Submarines are in service in many countries around the world. Among them there are small ships, the crew of which consists of 1-2 sailors and largest submarines in the world. We will talk about the latter in the article.
The largest submarines are underwater cruisers, whose underwater displacement can reach 48 thousand tons and a length of 172 meters.
Length 128 meters
In 10th place among the largest submarines in the world are the Soviet Project 667A submarines, equipped with ballistic missiles. The submarine is 128 meters long and 11.7 meters wide. Equipment - 16 launchers with R-27 missiles. Range – 2400 kilometers. The submarine's total combat kit is 22 torpedoes, two of which are nuclear.
The development of Navaga series submarines began in 1958.
Length 138 meters
French A-class submarines are among the largest submarines in the world. Construction of the first submarine began in 1986. The collapse of the USSR made adjustments to the number of submarines built - instead of 6, 4 submarines were created.
Dimensions of the submarine: underwater displacement - 14,335 tons, hull length - 138 meters, width - 12.5 meters. Armament: 16 M45 class ballistic missiles. Ninth place in our ranking.
Length 140 meters
The Chinese submarines of Project 094 “are also striking in their size.” They take 8th place in the ranking of the largest submarines in the world. They replaced the 092 Xia class boats. Construction of new submarines began in 1999. Because China prefers to keep all its military developments secret, little is known about the new generation of submarines. The length of the submarine is 140 meters, width is about 13 meters, underwater displacement is 11,500 tons. Armament: 12 ballistic missiles with a range of up to 12 thousand kilometers.
In 2004, the first submarine of the Jin series was launched. According to the Chinese side, China currently has 6 submarines of this type in service. They were supposed to begin combat patrols in 2014.
Length 150 meters
Among the largest submarines in the world are the British "class" submarines. In the 1990s they replaced the Resolution type boats. The emergence of new submarines from the USA and the USSR forced England to begin creating a new type of submarine with the same high combat characteristics. Initially, it was decided to build at least 7 submarines, but with the collapse Soviet Union There was no longer a need for so many missile carriers. A total of 4 Vanguard-class submarines entered service. Construction of the first of them began in 1986.
Dimensions of the submarine: underwater displacement - 15,900 tons, hull length - 150 meters, width - 12.8 meters. Armed with 16 ballistic missiles of the Trident-2 D5 system.
Length 155 meters
Submarine dimensions: underwater displacement 13,050 tons, hull length 155 meters, width 11.7 meters. Armament: 16 R-29R intercontinental liquid-propellant missiles with a range of more than 6,000 km.
Today, most of the Kalmar submarines have been dismantled, the rest are part of the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Length 155 meters
Project submarines are among the largest submarines. This is a modernization of the Murena project boats. The main difference is the placement of 16 missiles, not 12. For this, the boat’s hull was increased by 16 meters.
Submarine dimensions: underwater displacement 15,750 tons, hull length 155 meters, width 11.7 meters. Armament: 16 R-29D missiles with a range of more than 9,000 km. Fifth place in the ranking.
Length 167 meters
The “Project” submarine, which ranks 4th in our rating, continued the development of the “Squid” project. Construction of the first submarine began in 1981. 7 submarines were built. Now they are all part of submarine fleet Russia. In terms of its size, a submarine of this type is among the largest submarines in the world. Its underwater displacement is 18,200 tons, length is 167 meters, width is 11.7 meters. Armament: 16 R-29RM class ballistic missiles.
Length 170 meters
American "" class submarines are among the largest submarines in the world. They are third-generation submarines and are equipped with 24 Trident ballistic missiles. Their feature is split warheads and an individual target guidance system. Today, Ohio-class submarines form the core of America's nuclear forces. They are on combat duty in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Dimensions of the submarine: underwater displacement - 18,750 tons, hull length - 170.7 meters, width - 12.8 meters. The maximum diving depth is 55 meters. The first submarine of this type entered service in 1981.
Interesting fact: in 2009, during combat duty, the crew of the USS Rhode Island submarine rescued four men and a boy who were shipwrecked and stranded at sea for four days with no hope of rescue.
Length 170 meters
Russian submarines of Project 955 "" occupy 2nd place in the ranking of the largest submarines in the world. 3 submarine cruisers have been built and entered service, three are under construction and the last one was laid down in December 2015. In total, by 2018 it is planned to build 8 Borei submarines. The submarine was developed to replace the submarines of the Dolphin and Shark projects.
