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New Sovietskiy Vyper class Cruise Missile Submarine:


When the revolution in advanced high strength materials came to the Soviet Union, the nation had only comparatively recently returned to a Communist form of government. Considering itself to be under threat from the West, the new Soviet government was keenly interested in vastly expanding the military and a whole group of new designs soon came out of the reformed Soviet design bureaus.


While under theoretically democratic government, the Soviet navy had been allowed to rot until it was a shadow of its former self. As far as cruise missile submarines, only a few Oscar class submarines were nominally operational and all of them were in sad condition. Most had not been deployed for many years. In reality, the sad state of the Soviet navy was a blessing because the navy did not have to be content with old designs that the government might insist needed to be refitted with the new materials instead of being replaced.


Designs for new fast attack, ballistic missile, and cruise missile submarines were quickly developed. The first new Soviet submarine was laid down in 2034, the first of the Drakon class fast attack submarine class, with the first of the new Vyper class cruise missile submarines laid down in 2037. While the Soviet government listed several Oscar II class submarines as part of their Naval forces, the reality than none of them were operational and were scrapped even before the first Vyper class cruise missile submarine was completed.


In order to both reduce development and logistics, the Vyper class cruise missile submarine was designed with many of the same components as the Drakon fast attack submarine. Prior to the original collapse, the Soviet Navy had made far less effort to incorporate the same systems in multiple classes. As one might expect, this often created a great deal of issues. It was a lesson not lost on the new Soviet government and navy.


Construction of the Vyper class cruise missile submarines was considered a lesser priority than the Drakon class fast attack submarine class. Still, the cruise missile submarines were laid down at the rate of two submarines every three years. A total of around thirty of this class are believed to have been constructed and these cruise missile submarines served until the coming of the Great Cataclysm. Just before the coming of the cataclysm, most of these cruise missile submarines were deployed and while most were destroyed, a few escaped to a secret Soviet base under Antarctica.


The Vyper class cruise missile submarines were designed primarily for anti-ship roles with the ability to swamp point defenses with a huge number of cruise missiles. As secondary role was to engage land targets in support of other units and to destroy ground facilities. Even though the Vyper class cruise missile submarines were designed primarily to carry a massive amount of cruise missiles and perform cruise missile strikes, they were also designed to be relatively capable against other submarines.


Often compared to the old Oscar class submarine, the Vyper class cruise missile submarines were among the largest submarine designs ever built and the two classes are of a similar size. One of the important features of the Vyper class submarine is that is designed with several internal hulls. Combined with the high strength composites and alloys, the Vyper class submarine can withstand considerable amount of damage. Due to the high strength materials, even though the diving depth was not a primary concern while being designed, the depth that the Vyper could withstand was greater than any previous Soviet classes. In fact, the Vyper class submarine could dive down to depths of 2,000 meters without exceeding crush depth.


In common with most other large Soviet submarines but unlike larger American submarines, the Vyper class submarine was designed with two shafts. Power was provided by two nuclear reactors in the first few of the class but later submarines use four fusion reactors. The earlier vessels replaced the standard nuclear reactors with fusion reactors when they were refitted. Quite powerful, these reactors made the cruise missile submarine quite fast with a top speed of 36 knots underwater. In fact, the Vyper class cruise missile submarine was just as fast as the contemporary American Tigershark class fast attack submarine.


Even though the engines are incredibly powerful, they are very quiet at slow speed with far better sound isolation than submarine classes of the old Soviet navy. In order to further reduce the amount of noise that these submarines produced, the Soviet cruise missile submarine uses a pump jet propulsion systems instead of propellers and also featured sound absorbing rubber materials on the hull. In order to reduce costs, the Vyper class carries the same sonar systems as the Drakon class fast attack submarine class.


Prior to the Vyper class cruise missile submarine, the only cruise missile submarine that could carry a similar number of cruises missiles were the four American Ohio class submarines converted to cruise missile submarines themselves. While on the American submarine, these launchers are mounted behind the main sail, they are mounted on either side of the sail on the Soviet submarine. The vessel has sixteen cruise missile launching systems with eight cruise missiles each launcher. Eight octuple launchers are located on either side of the submarine’s sail and are located outside of the submarine’s main pressure hull. A total of 128 cruise missiles can be carried. The cruise missiles are designed to be used against both land targets and against surface ships.


