The Loss of the Kursk

[@deaddropholiday]

Credit where credit is due - the fact that the entire forward magazine detonated in one cataclysmic explosion and yet there was no containment breach and some crew survived is testament to the skill of the engineers who designed the boat. That's one tough SOB.

[@michielwerring5846]

Hadn't thought of that, but yeah. Considering what he said about what these torpedoes could do.

[@thedungeondelver]

Smit Salvage actually has a very good video here on KZbin about the process of salvaging the Kursk's remains. It's quite good and I do recommend watching it. Yes it was an industrial job approached as an engineering problem but the salvage team was very respectful throughout the process.

[@gpstoner1338]

Dutch master piece of a ship.

[@DebraJean196]

Thanks for the referral. The video was indeed well worth watching.

[@cylinders.]

I worked with some of the Kursk salvage crew during the salvage of the CV Rena in New Zealand in 2011/12, which was performed as a joint venture between SMIT and Svitzer. Those guys were amazing technicians. Many were ex-special forces ordinance divers from NATO countries. The torpedo that exploded was a top secret prototype that malfunctioned (hydrogen peroxide fuel malfunctioned in the same way a Type 65-76 does), not a Type 65-76 as is commonly attributed, which was going to be fired for the first time. The TS payload contributed greatly to the delays in rescue and salvage, due to Russia not having the capability to perform the rescue or salvage and being reluctant to give access to NATO to the TS weapon system. This is also a large part of why the bow was cut away and transported separately, the Kursk was transported under water, and held under the hull of a customised barge on it's way back to the Russian drydocks. RIP to all the sailors. NB* the steel cables were fitted with expanding "plugs" which were inserted into the Kursk through holes cut into the hull, and then hydraulically expanded once inside to create a rivet type connection from cable to ship, rather than welded.

[@slaphappyduplenty2436]

To think that, if Kursk had been tipped up onto its propeller where it lay, the bow would stick more than 50 meters out of the ocean surface.

[@AllisterCaine]

Beautifully illustrates how the kursk basically sunk in a bathtub.

[@skankhunt9078]

No. I don't think so

[@Gatekeeper0880]

​@skankhunt9078 Not sure what lala land you're living in, but 509ft ship length is definitely larger than 354ft depth

[@rekunta]

@@skankhunt9078math! It works!

[@blue2sco]

This is a tough one. Have done two honour guard duties at the memorial in Severmorsk 😢

[@wcraigburns3458]

Courage . I pray for peace .

[@SilentCyRadioShow]

Another beautifully explained video from a man who has probably forgotten more knowledge than most will ever know.

[@SubBrief]

Thank you kindly

[@cullenkelley4828]

Like I know a lot of people aren't fans of Russia atm. But Kursk is just an gutpunching event. When you look into the crew of the Kursk their pay wasn't great but generally it was seen as a massive honor to be on Kursk. Massive respect to the silent service of all nations.

[@clydebalcom3679]

No apologies necessary. Peacetime loss of life during an exercise is difficult no matter what country. It is not a bad thing to honor the departed.

[@JagerLange]

This. I recall the events as they happened but a few years later there was a docu I watched that had some home-video footage one of the sailors had taken before the voyage, which really brought out the "humanity" in what many probably didn't pay much attention to due to happening to "the others" (even in 2000 that mentality was still around, at least where I grew up). It's probably hard to get someone in 2023 to come to the story fresh with the same sympathies, and that's a shame.

[@itsjustme8947]

@@ItsMeUrDaad Well, nobody will ever accuse you of thinking........... I'd be willing to bet money that you also think that the J6 participants were 'patriots' too, eh?

[@pavel9652]

The US might have to share the stage with China, not with Russia, which ground themselves into insignificance in Ukraine. I am glad Kursk is no more. They have been always threatening my country, also with preemptive nuclear strikes and were hostile even before the war in Ukraine. I have zero sympathy for savages and don't have Stockholm syndrome.

[@VitroVine]

@@ItsMeUrDaad bro a fan of murdering civilians in ukraine

[@NiceRoadTrucker]

Thanks for the brief sir, your penultimate point on the last slide was very moving. As they say, "submariners are cut out from a different piece of cloth".May the departed souls RIP

[@christopherrasmussen8718]

Was in the USN when this happened. We all felt horrible. Then it got worse. Inept leadership to the top just got me.

[@SubBrief]

agreed.

