‘Boss’ will become the first near-shore coastal patrol vessel capable of deep diving. Simply put, it is an inexpensive submarine for countries with modest military budgets.
Russia has developed a project to build a patrol boat capable of diving. Such a ship combines the main features and advantages of a submarine and a surface patrol vessel. The project is intended for export and is supposed to attract the interest of less affluent countries looking to upgrade their fleets. In mid-April 2021, Rubin Design Studio unveiled a new project. They provide background information about an unusual idea, upcoming implementation, and expected results. In addition, this design studio also shows a hologram of a patrol boat with submarine features. The new export-oriented project is named ‘Sentinel’ in Russian, with the English designation chosen as ‘Border and Offshore Submersible Sentry’ or ‘BOSS’ . Sentinel will most likely be marketed as ‘BOSS’ in the international market. The project developers note that modern patrol boats are relatively cheap – and due to their low cost, they attract the attention of poor countries. The main goal of such ships is to be able to prevent poaching and illegal fishing. “Project Sentinel proposes the construction of a ship capable of operating on water or under water. It is claimed that such a ship in a position on the water will be able to carry out official patrols, locate and arrest violators,” said Viktor Murahovsky, editor-in-chief of the magazine’ Homeland Arsenal’, said. “The underwater location is intended for covert surveillance of intruders, reconnaissance and even to avoid adverse weather conditions.” According to him, this is the first version of the diving patrol boat. In the future, the model can be modified to suit the wishes of foreign customers. The official image shows a ship that has the appearance of a submarine but has some uncharacteristic features of a submarine. The Sentinel had an elongated hull with a flat deck on which a limited-sized superstructure was placed. At the bow of the ship, the shield of the hydroacoustic complex antenna can be seen. On either side, forward of the superstructure control tower, there are extendable horizontal rudders. At the stern of the ship there is a compartment for storing motorboats that are brought on deck. As expected, the architecture and main dimensions of the ‘Sentinel’ are similar to the diesel-electric submarines designed under the old ‘Project 613’. This is a major project in the history of the Russian Navy and is very popular with foreign customers. Depending on configuration, ‘BOSS’ ships can be up to 60-70 meters in length and displace around 1,000 tons – approximately the size of an average 613 submarine. The full composition of the ship’s special systems and equipment is not specified. But this semi-submersible patrol boat is capable of carrying weapons of all kinds. It can be equipped with a small artillery complex, a missile system or torpedoes. For reconnaissance and inspection of other ships, the ship will be able to carry UAVs and motorboats. Sentinel can accommodate up to 42 people. This includes crew members, ship operators, and inspection teams responsible for dealing with violators. “The development of the Sentinel project is to meet the current requirements of the international market. Many countries are expressing interest in patrol boats. Thanks to the Sentinel project, Russian industry was able to gain a new position in the international market,” said expert Murahovsky.
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