Submarine Forces of the Northern Fleet
Overview
The Submarine Forces of the Northern Fleet constitute Russia’s principal concentration of nuclear-powered submarines, combining strategic ballistic missile submarines with multi-mission cruise-missile and attack platforms, and a separate special-mission (deep-sea) component. Their tasks include strategic nuclear deterrence, sea-denial and strike missions in the North Atlantic and Arctic, and specialized seabed and clandestine operations. The submarine force command is located at Gadzhiyevo on the Kola Peninsula.
Headquarters and Basing Posture
Gadzhiyevo (Zaozyorsk) serves as the headquarters and primary SSBN base, with the 31st Submarine Division operating mainly from Yagelnaya Bay. General-purpose nuclear submarines operate primarily from Vidyayevo (Ara and Ura Bays) and the Zapadnaya Litsa complex (notably Nerpichya Bay), which host attack and cruise-missile submarines including Project 885 units. The 29th Deep-Sea Submarine Division is based at Olenya Guba, supporting special-purpose deep-diving platforms and their carrier submarines. Logistic hubs, armament handling, and technical support are centered around Severomorsk and Severodvinsk, with missile handling and loading conducted at dedicated facilities; specific storage and handling sites are controlled by the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence and are not publicly detailed.
Order of Battle (as provided)
Headquarters: Gadzhiyevo. 7th Submarine Division: Project 945 Barrakuda and Project 945A Kondor nuclear-powered attack submarines B-276 Kostroma, B-336 Pskov, B-534 Nizhny Novgorod; Project 671RTMK nuclear-powered attack submarine B-448 Tambov. 11th Submarine Division: Project 949A Antey nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines K-119 Voronezh, K-266 Orel, K-410 Smolensk; nuclear-powered attack submarine K-560 Severodvinsk. 24th Submarine Division: Project 971 Shchuka-B nuclear-powered attack submarines K-154 Tigr, K-157 Vepr, K-317 Pantera, K-328 Leopard, K-335 Gepard, K-461 Volk. 31st Submarine Division: Project 667BDRM Delfin nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines K-18 Karelia, K-51 Verkhoturye, K-84 Ekaterinburg, K-114 Tula, K-407 Novomoskovsk; Project 955 Borei nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine K-535 Yuriy Dolgorukiy. 29th Deep-Sea Submarine Division (military unit 13090): Project 1851 and 1851.1 special-purpose submarines AS-21, AS-23, AS-35; Project 10831 nuclear-powered deep-water station AS-31 Losharik; Project 09786 special-purpose submarine BS-136 Orenburg; Project 667BDRM-based special-purpose submarine BS-64 Podmoskovye; Project 1910 nuclear-powered deep-water stations AS-13, AS-15, AS-33. 339th Separate Construction and Repair Submarine Brigade (military unit 95420): Project 20120 Sarov special-purpose diesel-electric test submarine B-90 Sarov.
Order of Battle Verification and Updates
Open-source data indicates several corrections and additions. K-560 Severodvinsk is Project 885 Yasen, not Project 677RTMK (Project 677 is the Lada-class diesel-electric submarine). The Northern Fleet also fields K-561 Kazan (Project 885M Yasen-M), commissioned in 2021, which is not listed in the provided order. In the SSBN force, K-549 Knyaz Vladimir (Project 955A Borei-A), commissioned in 2020, is assigned to the Northern Fleet but is absent from the list. K-117 Bryansk (Project 667BDRM) returned to service after overhaul in 2023 and is likewise not included. K-84 Ekaterinburg has been widely reported as withdrawn from service in 2022; its presence on the list may reflect earlier composition. In the special-mission force, BS-136 Orenburg (Project 09786) was reported withdrawn in 2013; conversely, K-329 Belgorod (Project 09852), accepted into service in 2022 and associated with GUGI operations from the Kola area, is not listed. Within the Project 971 group, K-328 Leopard returned to service in 2023 after deep modernization; B-448 Tambov (Project 671RTMK) has been in long-term layup with no publicly reported recent deployments.
Strategic Nuclear Submarines (SSBN) Capabilities
Project 667BDRM Delfin SSBNs carry 16 R-29RMU2 Sineva or R-29RMU2.1 Liner submarine-launched ballistic missiles, providing intercontinental range and multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles depending on configuration. Project 955 and 955A Borei-class SSBNs carry 16 R-30 Bulava SLBMs, represent the current-generation strategic platform, and feature reduced acoustic signatures compared with legacy classes. Northern Fleet SSBNs typically operate from bastions in the Barents and adjacent Arctic seas, with training and test launches routinely conducted from the White Sea toward the Kura impact range in Kamchatka.
Cruise-Missile and Attack Submarines (SSGN/SSN) Capabilities
Project 949A Antey SSGNs mount 24 P-700 Granit long-range supersonic anti-ship missiles and are equipped with torpedo tubes; modernization to the 949AM standard that integrates Kalibr and Oniks is publicly documented on Pacific Fleet units, while such upgrades on Northern Fleet hulls have not been confirmed. Project 885 and 885M Yasen-class boats field vertical launchers for Kalibr land-attack and anti-ship variants and P-800 Oniks (and are expected to integrate 3M22 Tsirkon as announced by Russian officials), together with modern sonar suites and torpedoes; they represent the core of Russia’s emerging SSN/SSGN capability in the Northern Fleet. Project 971 Shchuka-B attack submarines, several of which have undergone modernization, employ 533 mm and 650 mm torpedo tubes and can launch Kalibr-PL where upgrades have been completed. Project 945 and 945A boats have titanium pressure hulls that enable deep diving and carry torpedoes and mines; Project 671RTMK (Victor III) is an earlier-generation SSN with legacy combat systems and limited modernization potential.