[@Strype13]

Inept leadership. Russia in a nutshell.

[@trolleriffic]

If they were just inept it would be one thing, but the Kursk disaster was the result of a criminal disregard for the lives of those who served. The torpedoes were known to be unsafe but they were used anyway so that criminals and oligarchs could skim off the funds. After the disaster the remaining crew might have been saved but Putin and and his cronies let them die rather than accept help from the West. Those 118 men were murdered by their own leaders.

[@CyrusPalmer-k1r]

And the leadership of Russia is still the same all these years later...

[@CyrusPalmer-k1r]

And the Russian leadership is still the same all these years later...

[@Haos666]

@Sub Brief At 43:19 - the problem was not the fuel - as kerosene is fine, stable and quite safe, but the oxidizer. Type 65 was most likely used highly concentrated HOOH - also known as high-test peroxide. At such high concentration it is very vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and sometimes known to decompose energetically even when looked at incorrectly.

[@taraswertelecki3786]

It certainly will react vigorously in the presence of certain metals, decomposing into steam and oxygen at high temperature. In the body of a torpedo, that sort of chemical reaction will cause the torpedo to explode, and that was what doomed the Kursk and all of her crew. If the Russian Navy and Western Navies talked to one another, they might have avoided the accidents caused by high test hydrogen peroxide that have befallen Western submarines. I have handled this stuff in a lab, it looks like water but put it in contact with copper and stand back.

[@robertschultz6922]

@@taraswertelecki3786 I have heard that the torpedo ran away in the tube, is that what occurred or just a explanation due to a corrosion in the case of the weapon?

[@alzeheimersgaming]

This, high-test or high concentration H2O2 is notoriously energetic and terrifying to work with. Have used milder concentrations for piranha solution in lab, you couldn’t make me handle high-test in a hundred years.

[@wacojones8062]

@@timf2279 Titan II Oxidizer Dinitrogen tetroxide N2O4 and fuel Aerozine 50 a 50:50 mix by weight of hydrazine N2H4 and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) H2NN(CH3)2. Oxidizer and the fuel react violently on touching each other. High Proof Hydrogen peroxide was used in the Me 163 Rocket fighter in WW II by the Germans in a blend called T-Stoff with C-Stoff as the fuel. Look up also Damascus Titan missile explosion. That was due to a dropped wrench puncturing the missile's skin.

[@glennheth3472]

I used to work in the lab at a plant that made hydrogen peroxide. The stuff I worked with was 50-70% H202 and it's not something you mess around with. It's a very powerful oxidizer which in layman's terms means it likes to burn stuff. Anything that can burn needs to be kept well away from it. As an example, if you spilled some in the lab you'd have to soak the area down with water then whatever you used to clean it up with had to stay in a sink full of water. Because if you just wiped it up with a paper towel and threw it in the garage, a few minutes later you'd have a flaming trash can. It's also very reactive and if not stabilized will decompose on its own into water and oxygen (a process which releases a lot of heat and a large volume of gas). Getting 70% H2O2 on your skin is a bad experience. "High test" peroxide is 85-98% peroxide. Being in a submarine with a torpedo full of that stuff is downright insane.

[@nomar5spaulding]

I can't help it. The few minutes of that video I found myself whistling "Eternal Father Strong to Save." They would play that every year at Maine Maritime Academy when the Regimental Commander read the names of all the Academy graduates who lost their lives at sea. My mom used to worry that I was going to be killed by pirates, and she worries a lot more about my older brother, who is a sonar tech currently on USN Fast Attack boats. She basically won't even think about stuff like this.

[@Doc_Roe]

That had to be pretty freaky finding that out underway. Wow this is just such a terrifying nightmare of an event. Thank you for the amazing content.

[@SubBrief]

Yes it was

[@allensanders5535]

the salvage company is pronounced MAA-moot, Dutch for mammoth. we use them all the time in construction to move very large equipment. there actually a heavy lift and transport co. Smit is a salvage co.

[@SubBrief]

Maa-moot.

[@Misha-dr9rh]

Another interesting thing is that Mammoet also helped with Chernobyl's New Safe Confinement, they pushed it into position over the reactor with huge hydraulic cylinders sliding it along on plastic skids I believe.

