«Прыжок кита»

Светлой памяти нашего учителя

главного конструктора системы «Узел»

ФИЛИППА ГЕОРГИЕВИЧА СТАРОСА

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“Whale Jump” is an extremely complex emergency surfacing manoeuvre, which can save a submarine in distress, provided that its captain and crew have courage, experience and determination. An action taken in extreme circumstances by a talented and brave leader and his team to save the day can be called a “Whale Jump”.

“Whale Jump” is the name of this book, about the creation of the command system of Soviet submarine Project 877 (Kilo class) also known as “Varshavyanka”.

“Whale Jump” is a historical account of how the submarine’s combat and navigation system “Usel” (Russian for “The Knot”) came into being.

“Varshavyanka” and “Usel” are still deployed in the 2st century by the navies of Russia, India, China, Iran, Algeria and other countries.

Their creation 40 years ago has tied an incredible «destiny knot» of many peoples’ lives – a Leningrad team of young and enthusiastic developers and their forever to be loved teachers and leaders: Philip Staros and Josef Berg, talented American engineers of amazing and tragic fates. More than once they had to execute a “Whale Jump”, was luck always with them?

Intelligence service conflicts, daring scientific endeavours, collaboration with the great creators of submarines, aircraft and spacecraft, the emergence, development and downfall of Soviet microelectronics, all formed the destiny knot described in this book.

The author, Mark Galperin, was born in Leningrad and educated at LITMO University. He joined the design bureau headed by Philip Staros as a student and worked under his guidance for 14 years. Mark was the first deputy to Philip Staros in the “Usel” design and was awarded the State Award of the USSR for his part in the Varshavyanka project. He now resides in Australia.

Создание боевой информационно-управляющей системы «Узел» является гигантским прорывом в двух принципиальных направлениях: