Soviet submarine K-11

K-11 was a Soviet November-class (Project 627A) nuclear-powered attack submarine that had two reactor accidents during loading of the nuclear reactor core in Severodvinsk on 7 and 12 February 1965.[1][2] Reasons for the accidents included nonobservance of operating instructions by those participating in the lift of the reactor cover and the mistaken decision to continue refueling after the first accident.[1] There were no fatalities but those accidents (ejection of radioactive steam and inappropriate fire extinguishing methods on 12 February[1]) caused an unsafe release of radiation into the environment and nearby shipyard area. Seven men were treated for exposure to radiation.[3] The reactor compartment holding the two damaged reactors was removed, partially decontaminated and sunk in Abrosimov Bay (east coast of Novaya Zemlya) in the Kara Sea in 1966.[2][3] A new reactor compartment was installed and the submarine continued to perform her duties from August 1968 (performed five long-range cruises in 1968–1970 including patrol missions in the Mediterranean Sea, four long-range cruises in 1975–1977, five long-range cruises in 1982–1985) until decommissioning on 19 April 1990. K-11 passed the milestone of 220,179 miles traveled in 1988. The submarine has been laid up in Gremikha Bay since of 2000.[1]

November class submarine
History
Soviet Union
NameK-11
Laid down31 October 1960[1]
Launched1 September 1961[1]
Commissioned30 December 1961[1]
Decommissioned19 April 1990[1]
StatusLaid up as of 2000[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeNovember-class submarine
Displacement
  • 3065 tonnes surfaced,
  • 4750 tonnes submerged
Length107.4 m (352 ft 4 in)
Beam7.9 m (25 ft 11 in)
Draught5.65 m (18 ft 6 in)
Propulsion2 × 70 MW VM-A reactors
Speed
  • 23.3 knots (43.2 km/h; 26.8 mph) surfaced,
  • 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) submerged
Complement104 officers and ratings
Service record
Part of: Northern Fleet: 3rd division of nuclear submarines of 1st submarine flotilla in 1962–1975 and 17th submarine division of 11th submarine flotilla since 1975.[1]

References
  1. К-11 проект 627А (K-11 Project 627A)
  2. Атомные подводные лодки пр. 627 (Nuclear-powered Submarines of Pr. 627)
  3. Аварии на атомных подводных лодках (Accidents of Nuclear-powered Submarines)
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