[@glennheth3472]

@@SubBrief Google translated "Maa-Moot" as "Country Mode"

[@SebSN-y3f]

NL: Mammoet = Engl. Mammoth (= German: Mammut)

[@johngilbert6036]

We had a term for what happened to the Kursk when I was in Vietnam we called it a Cluster Foxtrot. I watched a movie about the incident, may god rest their souls, they deserved better from their leaders.

[@AnimeSunglasses]

37:16 I jumped in my seat when the realization of what I was looking at sunk in after a second or two. I've never before seen any photos of what the interior of Kursk's wreck looked like, and at first I thought those photos were after dismantling had begun... I have never seen any images of any ship so completely GUTTED. You're right, everyone forward of the reactor was instantly pulverized. Good gods.

[@wcraigburns3458]

May they rest in peace . I think these brave brave men would be ashamed of current russian servicemen particularly the Army .

[@RedTSquared]

Great Video, thanks for all the effort this took to put together. As a former Sailor in the US Navy, my thoughts go out to all the Bubble Heads. It takes special people to do what they do. I spent 3 days on a sub and I was a basket case. Thanks Jive.

[@babcombob]

Thanks!

[@SubBrief]

Welcome!

[@captainblackass9866]

Great video. As a fellow bubble-head, this video brought on so many emotions and memories,, such a tragedy. It is a fitting memroial to the sailors lost that day. May those sailors rest in peace. I was surprised that you got more than 1000 likes at 8 hours after posting. 👍

[@NYrender]

Another great video! Thank you, cap! It was pretty obvious since the beginning the main cause of the initial explosion and subsequent events was well-known combo of incompetence and arrogance called распиздяйство.

[@drsch]

In combat, you expect casualties. It's heart breaking when casualties result from preventable circumstances or negligence. Thank you for the brief.

[@SteelbeastsCavalry]

Aaron... You are the man. Thank you for this.

[@SubBrief]

Thank you, SteelbeastsCavalry. I enjoyed your live streams. Especially that UFO game.

[@SteelbeastsCavalry]

@@SubBrief It's been a long time since that one! Lol!

[@SteelbeastsCavalry]

@@SubBrief I'm hoping to be able to become a subscriber and not mooch you off KZbin when finances improve. 👍😎

[@kevincook1018]

This brings back vivid memories. Us engineers working in the Submarine Directorate at NAVSEA had endless discussions speculating what could have happened and how to assist in rescue. The Chief Engineer was discussing with Supervisor of Salvage if one our DSRVs could mate with a Russian hatch and how long it would take to fly it there.

[@JPkerVideo]

At least the crew at the front of the reactor compartment got a quick end. Sadly the crew that survived the blast had a long, terrifying end...

[@paperburn]

Your one statement brought back a flood of memory's, I worked with a bubble head once and the badder things got , the calmer and more focused he got. It was to the point of being really weird

[@aSkjaldborg]

Thank you for your service! o7

[@SubBrief]

I appreciate it.

[@barrylarking8986]

You are decent and humane man Aaron. A very thoughtful episode.

[@SubBrief]

I agree. Not special, just another human running around this crazy world.

[@Lennis01]

I remember when this happened. Thank you for this thorough explanation. It's appreciated.

[@SubBrief]

No worries!

[@Fred-rv2tu]

As a marine it’s always fascinating to me to sense your kinship with the Russian sailors. Given the differences in how we pursue our missions that’s some thing I couldn’t afford with my enemy but I admire it and you.

[@72evenant35]

Thanks for this video jive. Very sad I remember this event like it was yesterday. Cheers for another great video and your take on the Kursk.

[@SubBrief]

No worries

[@Georgi-Slavov]

What is so sad about it?

[@MrTylerStricker]

Been eagerly waiting for this "sub brief" to drop on YT as the Kursk is such a tragic & well-known casualty. Very nicely done, Capt. Jive! Thank you as always 👏

[@kalui96]

Thank you!!!! The depth of content in this one is awesome Even if they were/are technically our enemies, its a terrible shame, great loss of the best men a country can have. At the very least, there are lessons that could be learned from this, and I suppose some wet scrap metal. -Don't neglect your safety systems -A great man was enlisted on April Fools Day

[@jameslyddall]

I recently watched the colon firth movie about the disaster. I don’t care if I’m british and these are Russian they are human beings and neither one of us would ever want to end our lives in a steel can under the ocean the way these poor sailors did. So utterly heartbreaking. I remember being 11 And flying back from America to UK and seeing this in the times when we boarded.

