1941-1955

1941

By the time the Soviet Union entered World War II, 206 submarines had been built to 19 designs by CDB-18. In war time, 54 submarines were build.

CDB-18 was evacuated to Gorky.

1944

In Leningrad, a new CDB-18 Group was organised.

The Order of the Red Banner was awarded to CDB-18 for the production of the Soviet submarines successfully used against the fascist Germany.

1945

CDB-18 returned to Leningrad. For some time, it was located at 166, Kanal Griboedova.

1946

The design bureau moved to the building it used to have before the war.

A group of engineers headed by Chief Designer of experimental submarine M-401 equipped with a “unified” engine (it used chemical lime absorber cycle in the submerged condition) was transferred to CDB-18 from NKVD's SDB-196.

1947

CDB-18 completed the development of Technical Design No.613, a medium displacement diesel-electric torpedo submarine (chief designers V.N.Peregudov, Ya.E. Evgrafov, Z.A.Deribin). It was the first post-war project, which took into account the combat experience of Soviet and German submarines gained during the War. The type submarine of this series was commissioned by the Navy in 1951. The largest in the world series of submarines – 215 units – was built to Project 613. About 25 to 30 submarines were built in People’s Republic of China to the same design handed over to China within the framework of technical assistance.

Extensive research and design done for these submarines permitted to come to grips with the anticipated production of nuclear submarines and with the use of new weapons - ballistic and cruise missiles - to be installed onboard.

Project 613 submarine
V.N. Peregudov
Ya.E. Evgrafov
Z.A. Deribin

1948

To ensure high-speed qualities for submerged submarines, the second design bureau was founded in the USSR, Special Design Bureau-143 (currently SPMBM Malakhit). The key personnel were:

  • more than 100 designers from CDB-18, including developers who in 1947 were sent to Germany, to work in Antipin's Bureau;
  • almost the same number of engineers working at the department of "unified" engines headed by B. D. Zolotopolsky;
  • ten German engineers who used to work at Antipin's Bureau in Germany.

The Head of CDB-18 A.A. Antipin was appointed Head of SDB-143; Chief Engineer of CDB-18 P.Z. Golosovsky was appointed Chief Engineer, and the Chief of Department of “unified” engines of CRI-45 B.D.Zlotopolsky became the Deputy Chief Engineer for Research Works. Started in CDB-18 and Antipin’s Bureau, works on Project 617  were continued in the new bureau. It was a project of a submarine with a steam-gas turbine plant where a high concentration hydrogen peroxide H2O2 was used as an oxidant (so called Walter cycle)

A. A. Antipin
P.Z. Golosovsky
B.D. Zolotopolsky

Work planning. financing and logistics for SDB-196 under People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs (Slezin’s Bureau) were assigned to CDB-18.  SDB-196 seized its work in 1953.

The technical design of a large (ocean-going) Project 611 torpedo submarine (26 boats) was completed under the supervision of Chief Designer S.A. Egorov.  The type submarine of this series B-61 is commissioned to the Navy in 1953. The design of the largest Soviet submarine of the time was taken as the prototype of the first in the USSR Project 627 nuclear submarine. The first sea-launched ballistic missiles were installed and tested on refitted submarines of that Project. Several series of ocean-going diesel-electric submarines – Projects 641, 641B and 629 – were developed based on Project 611.

Project 611 submarine
S.A. Egorov

Technical design No.615, a small experimental submarine fitted with the propulsion plant with the closed cycle using liquid oxygen and a carbon dioxide solid chemical absorber (HPI), was developed. The design was a further development of ideas implemented in  M-401 experimental submarine. Experimental submarine M-254 (Project 615) was commissioned to the Navy in 1953. Successful trials of the submarine allowed to start the construction of a submarine series to the advanced Project A615 (30 boats).

 

Project A615 submarine
A.S. Kassatsier

1949

CDB-18 began design studies for installing missiles onboard the submarines.

1953

Because SDB-143 turned to the design of nuclear submarines, the entire stock of orders, the main being Project 617 (with A.A. Antipin as Chief Designer), returned to CDB-18 along with the major part of employees who had been working in the design departments. All test beds, chemical laboratory and research departments were transferred to CDB-18. Works on the experimental submarine S-99 of Project 617 were completed  in 1956, and it was commissioned to the USSR Navy. S-99 submarine reached a 20 knot underwater speed, for the first time in the USSR.

 

Project 617 submarine
A. A. Antipin

A new group of engineers and technical specialists (over 100 persons) was transferred from CDB-18 to SDB-143 to start works on the first Project 627 nuclear submarine.

In CDB-18, the Torpedo Tube Design Bureau was established. Seventeen leading specialists on submarine torpedoes were moved to this Bureau.

As the scope of works on submarine shipbuilding considerably increased, the works on Project 613 were given to Central Design Bureau No.112 (CDB-112) made on the basis of the Design Bureau of the Krasnoye Sormovo shipyard, to become the third submarine design bureau in the USSR. At the same time, a group of specialists headed by the Chief Designer of Project 613 Z.A.Deribin was transferred from CDB-18 to CDB-112. Due to the same reason a group of designers leaded by the Chief Designer of Project A615 A.S.Kassatsier was transferred to Leningrad CDB-16 for the development of serial drawings for the Project. In 1955 both the Project and designers returned to CDB-18.