NEWS: Russian Nuclear Missile Cruiser is Unstable

The Russian nuclear missile cruiser, Peter The Great, has been ordered to port for repairs. Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, the head of Russia's Navy, told reporters in Moscow: "The ship is in such a state that it could explode at any moment." The areas that commanding officers walk in look great, but other areas of the ship are in a run down condition. "This includes the upkeep of the nuclear reactor."

Reuters
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's navy chief said on Tuesday he had sent a nuclear-powered flagship back to base for fear it could blow up, but commentators dismissed his warning as part of an apparent power struggle among navy brass.
Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov unexpectedly ordered the 19,000-ton cruiser Peter the Great -- the pride of Russia's Northern Fleet -- to return to dock after apparently becoming alarmed at the state of maintenance of its nuclear reactor.
"The ship is in such a condition that it may blow up any minute," Interfax news agency quoted Kuroyedov as saying. "It is especially dangerous since the vessel is equipped with a nuclear reactor."

Commentators are saying that the rundown state of the vessel is overblown, but not completely unwarranted. This is yet another glimpse inside of the tiring Cold War fleet of the Russians. Putin was outraged last month when a nuclear submarine, in the same fleet as Peter the Great, failed 3 consecutive missile launches. He wants to show Russia as a strong and powerful nation, but embarrassments such as this keep coming up. Just months after Putin's first election in 2000, the nuclear powered submarine Kursk sank with 118 men onboard.

Putin is taking steps to try and restore the Russian forces to their former greatness. He has brought back the old Soviet national anthem which was composed by Joseph Stalin. To build up their forces, he now proposes that all males will have to serve at least a year in the military before going on to college. Putin also sacked his entire cabinet and some ranking naval officers before the elections this month. Some speculate it was partially due to embarrassment from the failed missile launches. Russia was successful in launching 2 missiles from a nuclear submarine last week.

if it did happen to meltdown, what would be the effects on the ocean? would it be contained, settling to the floor mostly, or would it spread around the world or something?

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
if it did happen to meltdown, what would be the effects on the ocean? would it be contained, settling to the floor mostly, or would it spread around the world or something?

You're the physicist, wouldn't you be in a better position to tell us? Sorry, I had to ask.


Anyway, to get to the answer that you want it would depend on the type of meltdown. There are several to choose from. Assuming that it actually would make it out of the hull, it would sink to the bottom as a pile of slag. Eventually the water would cool it off, but not before getting highly contaminated. The extent of the devestation would depend on the currents and depth of water.

Hope this helps.

i knew it would have to make it out of the hull first, but regarding the way the ship sounds i wouldn't be surprised if it did.

i know nothing on the way currents in the ocean go though... other than like clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counter clockwise in the southern. or maybe that's opposite? that's what i was asking about. like where/how would it spread, if it would spread at all?

i am the physicist, but i'm not an oceanographer or anything like that.

[Edited on 3/23/2004 by cmdrkeenkid]

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
i knew it would have to make it out of the hull first, but regarding the way the ship sounds i wouldn't be surprised if it did.

Agreed

like where/how would it spread, if it would spread at all?

It would, but a lot of that would depend on where it happens, and how much fission material escapes the reactor. We could beat this thing to death if we delve into theoretical scenarios.

Cmdrkeenkid:

Major Ocean Currents
Agulhas Current Indian Warm
Alaska Current North Pacific Warm
Benguela Current South Atlantic Warm/Cool
Brazil Current South Atlantic Warm
California Current North Pacific Cool
Canaries Current North Atlantic Cool
East Australian Current South Pacific Warm
Equitorial Current Pacific Warm
Gulf Stream North Altantic Warm
Humboldt (Peru) Current South Pacific Cool
Kuroshio (Japan) Current North Pacific Warm
Labrador Current North Atlantic Cool
North Atlantic Drift North Atlantic Warm
North Pacific Drift North Pacific Warm
Oyashio (Kamchatka) Current North Pacific Cool
West Australian Current Indian Cool
West Wind Drift South Pacific Cool

Surface ocean currents in the Arctic : carto.eu.org...

Here's a good read on deep ocean currents:
www.poemsinc.org...

im sure this is just a show to get more funding, there are 10 maintance ships there.

If the ship is unstable enough to "blow at any time" surely sending it to a port, with all the civilian and military population would be the WORST thing to do.

Why can't they repair it in some isolated bay first...

The former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics literally bankrupted one of the greatest civilizations on Earth back in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.

Unfortunately the Russians are left to cover the tab of this military government gone awry. This at a time when the open quasi capitalist economy is fighting to take hold and allow the Proud Russian people to enter the new millenium.

This is the legacy of the socialist economy and government 100% of the time. Those who desire a socialist run situation in the U.S. should pay great heed to this story.

m...

I would assume that for any major repairs to made to a warship it would have to be in a port or drydock so the proper repair and maintanence personnel could work with all the needed tools and parts. I have to wonder what percentage of the Russian naval fleet is really up to seafaring capability, the money crunch has really hit the Russian military hard.

A little off topic but thought i would share...

I recently caught a history channel series on international criminal organizations the Russian mafia being one. One of the people interviewed was a Russian jew nicknamed Tarzan. He told a story about meeting with some Latin American narcotics smugglers who were in the market for a submarine to transport drugs secretly. Tarzan went on to say that his contact in the Russian military asked him right off the bat, "with missiles or without missiles?"

They eventually settled on a price of somewhere around $50,000,000 or so. Tarzan went to meet with his guy and seal the deal and was arrested, he got caught up in a probe of secret Russian arms dealings.

Just an example of how underbudgeted the Russian military is i suppose.