[@johnbergmann2896]

Russia has thrown away many, many brave submariners from their poor workmanship. Hurts to read/watch.

[@Strype13]

@@johnbergmann2896 Russia has thrown away many, many of their citizens period. And are still continuing to do so as we speak, while attempting to take thousands of innocent Ukrainians down with them, unfortunately.

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

Good film imho. I’m no expert. I’m interested in the history of Russian dissidence (especially literary). The Russian people have arguably never had any sort of representative government, ie. a government with a genuine interest in the well-being of its citizens. That said Russian dissidence rarely embraces Western values.

[@toryswanson495]

I remember that deployment with you when this happened. Great presentation as usual STS1. One of my SOAC instructors was up there observing this when it happened. It was a pretty somber story from him.

[@SubBrief]

Right on, good to see you again.

[@timmotel5804]

As always, Thank You. This one is special. My best regards to you.

[@markjolliff3668]

Love your channel ! Found you through the tragic loss of the Titan submersible and me being an optimistic person found a bit of good in your content. Thanks

[@wingsoflead146]

love your channel, love hearing your thoughts on this stuff, very respectful to the families, and you're right they did and still do deserve better...

[@NotCubicRubic]

13:47 - 14:01 I am glad you mentioned the part about how you knew she was there following the carrier. I speak Russian so I watched the documentary Russians made about the whole incident (from their perspective of course) and in the diary that was found of one the sailors, he mentioned how they were following a US carrier undetected. Ever since I heard that statement I was wondering whether they didn't know they got detected or documentary lied about the note. I guess now I know.

[@schuttrostig5729]

pretty much that would be methodical: the 40k ton submarine just KNOWS its detected and gets pinged to death by the nato subs, but reports home "we followed undetected" to keep their face and get honored as best boat in northern atlantic.

[@meihem76]

@@schuttrostig5729 Or it's a psych out; Don't let them know we know they're there. They'll then underestimate our capability if and when it counts.

[@paulroustan3643]

@@meihem76 like American navy or any navy is going to give that pleasure to any other navy, no way, every navy thinks they are the best, and every navy show that if given half a chance. As a former Navy man my self for the Australian Navy I can tell you we thought we were the best trained and best equipped Navy out there, and being a naive 18yrs old sailor you actually buy the BS. Also Russian Subs from the 80s onwards are as good as the best NATO from the same era. Sub Briefs know these Russian subs are good at being hard to detect, even the Delta 4 was hard to detect, not to mention a Sierra or a Oscar who are deadly quite. My friend who still in the Navy as a sonar operator, said the new subs from Russia like the Yasen, and the Borie have yet to be detected, as they are deadly quite. The myth that Russian subs are noisey and less capable is a old cold myth and propaganda, Russian subs are just as quite, and can go trailer as deep and are very capable force.

[@CristiNeagu]

@@meihem76 More like "Don't let them know we know they know we're here."

[@theprotagonist8755]

​@@paulroustan3643I don't think anything you said is true. See Moskva for proof.

[@PapaVickers]

Aaron, BZ on a tough, tough narration of the loss of the Kursk. You are absolutely correct - we fight ships, not crews.

[@itinensanzen]

This channel is so professional and good. Nice job. Keep up the good work, sir.

[@SubBrief]

Thank you very much!

[@DrNickAG]

Thanks for sharing your insights on this disaster and your connection to the ship. I really appreciate your analysis of these events.

[@michaelsowden5892]

I have to say this is probably one of the best explanations of the Kursk tragedy. Of the dozens I have heard and read about.

[@SubBrief]

Thank you. Please help me by sharing it with your friends on social media.

[@ki5rllthreedronefour85]

Yes, to my shipmates still with us.

[@adamfrazer5150]

Having Kursk covered here on your Channel is an ideal arena to examine the events 👍 Although my naval experience consists largely of cleaning the family pool as a kid......the community surrounding you is not only one of esoteric knowledge of all kinds but sometimes I visit more often simply because the discourse in the comments doesn't inspire me to try my luck on the moon.... 🙃 Many thanks for covering this in a way that leaves me understanding it in ways far more satisfying. 👍🇨🇦

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

Superb brief. Just something that struck me when you ‘learned underway’. In the Spring of 1982 I was working on a fairly sensitive operation in the British Army. Just sensitive enough that we were in the field, 4-men teams, deployed covertly near a tgt (not an exercise). Through a Racal encryption device we could send and receive in clear, though we rarely used it. And we were astonished, one day, to hear that the Argentines had ‘invaded Falkirk’ which is in Scotland! When you’re ’underway’, so to speak, any intel/news surplus to operational requirements is rare, and when it does come it means the event is big and initial reporting is often not very reliable. I finished that year on South Georgia. Nowhere near Scotland.

