Russian Boat - Side Scan Sonar

[Timothy]

Tracked a few of these in my day!



This eerie wreck image is not computer generated. It's the sonar image of Russian nuclear submarine B-159 (called K-159 before decommissioning), which has been lying 248m down in the Barents Sea, between Norway and Russia, since 2003. The Russian Federation hired Adus, a Scottish company that specialises in high-resolution sonar surveying, to evaluate if it would be possible to recover the wreck.

"The operation was complicated as the submarine was very deep, so we had to use the sonar equipment mounted on a remotely operated vehicle, (below)" says Martin Dean, the managing director of Adus and a forensic-wreck archaeologist. "We also had a problem with the surveying due to the density of north Atlantic cod attracted to the sound of the sonar and the light of the cameras. So at the beginning we had to turn off the equipment for 40 minutes and wait for the fish to go."

B-159, a November-class sub launched in 1963, was being towed to a shipyard in Snezhnogorsk, 1,000km north of St Petersburg, for scrapping when bad weather caused it to sink, killing nine crew.

"According to the sonar evidence, we can say that it sank stern first, headed down vertically and stuck 12m into the seabed, like a dart," says Dean. "The hull then snapped at the aft end and crashed to the seabed, leaving about 8m of the outer casing, including the propellers, still buried vertically in the seabed. Surprisingly, the submarine is still in good condition for a salvage."

http://www.wired.co.uk/wired-magazine/archive/2010/05/start/grounded-submarine-photographed-with-sonar.aspx

[Solus]

Amazing....

I guess this sub wasn't "voluntarily" decommissioned?


I love the science....and particularity the the practical value it give us.

Great way to catch cod with light and sonar...we need to equip a trawler

[Timothy]

I think it was "decommisioned" back in the late '80's.  This was 2003 when they were towing it for scrap/salvage operations.

The Russians developed this hull type in the '50's and used it throughout the Cold War.  We saw plenty of them (tracked) as not a single Soviet boat could leave Murmansk or Petropovlosk without us knowing about it for about 40 years.  These attack boats were capable of 30+ knots (35 mph) submerged but noisy as hell..

[twyacht]

This was 2003 when they were towing it for scrap/salvage operations.

Soooooo, if it was being "towed" to the scrap yard, why than initiate what is going to be a HUGE recovery bill?

Methinks, there is some "stuff" in there the Russians want to get back.....I'm sure it's not because somebody left their jacket or hat onboard..

Makes you go Hmmmmm,.....

[Blaidd]

I know what your talking about Timothy. Been there can't "remember" it 

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

I know what your talking about Timothy. Been there can't "remember" it 

 

[Solus]

Be amusing if they got it up and it was empty with a  Kilroy Was Here sign posted 

[tombogan03884]

Be amusing if they got it up and it was empty with a  Kilroy Was Here sign posted 

Would not be the first time THAT happened 
Remember the Glomar Explorer