Vilyuchinsk (Вилючинск) SLBM Depot

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Vilyuchinsk (Вилючинск) SLBM Depository
Unit 26942 subordinate to 12 GU MO (P-C-50)

Vilyuchinsk is home to the only SLBM nuclear missile munitions arsenal and storage depot in the Pacific Fleet, located in the valley immediately outside the town to its west. As well as storage, missile inspection and minor regular maintenance functions are carried out at the depot. Towed transporter vehicles carry the missiles in special temperature controlled protective capsules (see photo) to and from the loading jetty on the north shore of Krasheninnikov Bay only a couple of miles along the bayside, where a floating crane is used to load and off-load the Delta Class SSBN missile boats.

The Pacific Fleet now has only the one SSBN squadron left in operation, namely the 25th Submarine Battalion of the 16th Pacific Fleet Squadron. Since the recent de-commissioning of both K-506 Zelenograd (July 2010) and of K-211 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (Jan 2011) this now comprises in only three remaining Delta-III class SSBN boats :
K-433 St. Georgy Pobedonosets,
K-223 Podolsk &
K-44 Ryazan (recently transferred from the Northern Fleet -2008).

This nuclear missile arsenal is under the administration of the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (12 GU Russian Defense Ministry, 12GU, 12th Glaucus ) - a body of military control of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation - Russia, responsible for nuclear maintenance and security across the armed forces. РТБ ВМФ is the section with specific responsibility for Naval Ordnance and SLBM in particular.

There are no Delta-IV class boats operating with the Pacific Fleet. Consequently the only SLBMs kept at Vilyuchinsk are the Vysota R-29 SLBMs which come in x3 variants R, K & L respectively (see photo showing missile on towed platform without transporter capsule). These all bear the following designations for different purposes :

Manufacturer designation: 4K75 R,K & L
DoD/NATO designation: SS-N-18 Mod 1 ,2 & 3
ASCC designation: "Stingray"
SALT designation: RSM-50
ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Р-29Р

Open source materials on this site as of 2009 is as follows :
SUBMARINE BASE: RYBACHIY

SLBM TYPES:.........................................SS-­N-­18
DEPLOYED SLBMs.................................69
DEPLOYED LAUNCHERS OF SLBMs....80
NON-­DEPLOYED SLBMs.........................0

BALLISTIC MISSILE SUBMARINES BASED AT THIS SUBMARINE BASE:
NUMBER OF SUBMARINES/AGGREGATE NUMBER OF LAUNCHERS
BY SLBM TYPE :......................................SS-­N-­18
SUBMARINE TYPE:..................................DELTA III
...................................................................5/80
STORAGE CRANES 0
MISSILE TENDERS 0

www.fas.org/programs/ssp/nukes/armscontrol/MOU-Jul2009e...

This facility may also be used for the storage and deployment of nuclear armed P-700 Granit (Russian: П-700 "Гранит") naval anti-ship cruise missiles. Its GRAU designation is 3M45, its NATO reporting name SS-N-19 Shipwreck. It can carry a single 500kt nuclear warhead. It comes in ASCM and SLCM variants. As a SLCM it is deplyed from the Pr.949A Antey (NATO name) Oscar II Class Nuclear Cruise Missile Submarines of which six are deployed in the 10th. Submarine Brigade of the Pafici Fleet based at Ribachiy Kamchatka.

www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/slbm/r29r_r2s.htm
ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0-29%D0%A0
Wikipedia article: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_ГУ_МО
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   52°56'43"N   158°22'35"E

Comments

  • I don't see anything that would indicate it is 'nuclear', it doesn't even look too secure. There is a sub base near, could be anything.
  • The original title is true.
  • Totally bollocks. There is no such thing on Kamchatka like nuclear facility. Uranium mine neither.
  • Vanyuchki!
  • There are, however, military installations in that area, Vilyuchinsk is a closed zone, where you are not allowed to go without FSB permission.
  • Of course this is a military area, but not at every Russian military-base or closed-zone is a nuclear facility...
  • If it could be a "Secure Special Nuclear Facility" you never find it with google.... :-)
  • Looks like weapons storage bunkers , could not be anything else . This whole area is military -- have to store weapons /missiles somewhere .
  • Actually look at each storage shelter. The tell-tale signs that nuclear weapons are stored there are the three (3) concentric fences surrounding each individual storage shelter.
  • Show all comments
This article was last modified 13 years ago