gTg said:
Yes! Thank you
How many Mother Subs will they operate in the end from Deer Bay?
2: BS-64 + KC-139 or 3: BS-64 + BS-136 + KC-139?
2 seems more likely although maybe there will be an overlap between БС-136 and КС-139. Just guessing. It is thought that all can handle most or all of the related midget subs so it's not a case of a dedicated host submarine per midget.
gTg said:
And any idea if there could be a functional difference between BS and KC/KS designated Mother Subs?
Both Deltas are BS and the Yankee and Oscar KC/KS.
I too find the designations confusing. Sadly it hints at a purely bureaucratic reason rather than a clear insight into capabilities.
My *guess* is that KS-xxx numbers are special mission subs in some central inventory, like the 'official' name, while BS-xxx is a 'tactical' number assigned later at unit level. So KS-139 might become BS-139 or some other BS- number when she enters service. But she also has the KANYON nuclear deterrence role so maybe some other designation.
Going back to BS-411 the YANKEE STRETCH she was also known as KS-411 ('С' = 'S' in Cyrillic so might be read as KC-411 - not really sure if KS or KC is more correct, treat as interchangable). According to the very reliable Deepstorm (http://www.deepstorm.ru/DeepStorm.files/45-92/nss/09774/k-411/k-411.htm) she was redesignated BS-411 from KS-411 on 3rd June 1992 after modernization as a special mission host submarine.
Coming up to BS-136, Deepstorm has her designated K-449 before conversion to special missions host sub and designated KS-129 on March 22nd 1996. And she was again redesignated BS-136 in 2000, possibly due to entering service.
Sound right?