[@rogerparkhurst5796]

Much appreciated, well done with the insightful narrative and supporting visual aids. Reminds of the Thrasher incident and how the US navy handled it publicly.

[@SebSN-y3f]

Thank you very much for your, as always, very good explanations and your insightful and honorable words! That is real greatness, to know that humanity, seamanship and professionalism are above stupid hatred, despite all the opposition. I am very grateful for all the good information on this channel! My condolences to all the families affected!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

*_Great_** video, Aaron.* *R.I.P., Crew of the Kursk.*

[@mikemorr100]

Imagine the process of disarming those damaged weapons. There is no EOD suit that will protect you from being instantly vaporized by these things and it could happen literally at any time.

[@StuSaville]

I got a chance a few years ago to have a look at the rescue sub currently in service with the Royal Australian Navy. Blew me away when one of the guys mentioned that it was the actual sub that the Brits sent to help with the rescue attempt of the Kursk's crew.

[@nigethesassenach3614]

Brilliant, respectful video Aaron. Thank you for your work.

[@tomcook5813]

Thank you as always, a genuine look in the eyes thank you for this content

[@SubBrief]

I appreciate that!

[@brt-jn7kg]

Remember the Admiral that was in charge of the war games second or third day I believe he was in the press on CNN saying that an American submarine had collided with the Kursk.

[@Ostenjager]

"The Russian response was incompetence..." That seems to be an enduring theme with the Russian military post-WWII.

[@kingduckford]

A recurring theme of the Russian military throughout most of its history.

[@hanzzel6086]

@kingduckford "Do you see torpedo boats?"

[@sixft7in]

Hey Aaron! I just realized that the Kursk trailed the carrier I was stationed on (USS Theodore Roosevelt) in the Ionian sea during the Kosovo action. Kinda creepy thinking about it now 25 years later.

[@jethrotull5847]

I think it great that via personal experience and common sense you can “filter” any mis information from foreign ( and maybe even domestic ) web sites. I can only hope congressional advisors are as are as “sober” and non biased as your “sub briefs”. Carry on Sir, well done.

[@JoshuaC923]

I read a book about the accident when i was young, always captivating. Thanks for sharing, what a tragic accident. Rip

[@X737_]

I spent 22 years in the Navy as well mate. I think I’d rather be in a seagate submersible than on a Russian sub in action stations or battle stations as you guys call them. The UK SSN in station when Kursk went down was The Splendid, my best pal was on there at the time. I was at Faslane on a shore job at the point. Best regards from Scotland

[@X737_]

For those who don’t know Splendid is nuclear powered but not ICBM carrying, it uses tomahawks as it’s aerial missile.

[@internautabr]

Imagine a torpedo detonating inside of a sub meanwhile you're inside of it. That must've been brutal.

[@bryanrussell6679]

They never made it to periscope depth or called for help because the initial explosion killed everyone in the control room too.

[@Dius765RS]

*TRULY TRAGIC -* The biggest take away for me, being from the UK, is _'We Fight The Ship, Not The Crew'._ These were people, brothers, fathers & sons... With family's. Everything that could have been done to bring them home should have been done, at the earliest date! Maybe relations with Russia would be different today if this story concluded with *global cooperation* bringing these sailors home alive to their loved ones. Condolences to everyone affected

[@Raptor747]

Er, global cooperation was offered. Russia rejected it all until it was far too late, and even then, it hindered those efforts until it ceased to matter. If Russia had allowed for international assistance and valued the lives of its sailors over needless pride, those sailors would have been rescued. The Russian government does not value the lives of its citizens, and certainly not its soldiers. Just look to the invasion of Ukraine for further proof. It SHOULD have been a case where global cooperation saw a bittersweet ending salvaged from the wreckage. That, in something of a miracle, the cataclysmic explosion in the torpedo room did not kill everyone aboard, and that there were survivors in the submarine, that were then rescued by teams of people and specialized vehicles ready for just such a disaster. And if Russia really was heading towards a more Western, liberal, and prosperous future, it would have turned out like that. But Putin was not like that, and his subordinates weren't either. They were thugs back then, and they're thugs now. The way they treat the survivors of the Moskva is no different from how they treated the victims from the Kursk.

