Soviet submarine K-320

The nuclear-powered Charlie-I Soviet submarine K-320 had a reactor accident prior to commissioning while under construction. The event occurred on January 18, 1970.[1] The submarine was repaired, commissioned on September 15, 1971, and was stricken in 1994.

Many sources refer to this submarine as Soviet submarine K-329 or K-429
Project 670
Charlie I class
History
Soviet Union, Russia
Laid down30 April 1968
Launched27 March 1971
Commissioned15 September 1971
Decommissioned19 April 1990
Stricken1994
FateSold for scrap, 1994
General characteristics
Class and typeCharlie-class cruise missile submarine
Displacement
  • Surfaced: 4000 tons
  • Submerged: 5000 tons
Length95 m (312 ft)
Beam10 m (33 ft)
Draught8 m (26 ft)
PropulsionOne pressurized water-cooled reactor powering two steam turbines delivering 11,185 kW (14,999 shp) to one shaft.
Speed
  • Surfaced: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
  • Submerged: 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
RangeUnlimited except by food supplies
Complementabout 100
Armament
  • 8 x SS-N-7 Starbright anti-ship cruise missiles
  • 6 x 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes (12 torpedoes or 12 SS-N-15 Starfish anti-submarine missiles)

The 1970 radiological incident

To be finished for Vladimir Lenin's 100th anniversary, construction of K-320 was rushed. During a hydraulic test of the primary coolant circuit, the reactor became prompt critical and generated full effect for 10–15 seconds. The finding was that plugs on the primary test failed, so a powerful fountain of water and steam poured all around the K-308 the assembly shop. Twelve dockworkers near the reactor were killed immediately by the steam generated by the uncontrolled reaction and 150-200 others were directly contaminated. Most of the contamination was contained in the workshop but a cloud of radioactive gas and particulates contaminated up to 2000 people in the area around the shipyard.[2][3]

The radiation level in the workshop reached 60 thousand roentgens and the total release of activity into the workshop premises was 75 thousand Curie. Contamination of the area was avoided due to the closed nature of the workshop, but radioactive water was discharged into the Volga.[4]

References
  1. "Project 670 / Charlie I Project 670M / Charlie II - Russian / Soviet Nuclear Forces". fas.org. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  2. "Чернобыль на "Красном Сормове"". 2012-03-05. Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  3. "Подводная лодка К-302, К-320, Б-320. Проект 670". www.deepstorm.ru. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  4. http://kr-znamya.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6571:2012-12-03-13-38-29&catid=58:legends&Itemid=89 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (Ru)(dead?) // Mushroom over Gorky// Red Banner newspaper (December 3, 2012)

Bibliography
  • Polmar, Norman & Noot, Jurrien (1991). Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies, 1718–1990. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-570-1.
  • Vilches Alarcón, Alejandro A. (2022). From Juliettes to Yasens: Development and Operational History of Soviet Cruise-Missile Submarines. Europe @ War (22). Warwick, UK: Helion & Co. ISBN 978-1-915070-68-5.


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