Russian submarine AS-26

AS-26 during a 2020 rescue exercise
History
Russia
Name	AS-26
Laid down	April 1986
Launched	27 August 1987
Commissioned	25 November 1987
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class & type	Priz-class deep-submergence rescue vehicle
Displacement	55 t (54 long tons)
Length	13.5 m (44 ft 3 in)
Beam	3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Height	4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Speed	3.3 knots (6.1 km/h; 3.8 mph) maximum 2.3 knots (4.3 km/h; 2.6 mph) cruise 0.5 m/s (1.6 ft/s) ascent speed
Range	21  nmi (39 km; 24 mi)
Endurance	120 hours with 4 aboard 10 hours with 24 aboard
Test depth	1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Capacity	20 passengers
Crew	5

AS-26 is a Priz-class deep-submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV), or rescue mini-submarine, which went into service in 1987. ^[1] The DSRV first entered service with the Soviet Navy but became part of the Russian Navy after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Operations

Before June 1995 AS-26 was first assigned to the Soviet and then to Russia's Northern Fleet. From then on the DSRV was assigned to Russia's Baltic Fleet. ^[1]

It is deployed from the Kashtan-class salvage ship SS-750. The two have participated in submarine rescue exercises in the Baltic Sea. ^{[2] [3]}

On 22 September 2022, the AS-26 and its mother ship SS-750 were observed by the Royal Danish Navy patrol boat HDMS Nymfen above the route of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline four days before the pipeline was sabotaged. ^{[4] [5]}

Gallery

• 
  AS-26 hanging from the crane of SS-750 in 2020
• 
  AS-26 being launched in the Baltic Sea in 2020

References

1. "Deep-diving autonomous underwater vehicle – Project 1855". russianships.info. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
2. "Спасатели Балтийского флота провели тренировку по оказанию помощи аварийной подлодке, лежащей на грунте". mil.ru (in Russian). 26 June 2020.
3. "Новая "Варшавянка" погрузилась почти на 200 метров в Балтийском море". flotprom.ru (in Russian). 6 October 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
4. Camut, Nicolas (28 April 2023). "Russian ship spotted near Nord Stream pipelines days before sabotage: Reports". Politico . Retrieved 8 May 2023.
5. Elkjær, Bo; Gjerding, Sebastian (28 April 2023). "Forsvaret bekræfter: Rusland havde specialfartøj nær Nord Streams sprængningspunkt" [Defence confirms: Russia had specialized vessel near Nord Stream point of explosion]. information.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 31 August 2023.

External links

• AS-26 and salvage ship SS-750 in a 2020 rescue exercise on YouTube