The Whiskey class was the NATO reporting name of a class of diesel-electric
patrol submarines that were built in the Soviet Union. The Soviet designation
of this class was Project 613. Construction of the class spanned from 1949
to 1958 and, as finalized, the boats displaced 1045 tons when surfaced and 1342
s submerged with dimensions that included a length of 76 meters, a beam of 6,3
meters, and a draught of 5 meters. A standard crew complement numbered 55 personnel. Propulsion
was conventional and involved a combination diesel-electric arrangement in which
the diesel units carried the boat during surface running and the electric motors
powered the boat underwater. This required the boat to surface to charge its battery
packs and expel any built-up CO2 gas. Surfaced speeds reached 18 knots and submerged
speeds fell to 13 knots. Operational range was out to 8580 nautical miles when
surfaced and 353 miles when submerged - enough provisions were on hand to supply
the crew on 30 day long patrols. As designed, the Whiskey-class was primarily
intended for coastal patrolling though its role would expand throughout its service
tenure. In terms of armament, the Whiskey-class continued established attack
submarine tradition by being fitted with 6 x 533mm (21") torpedo tubes arranged
in four bow (forward facing) mountings and two stern (rear facing) mountings.
This allowed the frontal four tubes to be used to attack forward targets and the
pairing at the rear to engage trailing targets. Twelve torpedo reloads were carried
though this could be substituted with twenty-two naval mines as needed. Between
1949 and 1958 a total of 215 submarines of this type were commissioned into the
Soviet Navy. The Whiskey-class was sold to various Soviet-aligned nations including
Albania, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Indonesia, North Korea, and Poland. Submarine
S-232 laid down 22 February 1955 at the Shipyard No.444 named after A.Marti, Nikolaev
(yard No.204), launched 19 April 1955, commissioned 30 November 1955 and was assigned
to the Black Sea Fleet. 20 August 1958 the submarine was transferred to
the Northern Fleet, and on 15 June 1971 - back to the Black Sea Fleet. On
01 November 1981 the submarine was placed in the reserve fleet in Odessa. 30
July 1987 the submarine S-232 was decommissioned and excluded from the lists of
the Black Sea Fleet. The submarine was planned for scrap, but at the end
of the 80s of the XX century she was transferred to the Museum of the History
of Shipbuilding and Navy named after Academician A.N. Krylova in Nikolaev for
use as an exhibit. However, due to the suspension of funding, the work stopped.
Due to the plundering, the submarine sank at the pier, and subsequently it was
raised and cut into metal at the shipyard in Nikolaev. Specifications |
Displacement (tons): | Surfaced: | 1045 |
Submerged: | 1342 |
Dimensions (m): | Length: | 76 |
Beam: | 6,3 |
Draught: | 5 (max – 5,26) |
Speed (knots): | Surfaced: | 18,3 |
Submerged: | 13,1 |
Range: | Surfaced: | 8580
nmi (10 knots), 2760 nmi (18,3 knots) | Under
snorkel: | - | Submerged: | 353
nmi (2 knots), 13,1 nmi (13,1 knots) | Diving
depth (m): | Operational: | 170 |
Maximum: | 200 |
Endurance (days): | 30 |
Propulsion: | 2x2000 hp, diesels
37D, 2x1350 hp, electric motors PG-101, 2x50 hp, electric motors PG-103, 2 fixed
pitch propellers | Armament: | 6
533 mm torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) - 12 53-38, 53-38U, 53-39, 53-39U, 53-39PM,
53-39PMU, 53-51, 53-56V, 53-57, 53-61, 53-65K, ET-46, ET-80, SAET-50, SAET-50M,
SAET-60M, SET-56 torpedoes or 22 AMD-1000, MDT mines – L4-2 fire control system
1x2 57 mm SM-24ZIF (on S-61 - SM-24ZIF1) – 250 rounds (removed in 1957-58)
1x2 25 mm 2M-8 – 2000 rounds (removed in 1957-58) | Electronics: |
RLK-101 Albatros radar complex, Flag surface radar, Anker reconnaissance radar,
Fakel-MO-1 IFF, ARP-53 radio direction finder, Tamir-5LS sonar, Mars noise detection
sonar, MG-15 Sviyaga special sonar | Complement: | 55
(9 officers) |
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