[@Dius765RS]

@SaltyWaffles 28:49 Yes! I understand what you are saying my friend, but we _'The West'_ has to take some responsibility as to why Russia was unwilling to accept aid on or around the 16th August. The earliest possible date - We _'The West'_ are as much to blame as Russia in the proliferation of mistrust & scepticism in accepting the aforementioned aid from the UK & Norway. That was my underlining point 👍

[@hanzzel6086]

​@Dius765RS Uhh, sure buddy, sure.

[@Dius765RS]

@@hanzzel6086 Not ur buddy, could be ur daddy though. Maybe even step-dad if the bish is still alive... Let me know, Son 😔

[@hanzzel6086]

@@Dius765RS Kelsey? That you? Hmm, no. Not enough talk about Aliens... Kevin maybe?

[@Blacksheep1968]

You do such a thorough job with these reports. Wondering if you could expand to more naval incidents. Example, my dad's ships. Belknap collision,. Basilone accident....world wide of course. Ty

[@ig_jr_Area52]

Bravo Zulu ! Excellent narrative ! Best wishes from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@clownhands]

I just skipped through a half dozen trash “documentary”-style videos on Kursk trying to a find a Sub Brief-style video…and here you are 👍🇺🇸

[@jackroutledge352]

There's a whole series of "wtf" moments here, but the fact that they welded the rescue buoy to the hull to prevent accident deployment was the biggest one for me. Holy moly. 🙄

[@Justowner]

Its a very common problem with safety features and warning systems. When the system starts triggering when there isn't an actual problem or the problem is too minor in scope to warrant the system response, the people who use the system start ignoring it, or disabling it. I believe they call it alarm fatigue. The guy in the video even states that this disabling is basically standard operating procedure for the submariners at this time.

[@ericb2103]

remember Kursk vividly. I was a couple weeks from finishing boot at great lakes before heading over to bess and a-school. the boat I ended up on a little less than a year later was on deployment in the med when Kursk went down and did a rapid change out of the dry deck shelter to the mystic dsrv when they got word Kursk had gone down. they were rdy to go and could have been at the Kursk in just a few days, but never got the go ahead. politics left alot of men to die for no good reason.

[@BigTArmada]

Very interesting, I hope we're able to hear those ONI recordings some day

[@tomriedinger6675]

Incredible video! Very informative, great narrator who obviously knows what he is talking about. Really tragic incident for the sailors and especially their families.

[@generaldvw]

Excellent work Sub Brief…Excellent.

[@milandimitrijevic7957]

Great video as always, hreat job.! I just have one remark. In 1999, this submarine was in the Adriatic Sea, tracking US aircraft carriers, NATO submarines and an intelligence mission during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

[@tomriley5790]

Impressive that the reactor bulkhead held against the blast. Can't help wondering why did it take so long to get the rescue sub in the water, with the vessel already in position and especially with a worsening sea state - also if they had 2 of them why didn't they launch the other one. All in all it seems like it was a complete mess...probably not drilled/practiced for ages. In all honesty though I'm not sure that the US or UK would have been any quicker to accept Russian assistance. The UK had a similar fire in a sub with similar torpedoes just post war and abandoned them. Such a shame they didn't get the survivours of the initial explosion off...

[@bartoszbaranowski604]

Russians/Putin did not allow it, changed schedules, normal ransacking of equipment etc. Plus regular "no info, west is going to get us". There was scheduled exercise for russian rescuers. They conducted some training and went homes with info that there will be training alert. So it did happen, but no one told them that it became real deal. When they got there, they had to dive blind - sea bed wasnt scanned and their two( AFAIR) boats were stripped of similar equipment. AFAIR I read somewhere it took them 9 dives to simply locate the sub. Norway, USA and one other country offered help almost immediately but offers were turned down by Putler( who was enjoying his R&R in Sochi). Once norway( I think) got approval russians were doing shady shit to derail attempts - change schedule, revoke access etc etc.

[@hondansx1000]

yep that was HMS Sidon. It was moored in Portland Harbour not far from where my dad grew up, he was only 10 when that blast happened and can still remember the day-ish

[@Raptor747]

Corruption rendered the vessels/equipment unusable that was supposed to be usable.

