Russia Stretched Its Learning Curve for This Sub

Background
Molten Eagle had presented aspects of Russia's vaunted K-329 Severodvinsk submarine twice before, as recently as February and June in 2014.

PR Hype Hid the Obvious --- Until Now

Hype examples:

"Severodvinsk submarine already causes headache to Pentagon"  Hype source 1

"The submarine is the first in a fleet of eight new Yasen class submarines... The K-329 outstrips the technology of rival submarines used by the British and American navies, and has been compared with the high-tech submarine that was taken over by a rogue Russian captain in the 1990 film The Hunt for Red October, starring Sean Connery."  Hype source 2

Realistic threat can be found in M.E.'s discussion of K-329's supersonic Onyx missiles (see June link above).

Jewel of Russia'a Northern Sub Fleet or Latent Tragedy for Her Crew?

October 12, 2013 - Russian Navy *STILL* doesn’t want to accept delivery of the K-329 Severodvinsk

"The phrase “plagued with problems” doesn’t even begin to cover it. ...

BarentsObserver’s reporting about delivering of “Severodvinsk” is becoming a multiple- year row of headlines entitled “ready by year-end.” The submarine, of which the construction started 20 years ago, was originally scheduled for commissioning in 1998. Eleven years later, the plan was to deliver the sub in 2010. Rescheduled to 2011. Rescheduled to 2012. Rescheduled to 2013. And today, a new dispute between the builder and the navy about the sub’s readiness has emerged."

June 19, 2014 - Russia Just Finished Submarine It Has Spent 20 Years Building

Consider that the contract to build another lead ship of her class, USS Thresher (SSN-593), had been awarded to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in January 1958, she was launched on 9 July 1960, and commissioned August 1961. The learning curve was retroactive to the Thresher tragedy.  M.E. wishes no tragedy on any Russian sub crew.  After 20 years of intervening design modifications, supplier shifts and transitions in responsible management, oversights and shortcuts must be expected as quality control headaches.  We hope that sea trials for K-329 Severodvinsk (not to be confused with the ill-fated K-129) have been thorough and totally successful!

Submarines are always silent and strange.