by Yuri UNKOVSKY, naval architect, former Chief of the RUBIN Central Naval Design Bureau (TsKB MT RUBIN) On May 25, 2001, there were celebrations in St. Petersburg to mark the 100th anniversary of the RUBIN Navy Design Bureau specializing in the production of advanced Russian subs. The century-long history of the Russian submarine fleet is inseparably linked with the names of Igor Bubnov, Boris Malinin and Pavel Pustyntsev-outstanding naval engineers and directors of the famous RUBIN Naval R&D Center. First of all, it should be pointed out that the establishment and subsequent growth and development of Russia's submarine fleet rested on the progress and achievements of this country's science and engineering. Back in the 18th century members of the St. Petersburg Academy Leonard Eiler and Daniil Bemulli formulated the theoretical foundation of naval marine engineering. And it was back in the reign of Peter the Great, the founding father of Russia's naval power, that an attempt was made by this country's craftsmen to design and build what they called "clandestine man of war". All through the 19th century some of this country's leading technical brains were engaged in R&D work on undersea vessels, but it was only by the end of that century that a high enough level of science and technology was accumulated for the building of subs for the Russian Navy. The key role in this field belonged to Member of the St. Petersburg Academy, Boris Yakobi. In 1901, Ivan Bubnov, Deputy Head of the R&D Department of the Russian Ministry of the Navy, was put in charge of a newly established Commission for the Development of Submarines. The head of the whole project was Alexei Krylov, an outstanding man of Russian science who later became full Member of the Academy. His task was "assist in a material way and by personal involvement and expertise all R&D work in the Department that could be required for the attainment of the established objective". page 55 The design ... Read more