[@johnpublic6582]

Plenty of time to practice later, drink vodka now and steal batteries from the rescue sub to buy more vodka.

[@safety_doggo2]

Most of the equipment was already rusting at the time. This is right after the USSR collapsed.

[@zukazealanee]

It's both heartbreaking and infuriating that those survivors were left to die because one sad, pathetic excuse for a leader was too proud to admit they needed help.

[@epeeypen]

? what? they died 6 hours later after the oxygen chem pack they tried to replace fell into the water and exploded. it was 14 hours after the first explosion before the navy even realized they were gone.

[@AndSome625028]

It's so infuriating that Boston marathon bombing could have been prevented not for pathetic excuse for a leader was too proud to admit they needed help.

[@cherminatorDR]

Kinda reminds me of the Shuttle disasters - this wasn't a problem before, therefore it's unlikely to be a problem, despite the laments of the engineers.

[@alayneperrott9693]

The book "Kursk" by Robert Moore is a gripping read. Less technical than your video, but based on a large number of interviews with Russian submariners, Kursk sailors' families, Royal Navy submarine rescue specialists and North Sea divers as well as American submariners.

[@HarryWHill-GA]

I retired at the end of June 2000. I read a summary and heard the audio provided by my then employer. I'm not sure if it was the same one you saw. Bravo Zulu on the video.

[@NightHeronProduction]

I'd be interested to someone like you who heard the recording make a recreation of the recording based on recollections. Can I ask have you come across any recordings that sound similar? For instance they recreate the explosion in the documentary "Raising The Kursk" does that sound similar?

[@HarryWHill-GA]

@@NightHeronProduction Even if I still had access to the recordings, there is no way I could provided them or any authoritative impression. All the material I dealt with at that time was TS/SCI. Please don't take this wrong but unfortunately I can't help you. Don't ask again.

[@NightHeronProduction]

@@HarryWHill-GA No completely understand fair enough. Hats off to you sir!

[@HarryWHill-GA]

@@NightHeronProduction Thank you. Not everyone is as understanding.

[@RMMinc]

I remember the days all news were about the Kursk catastrophe. Very confusing reports of yet another unsuccessful attempt to contact the sailors. And collision/attack version was the loudest one for sure. This explanation helped to fix some blind spots in the picture dry reports didn't include. Thank you. Brb, going to google what secret internet is

[@SubBrief]

google Niper and Siper net

[@cacamalapasa1508]

@@SubBrief i used to work in intelligence IT support, and in siper and HAL (headquarters and labs, DOE labs-LLNL, also creating PKI certs per scattered castles). so work with the navy on the 'devices.'

[@MrBPC76]

Was on my first boat when this happened, and I remember an STS1 coming out of the shack with the ONI data CD on Oscar II Hull 10 and was like "Guess we don't need this."

[@SubBrief]

I really hope that was me... but even I know that there are eight more Oscar II subs that CD would be good for... so probably not me. Maybe? I did do dumb things in the Navy so, it might have been me....

[@admiralsnackbarkekwalice6167]

Political and national ideals aside, sailors are sailors, and we all have a common enemy in the deep, for old Lady Ocean is our commin foe above all. Respects to the Crew of Kursk, may she never be forgotten.

[@ToddDunning]

What an absolute gem of a presentation.

[@GeorgiModev]

As a standard safety procedure every russian sub going on patrol now has the number of this dutch company.

[@birdsoup777]

Awesome video. Submarine technology is 1 of my favorite topics. Thank you for taking time to show us. It is a Tragedy. I'm sure Russia delayed help for a reason.

[@Ramtots]

I was stationed in Groton when this happened, and remember it like it was yesterday. A hell of a thing. We all felt for those guys and the guys on the Toledo.

[@rustyzipper19]

If anyone caught the explosion on hydrophones I can’t imagine what they were thinking. Absolutely bone chilling

[@Madhouse_Media]

I remember hearing a theory that a bad weld on one of the torpedoes was the trigger event. If so, he and the guy welded the emergency bouy hatch should have switched jobs.

[@georgejoseph4164]

Gidday from NZL... listening to this is like the Titanic, I know the ending but the why is far more interesting.. Thank You Cptn Jive.. I'd love to ask you over a burger if you were in the Barents during this... but I won't..

[@mdb831]

I feel aweful for the crew and families. Also the crew of USS Toledo who listened to it all.