Special-Mission and Deep-Sea Assets
The 29th Deep-Sea Submarine Division (military unit 13090) operates nuclear-powered deep-diving stations of Projects 1851, 1851.1, and 1910 for seabed operations, research, and clandestine tasks, typically deployed beneath or carried by modified mothership submarines. BS-64 Podmoskovye (converted from Project 667BDRM) serves as a carrier platform for deep-sea stations; BS-136 Orenburg formerly fulfilled a similar role but was reported withdrawn in 2013. AS-31 Losharik (Project 10831) suffered a fatal onboard fire on 1 July 2019 and has been under long-term repair; no public evidence confirms a return to operational status as of 2024. K-329 Belgorod (Project 09852), accepted in 2022 and associated in open sources with GUGI, operates from the Kola Peninsula and functions as a large special-mission carrier; detailed tasking remains classified.
Infrastructure and Industrial Support
The Northern Fleet submarine complex relies on an integrated base and industrial system. Gadzhiyevo provides SSBN berthing, maintenance quays, and security infrastructure for nuclear deterrent forces. Vidyayevo and Zapadnaya Litsa host general-purpose nuclear submarines, with hardened shore support, workshops, and protected anchorages. Olenya Guba supports deep-sea assets with dedicated facilities for preparing and deploying deep-diving stations. Major industrial support is centered in Severodvinsk: Sevmash handles new construction and complex modernizations, while Zvezdochka specializes in overhauls and life-extension work; Nerpa Shipyard at Snezhnogorsk and the 35th Ship Repair Plant in Murmansk provide regional maintenance capacity. Missile handling and nuclear ordnance activities are conducted under 12th GUMO procedures; detailed site layouts and storage configurations are not publicly disclosed.
Modernization and Lifecycle Status
Project 667BDRM SSBNs have undergone life-extension and combat system upgrades, including integration of Sineva and Liner SLBMs, to bridge the transition to Borei-class platforms. The Project 955A Borei-A series continues to enter service, with K-549 Knyaz Vladimir assigned to the Northern Fleet and additional units following to replace aging SSBNs. The Project 885 and 885M Yasen program is expanding the multi-role strike and anti-submarine warfare capacity; K-560 Severodvinsk and K-561 Kazan are in Northern Fleet service. Selected Project 971 boats have received deep modernizations, including new sensors and Kalibr-PL integration; K-328 Leopard returned to service in 2023. Project 949A units in the Northern Fleet have undergone repairs, but the full 949AM upgrade has not been publicly confirmed on these hulls. Legacy Project 671RTMK units show limited operational activity due to age and maintenance demands.
Operations, Patrol Areas, and Training
Northern Fleet SSBNs conduct deterrent patrols primarily in Arctic and Barents Sea bastions, with periodic SLBM test launches from the White Sea to Kamchatka’s Kura range. General-purpose submarines operate across the Norwegian and Barents Seas, the North Atlantic including the GIUK gap approaches, and periodically the Mediterranean, conducting anti-ship, anti-submarine, land-attack, and intelligence missions. Routine exercise activity includes fleet readiness drills, torpedo firing exercises, and missile firings, often integrated into annual strategic command-staff exercises; deployments and training patterns vary with maintenance cycles and Arctic seasonal conditions.
Security, Safety, and Nuclear Surety
Submarine bases on the Kola Peninsula feature layered physical security, restricted access zones, and waterside barriers. Nuclear safety and warhead custody are governed by the 12th Main Directorate’s procedures, with dedicated handling teams, specialized transport, and controlled storage; detailed configurations and locations are not publicly available. Periodic infrastructure upgrades have addressed environmental remediation and spent fuel management at regional facilities, reflecting long-term safety and compliance requirements.
Recent Notable Incidents
AS-31 Losharik experienced a fatal fire on 1 July 2019 during a deep-diving mission, resulting in multiple casualties and subsequent long-term repair. K-84 Ekaterinburg suffered a major fire during dockside work in December 2011 but was repaired and later reportedly withdrawn in 2022. K-266 Orel sustained fire damage during yard work in April 2015 and returned to service after repairs. These events underscore the safety risks inherent in nuclear submarine maintenance and special-mission operations and have influenced repair schedules and availability.
Data Fidelity Notes
This analysis cross-references the provided unit list with publicly available information through 2024. Several entries in the provided list appear outdated or misdesignated, notably the classification of K-560 Severodvinsk (Project 885) and the absence of K-561 Kazan (Project 885M) and K-549 Knyaz Vladimir (Project 955A). BS-136 Orenburg is widely reported as withdrawn in 2013; K-117 Bryansk returned to service in 2023; and K-329 Belgorod (Project 09852) is active with GUGI from the Kola area. Precise force disposition, warhead storage details, and some special-mission unit statuses remain classified and are not available in open sources.