In common with other Soviet submarines, the Vyper class cruise missile submarine mounts 650 mm torpedo tubes, far larger than those on American submarine classes. Unlike American submarines, these tubes are in the bow of the submarine over the bow sonar array. As with the Drakon class fast attack submarine, the cruise missile submarine mounts eight super heavy torpedo tubes with four-eight torpedoes total. Initial plans for the submarine was for it to be able to carry sixty-four torpedoes but that was reduce to forty-eight in later development. While cruise missile can be fired from canisters as well, there are no know cases of them having been carried aboard the Vyper class cruise missile submarine for the torpedo tubes.


In general, the Soviet navy preferred far more active defenses against incoming threats than the United States navy. To protect the vessel against torpedoes, the Vyper class submarine carries two “killer dart” torpedo interceptor systems in retractable hull mounts with one on either side. As defense against aircraft and missiles while the cruise missile submarine is surfaced or near the surface of the water, the Vyper class submarine carries a retractable short range missile launcher in the sail.


The Vyper class submarine is designed with a larger crew than the Drakon class fast attack submarine. Even so, the crew is still smaller than that of American and British submarines. While the Soviet submarine was designed with heavy automation, the Vyper class is also designed for shorter deployments than Western submarines. Far less maintenance is done while the Soviet submarine is underway than the American and British counterparts. A large percentage of the crew are officers, over half in fact, with the officers doing most of the work aboard. In fact, the enlisted crew is often called useless by the officers. The Vyper class does not carry any troops and the crew quarters, especially officer’s quarters, are considered quite comfortable for a submarine.


Author Note: With respect to time line, these designs may or may not reflect our modern time line. The time line of these writeups diverged from our time line starting around 1999. Consider the universe that these designs are created for to be an alternate universe not bound by ours.


Model Type: Vyper class Cruise Missile Submarine.

Class: Ocean, Cruise Missile Submarine.

Crew: 88; 45 officers, 43 petty officers and enlisted crew members (Has a high degree of automation).

Troop Capacity: None.


M.D.C. by Location:

 

25.6 inches (650 mm) Super Heavy Torpedo Tubes (8, front of submarine):

150 each.

 

Octuple Vertical Cruise Missile Launchers (16, sides of sail):

300 each.

 

Short Range Missile Launcher (1, sail):

100.

 

Killer Dart “Interceptor” Torpedo Launcher (2, sides):

80 each.

 

Towed Array Sonar Housing (aft):

350.

 

Main Sail:

1,200.

 

[1] Bow Planes (2):

400 each.

 

[2] Pump Jet Propulsors (2):

500 each.

 

[3] Main Body:

3,800.

Notes:

[1] Destroying the submarine’s bow planes will reduce the submarine’s ability to change depths but will not eliminate it. It also makes it difficult for the submarine’s crew to control the submarine giving a penalty of -25% to all underwater piloting rolls.

[2] Destroying both of the submarine’s pump jet propulsors causes serious problems. The submarine will no longer be able to use forward momentum and the bow planes to keep the submarine level. It is recommended that ballast tanks are immediately blown so submarine comes to the surface. Destruction of one pump jet propulsor reduces the submarine’s top speed by one quarter.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the submarine’s structural integrity, causing it to sink. If the submarine is underwater, the entire crew will die unless protected by environmental armors that can withstand the pressure that the submarine is under. If on the surface, there are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.


Speed:

Surface: 23.0 mph (20 knots/ 37.1 kph).

Underwater: 41.5 mph (36 knots /66.7 mph).

Maximum Depth: 6,561.7 feet (2,000 meters).

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 20 years and requires maintenance as well). Boat carries 4 months of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:

Height:  66.3 feet (20.2 meters) not including periscopes and antenna.

Width:   62.1 feet (18.9 meters).

Length:  507.9 feet (154.8 meters).

Displacement: 15,200 tons standard and 25,400 tons submerged.

Cargo: Submarine is very cramped, 20 tons (18.1 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Boat’s junior officers have slightly more space for personal items and senior officers have even greater space for personal items. Most of the boat’s spaces are taken up by extra torpedoes, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Nuclear fusion; average energy life of 20 years. Normally refuels every 10 years.

Black Market Price: Not for sale; many nations and organizations would pay hundreds of millions of credits for a new and undamaged Vyper class cruise missile submarine.