[@ktwei]

I have never seen photos of the interior, it is probably the most shocking thing i've seen in a while.

[@davidfoster2613]

I remember the Kursk Accident very well. I was on my grandparents boat. In the San Juan Island. The one thing I still don’t understand to this day is why the Russian didn’t allow the United States or NATO to help them rescue the Russian sailors. I still believe to this day. I still don’t understand why the Russian would let us help. I believe we could of saved the sailors that where still alive.

[@connorbranscombe6819]

Same reason NATO/America wouldn’t accept help from Russia, it’s bad optics to ask for help from your “adversary”.

[@Spacejunkie13]

Amazing narrative and research!

[@SubBrief]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mrkeiths48]

When the news broke, it was a moment to reflect back. How many times while underway, did I proceed to maneuvering to assume my watch and conditions were nominal............

[@Tina06019]

This is one hell of a sad story.

[@dasboat64]

As someone who has spent a lot of time at sea on 3 US Aircraft Carriers & 3 US Submarines.., nothing but respect for ANY Sailor at sea. The World's Oceans are extremely unforgiving! RIP Kursk, Thresher, Scorpion and all others on Eternal Patrol. 😢

[@MrGrenadeMcBoom]

When PORTER got hit by Otowasan holy crap did we get sharp. I've never seen sailor move like that.

[@bigsarge2085]

Finally able to catch a live stream, it's been so long!

[@StaK_1980]

Back in Hungary the word on the street was that they refused the foreign people because of the Squal torpedoes. They were "improved" versions and that one of these squals is that got off. As public, we will never know. Also that fuel is a mess!

[@davidmurphy8190]

The fuel system was similar to that developed by Walther for their experimental U-boats, the Type XVIII. Not aa success.

[@walkinwithjesus]

Found your channel a few weeks ago. This is what I was hoping you would do a report on. Thanks

[@tyrionlannister4920]

yes. i am here a 3rd time. reinstalling that Kursk game on steam and afterwards, start a new campaign with an Oscar II in Cold waters

[@hanzzel6086]

They where all so preventable. Even a few seconds difference at almost any point could have had completely different results, and yet the stars aligned yo give us the absolute worst outcome.

[@yoseplatuallaki7817]

Russian here. The Kursk sailors were doomed by our government because of that stupid secrecy policy from the Soviet Union. Not the first and not the last victims of our government. Rest in peace, my comrades, we will not forgive those, who left you to die.

[@blue2sco]

Think some of the crew could of been rescued. The Royal Navy rescue team from Rosyth were on station quickly. Just Cold War attitude prevented them from getting them off.

[@machdaddy6451]

I was in the Navy from 1973 to 1979 as an ET. I never got on a ship. My last job, before retiring, was as a Navy contractor. During my time as a Navy contractor I went on more than a dozen ships, in support of CSSQT ops. Ironic.

[@musicmanfelipe]

Ugh, imagine being a sonarman, thinking you’re just going to observe and record a routine Russian naval exercise, only to hear things going horribly wrong.

[@billballbuster7186]

Great presentation. A catalogue of incompetence from the Russian military. Still in a Cold-War mentality that prevented help from foreign vessels.

[@billballbuster7186]

@@shmeckle666 Very true the Russians think they are still the Soviet Union in the days of the Warsaw Pact. In reality they are a Third World economy with nuclear weapons.

[@billballbuster7186]

@@shmeckle666 Well it cant afford to build modern weapons, no T-14 Regiments or SU-57 Squadrons yet in service. Before the Ukraine war Russia's GDP was below that of Canada with a population of only 39 Million.

[@billballbuster7186]

@@shmeckle666 Russia was boasting several years ago the Su-57 and T-14 would be in service by 2020, but only small numbers of prototypes have been built. Which ever way you look at it Russia's future looks bleak. I doubt very much western Europe will buy from Russia again, Russia's biggest market gone. Now the Crimea has no water!

[@cacamalapasa1508]

I enjoy your videos, especially how you combine sources and include your interpretation and experience. I read somewhere that when the torpedoes were loaded, one was dropped, but not replaced. It was suggested that the dropping the torpedo may have weakened some welds which allowed kerosene and hydrogen peroxide to leak. Also, the internal sensors in the torpedo reported increasing temperature, which the crew reported to the captain. The torpedo crew wanted to jettison the torpedo in case it exploded. However the captain refused. Is this speculation? Is there a reason you did not mention this in your video?