(EST PUB DATE) LENINGRAD ENTERS NUCLEAR SUBMARINE PROGRAM WITH NEW ATTACK CLASS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: CIA Analysis of the Soviet Navy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0001171994
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: June 19, 2017
• Document Release Date: June 19, 2017
• Case Number: SC-2007-00006
• Publication Date: May 1, 1968

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CIA HISTORICAL RELEASE
PROGRAM
JUNE 2017
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence
Leningrad Enters Nuclear Submarine
Program With New Attack Class
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY,
Directorate. of Intelligence
May 1968
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Leningrad Enters Nuclear Submarine Program With
New Attack Class
The growing importance of submarines in Soviet
military strategy is evidenced by the expansion of
submarine shipbuilding facilities and the construc-
tion of several new classes of submarines since 1962.
Thenumber of shipyards producing submarines has
increased from three to five, and four of them are
building nuclear-powered classes.
The latest confirmed producer of submarines is
Admiralty shipyard in Leningrad.
evidence shows that the yard entered the nuclear sub-
marine construction program in early 1964, and that
it has launched at least two, and probably three,
units of a new class of attack boat since July 1966.
This new submarine is about 280 feet long, has an
advanced sonar installation, and has a shape suggest-
ing high-speed performance.
Admiralty shipyard is capable of producing 1.5
to two units per year, but this rate probably could
Note: This report was produced solely by CIA. It
was prepared by the Office of Strategic Research
and coordinated with the Offices of National Esti-
mates and Scientific Intelligence.
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not be achieved for several years..
units could be produced by 1975.'
This shipyard has been heavily involved in nu-
clear ship programs since 1954. It designed and
built the nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin and later
some of the nuclear-support ships and barges. The
facilities for nuclear submarine production were
added between 1962 and 1964.
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Expansion of Submarine Construction Program
1. The period from 1959 to the early 1960's was
marked by an intensive review of the future role of
the Soviet Navy in the military structure of the USSR.
The navy emerged from this Period with expanded re-
sponsibilities. Ballistic missile submarines were to
be given a larger role in Soviet strategic offense,
and defensive capabilities against Western naval forces
were to be strengthened.
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Nuclear submarines
Diesel submarines
2. One of the early indicators of the expanded
role for the navy was the expansion and improvement
of facilities for the production of submarines after
1962. The number of shipyards producing submarines
increased from three to five, and in 1966 and 1967
four new classes of submarines appeared - -one ballis-
tic missile and three attack types. Three of the
four new classes of submarines are almost certainly
nuclear powered, and four of these five shipyards
are producing nuclear submarines (see map).
To
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3. One of the new shipyards added to the sub-
960's is
It pro-
ew class of nuclear-powered attack subma-
rin: filich was first
identitiea in 19b6. The second new submarine pro-
ducer is Admiralty shipyard in Leningrad, which is
turning out still another new class of nuclear-
powered attack boat,
The program at Admiralty probably started about the
same time as the one at Gorikili, but it was not con-
firmed until late last year.
marine construction Pffnri- ln 4-hm, 1
uuces a n
Construction at Admiralty Shipyard
4. Production
alty apparentl be
of the 194A submarines at Admir-
an in
5. The fir
obtained
was seen
support facility at
was identified as a
was
It
e nuclear-
Yagri Island, Severodvinsk, and
new class of attack submarine
different from those of the
A subsequent comparison with
the indistinct pictures of the submarine at Admiralty
yielded the conclusion that these photographs were
in fact of the same submarine, and that it had been
produced in the Leningrad shipyard and later moved
to Severodvinsk.
6. This evidence indicates that the first unit
was launched in July 1966. A second unit was prob-
ably launched in April 1967, and more recent photog-
raphy shows that a third unit--now in the shipyard
basin--came off the building ways in early January
1968.
7. The
30 feet in beam,
streamlined confi
USS Albacore--suggests
is about 280 feet vex'
Its
the
n--genera y similar to
high-speed performance
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10. The Admiralty yard is assumed to have a
higher rate of production than other shipyards with
similar facilities, because of its location in the
heart of the Leningrad shipbuilding and industrial
centers. Similar facilities in other yards have
produced one submarine per assembly way every two
years.. The Admiralty yard, which has two assembly
ways, is estimated capable of annually Producing
1.5 to two submarines per year, although this rate
probably could not be achieved for several years.
It is doubtful that more than 15 units of this class
will be produced by 1975.
Admiralty Shipyard's Role in Nuclear Ship Development
11. Admiralty shipyard was the logical choice i
the Leningrad area to build nuclear submarines. -\
12. At the 20th party congress in February 1956,
the Soviets announced plans to build a nuclear-powered
icebreaker. In August of that year the keel of the
icebreaker Lenin was laid at the Admiralty shipyard.
This ship was completed in September 1959. The reactor
was fueled at the shipyard during the summer of 1959
and all systems tested. On 14 September, two days
after departing the Admiralty yard, the Lenin began
sea trials in the Baltic. It joined the Northern
icebreaker fleet in December of the same year, about
three and one-half years after the start of nnngfrnr-
tion.
13. In October 1954 the uncompleted cargo ship
Lepse was hauled up on one of the inclined shipbuild-
ing ways in the Admiralty yard and extensively .modi-:
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fied to support the Lenin. It was finally completed
in March 1962. The Lepse is equipped to provide total
afloat support for the Lenin, including storage,
transportation, and handling of special materials
for servicing the nuclear propulsion system. It also
provides auxiliary steam, electric power, laboratory
facilities, test equipment, repair facilities, and
1 r ?nnel
15. Several other barges of various sizes and
configurations also have been observed near nuclear-
powered submarines and are believed to provide some
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sort of s ecial su
ems.
16. Recently the Soviets have publicized plans
for building two additional nuclear-powered ice-
breakers (Arktika class). T
Facilities at Admiralty Shipyard for Submarine
Construction
17. Preparations for submarine construction at
Admiralty shipyard started in 1953, when a submarine
assembly building was erected. This structure, 290
feet by 360 feet, was to be capable of assembling
four W-class units simultaneously, but the W-class
program ended before any were turned out there. A
similar facility was built at the nearby Baltic ship-
yard, and a few units were produced before the pro-
gram phased out.
18. When the Soviets breathed new life into their
submarine effort in late 1962 and early 1963, major
improvements were begun at several shipyards in prep-
aration for new construction programs. Admiralty
shipyard was one of them. The building for the de-
funct W-class program was doubled in size and given
a high-bay section about 125 feet wide and 145 feet
high. This section has two doors in either end, and
each door is about 55 feet wide by 85 feet high. In
addition, a transverser was installed to handle sub-
marine sections at least 70 feet long. (See photos,
opposite page.)
19. The arrangement of the new facility suggests
that construction techniques practiced in other major
Soviet submarine building yards are followed here.
The high-bay section probably is used to assemble two
submarines simultaneously. Subsections are probably
assembled in the remainder of the building. A float-
ing dock is apparently used for launching--a tech-
nique indicated in the planning of the original struc-
ture and used at other Soviet shipyards.
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20. In addition to the land-based facilities, the
shipyard has available one Zeya-class nuclear support
ship and four barges that are probably equipped to
provide some sort of special support in the construc-
tion of nuclear-powered ships.
21. No alterations have been made to the Baltic
shipyard's facility, and it is not likely to be
used in the new submarine program. Past activity
indicates that it is being used to modify existing
diesel-powered submarines.
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