
Length	81.4 metres
Beam	9.5 metres
Draught	7.6 metres
Propulsion	OK-155 or BM-40A, 155-MWt Lead cooled fast reactor 40000 shp steam turbine, one shaft
Speed	18–24 knots (33–44 km/h; 21–28 mph) surfaced, 43–45 knots (80–83 km/h; 49–52 mph) submerged
Test depth	800 m test, has been dived to 1300 m, so crush depth is in excess of this
Complement	27 officers, 4 petty officers
Armament	Six 533-mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes: 18 or 53-65K torpedoes 20 VA-111 Shkval torpedoes 21 SS-N-15 cruise missiles 12 SS-N-16 cruise missiles 24 mines

K-64 was a Nuclear-powered Soviet submarine, head ship of its Alfa Class. The K-64 Designation was first given to the first Alfa Class Submarine.

Fate[]

In 1972, the submarine suffered a major reactor problem in the form of a leak of liquid metal coolant. The superheated metal solidified on contact with the colder outside air, freezing and damaging internal components of the reactor. The submarine was removed from service and towed to Severodvinsk. At the dockyard, the damage to the reactor was deemed too extensive for repair and the decision was made to salvage as much as they could. K-64 was split in half, its bow section (including control spaces) was taken to Leningrad and used for training new Soviet submariners.^[1]

References[]