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Rubin celebrates 115-anniversary of professional submarine design in Russia

Saint-Petersburg, December 22, 2015. The first professional agency in Russia for design and construction of submarines – the Submarine Construction Commission – was established on January 04, 1901 (December 22, 1900 Old Style). After multiple transformations and renamings, this agency received its current name – Joint Stock Company "Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering "Rubin".

Today Rubin is among world leaders in design of nuclear and conventional submarines. The company is also engaged in development of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles and partners with Russian Oil&Gas companies in development of offshore facilities. The company is part of state shipbuilding holding JSC "United Shipbuilding Corporation".

More than 1100 submarines have been commissioned to the Russian Navy throughout its existence, and 943 out of them (over 85%) have been constructed to Rubin designs. This figure includes:

  • all Russian submarines engaged in both world wars
  • three generation of SSBNs that provided strategic parity during Cold War
  • nuclear-powered attack submarines of Antey Class (Oscar Class)
  • three generations of diesel-electric submarines, including Project 877 and Project 636 (Kilo class)
  • three SSBNs of the  4th generation – Project 955 (Borey Class), commissioned to the Russian Navy in 2012-2014

CDB ME "Rubin" has also developed Project 955А (Borey-A Class) – an improved version of strategic nuclear submarine. Submarines of this class are being constructed by JSC "PO "Sevmash" (Severodvinsk).

Two series of conventional submarines for the Russian Navy designed by Rubin are under construction at JSC "Admiralty Shipyards (Saint-Petersburg): Project 636 (Kilo Class) and Project 677 (4th generation submarine, Lada Class).

Totally 112 submarines designed by Rubin have been exported to 15 countries.

Over 600 companies are engaged in development of modern submarines – equipment developers and suppliers, designers of automatic systems and radio-electronic equipment. Rubin, being the lead developer of submarines, steers all participants of this cooperation to implementation of innovative technologies.

The company has established fruitful industry-academia collaboration and takes part in Federal Targeted Programmes. The Design bureau has broad cooperation with the following industry-specific higher educational establishments: State Marine Technical University of Saint-Petersburg, Baltic State Technical University, Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint-Petersburg Electrotechnical University.

The company significantly expanded its activities in the beginning of 1990s. Rubin commenced working in a new niche – design of offshore oil platforms. The bureau was engaged in design of ice-resistant offshore platforms for Projects Sakhalin-1 and Sakhalin-2. One of the most important works was participation in concept development and engineering design, development of workshop documents, 3D model, test and operating procedures and documents for testing of Prirazlomnaya offshore ice-resistant fixed platform. Rubin also designed Caisson and Living Quarters for Prirazlomnaya (built by JSC Sevmash), which was the first platform to produce oil on Russian Arctic shelf.

Another "conversion" project of Rubin was Sea Launch. The bureau was responsible for the design of the floating space launch facility made out of semi-submersible  platform, and took part in creation of the Assembly and Command Ship.

The company also designed the floating gates of Saint-Petersburg dam commissioned in 2011.