Weapon Systems:

  1. Eight (8) 650 mm Super Heavy Torpedo Tubes: On the bow of the submarine are eight torpedo tubes. Located above the bow sonar array, these tubes are 25.6 inches (650 mm) wide and torpedoes can be used against both surface ships and submarines. Along with standard torpedoes, torpedo tubes can also fire missiles (long range or cruise missiles) in special canisters, rocket boosted anti-submarine (ASW) torpedoes, and mines. These are modern, variable option torpedoes that are about 25% faster than the latest US torpedo designs of the time period. Submarine carries forty-eight reloads for torpedoes. Soviet submarines normally carry a number of interceptor torpedoes where the standard Soviet tactic is to fire an interceptor torpedo down the path of a torpedo fired at the submarine.

    Maximum Effective Range: 40 miles (34.8 nautical miles / 64 km) to 60 miles (52.1 nautical miles / 96.6 km), depending on torpedo type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Mega-Damage: By heavy torpedo or super heavy torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details), can theoretically fire missiles (long range or cruise missiles) in special canisters as well (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire torpedoes one at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), four (4), or eight (8) torpedoes. Reloading takes one full melee round.

    Payload: Eight (8) torpedoes total [Has forty-eight (48) additional torpedoes and missiles for reloads with eight (8) “Interceptor” torpedoes normally carried.]

  2. Sixteen (16) Octuple Vertical Launch Cruise Missile Launchers: On either side of the submarine’s superstructure, the Vyper has eight octuple vertical launch missile system for launching missiles. Missiles are launched in special canisters that enable the missiles to be used in depths down to around 150 feet (45.7 meters.) Most missiles normally carried are fusion warhead with smart missile guidance. Launchers can fire at multiple targets simultaneously and are designed to be used against surface ships and against land targets.

    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with cruise missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega Damage: Varies with cruise missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire a single cruise missile at a time. Combined, the launchers can fire cruise missiles one at a time or in volleys of any amount of cruise missiles up to sixteen (16) cruise missiles total in any combinations and at multiple targets at the same time. Can only be fired once per melee round.

    Payload: Has eight (8) cruise missiles per launcher for one hundred and twenty-eight (128) cruise missiles total. Submarine carries no reloads.

  3. One (1) Sail Mounted Short Range Missile Launcher: The submarine has a retractable short range missile launcher on the sail for defense against aircraft although is effective against incoming missiles as well. Launcher can be used while the submarine is up to 80 feet (24 meters) deep and is useful against aircraft hunting the submarine while the submarine is underwater. Short Range Missiles are usually a mixture of 50% Armor Piercing and 50% Plasma. Launchers can lock onto multiple targets at the same. The systems missile launchers can target up four targets simultaneously and can fire a volley up to twice per melee.

    Maximum Effective Range: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) short range missiles and can be fired up to two (2) times per melee round.

    Payload: Sixty-four (64) short range missiles.

  4. Two (2) Killer Dart “Interceptor” Short Range Torpedo Launchers: These launchers are mounted on the sides of the submarine. These so called “Killer Darts” are a Russian interceptor torpedo, designed primarily for intercepting and hitting incoming torpedoes, with a secondary function against small submersibles and submersible power armors. They are mounted outside of the submarines pressure hull in retractable mounts. The launchers can only be reloaded in port. American and European designed prefer to fire interceptor torpedoes exclusively from their standard torpedo tubes. Launcher is primarily designed to intercept incoming torpedoes but can be used against other vessels, against large submarines, and against underwater troops. Other torpedoes can be used but are very rarely used.

    Maximum Effective Range: 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) using interceptor torpedoes, other torpedoes use standard rules (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Mega-Damage: By light torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire salvos of up to eight (8) light interceptor torpedoes per melee round.

    Payload: Forty-eight (48) interceptor torpedoes each for ninety-six (96) interceptor torpedoes total.

  5. Noisemakers: The submarine carries noisemakers in order to decoy torpedoes. They are most effective against normal torpedoes and less effective against “smart” torpedoes. Considered in many ways to be the last line of defense against incoming torpedoes and similar systems are carried on most submarines. The noisemakers are launched from the middle of the submarine.

    Effects: 50% of decoying normal torpedoes and 20% of decoying smart torpedoes.

    Rate of Fire: Two (2) noisemakers at a time (Can be reloaded in one melee round).

    Payload: Twenty (20) noisemakers.

Special Systems:

The submarine has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:


[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]


Vessel drawing is created and copyrighted by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Initial Concepts by Marina O'Leary (LusankyaN@aol.com ).


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2002 & 2017, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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