Submarine dimensions: underwater displacement 24,000 tons, hull length 170 meters, width 13.5 meters. Armament: 16 Bulava missiles.
Length 173 meters
The first place in the ranking of the largest submarines in the world is occupied by the Russian submarine Project 941 "". This is the largest submarine built by man. Imagine a colossus the height of a nine-story building and the length of two football fields - this is the legendary “Shark”. From the point of view of combat effectiveness, such dimensions are questionable, but one cannot help but admire the power of this giant submarine.
Construction of the submarine began in 1976. "Shark" was a response to the project of the American Ohio-class submarine. The first submarine missile carrier entered service in 1980.
Dimensions of the submarine: underwater displacement 48 thousand tons, hull length 172.8 meters, width - 23.3 meters. The submarine is armed with 20 three-stage R-39 Variant ballistic missiles.
The submarine has created improved conditions for the crew. There is a small swimming pool, solarium, sauna, gym and even a living corner.
The dimensions allow the submarine to break ice more than two meters thick. This means that it can carry out combat patrols in Arctic latitudes.
In total, Russia has 6 Akula class submarines in service.
During the Cold War, in the 70s, another race began between the USSR and the USA to see who would be the first to master a nuclear submarine fleet. Having something like this would give a significant advantage to one side or the other. And it was precisely thanks to the tenacity of the designers, driven by military forces, that the largest submarine.
The Americans established their position with the help of a nuclear-powered missile cruiser called the Ohio, which had about 24 missiles with nuclear warheads. This forced Russian craftsmen to take on a more powerful project, called 941 “Shark”, but foreign media dubbed it “Typhoon”.
Until now, the submarine, which has become the largest in the world, is considered the most successful and large-scale project that has ever been implemented on the territory of the USSR. It had 19 compartments, each of which was accessible to visitors. It was even possible to ascend in incredibly cold conditions, that is, from under the ice, which explains the powerful sealing of the cabin and its well-thought-out protection.
It is not for nothing that the largest nuclear submarine received such a title, because its length is over 173 meters. The most striking example given for size ratio is a football field. In length, "Typhoon" occupies two such sports grounds. But she also managed to impress with her displacement - more than 50 thousand tons, which is twice as much as that of the Ohio, created by American craftsmen.
They were comparable only in speed - both submarines could develop 24 knots at their maximum efforts. There is no exact data regarding the autonomy of the Ohio, but the Russian creation could remain in the waters of the world’s oceans for at least six months, without refueling or the need to replenish provisions. Everything was included and provided.
The Typhoon was set in motion only thanks to two nuclear reactors, which generated the necessary energy for the turbines corresponding to each of them. The crew serving the ship consisted of 150 people, a significant part of whom were officers. Were created for them best conditions– spacious cabins for two or four persons. The sailors had their own small cubicles and rooms. It is worth considering that even in them, each had its own washbasins and televisions. The crew spent most of their time on watch, and during free periods they had the opportunity to go to the gym, visit the sauna or swimming pool, which was equipped inside the submarine.
In the event of an alarm and instructions received that fighting allowed, the enemy could feel the successive explosion of two dozen nuclear missiles, which could easily turn several coastal American states into one continuous scorched place. It is because of this that the “Shark” was once renamed “Typhoon”. It is worth considering that in addition to missiles, the steel-clad boat also had at its disposal about three dozen torpedoes.
Exactly six such underwater structures were manufactured within the framework of Project 941, from 1976 to 1988, each of which is still suitable for action. Three are in use, two are in reserve and one allows testing of new weapons being developed.
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Story
Project 941 "Shark" (SSBN "Typhoon" according to NATO classification) - Soviet heavy strategic missile submarines (TRKSN). Developed at one of the leading Soviet enterprises in the field of submarine design, at the Rubin design bureau, in St. Petersburg. The development order was issued in December 1972. Project 941 nuclear submarines are the largest in the world and are still among the most powerful.
In December 1972, a tactical technical task, for design, S.N. Kovalev was appointed chief designer of the project. New type submarine cruisers were positioned as a response to the US construction of Ohio-class SSBNs (the first boats of both projects were laid down almost simultaneously in 1976). The dimensions of the new ship were determined by the dimensions of the new solid-fuel three-stage intercontinental ballistic missiles R-39 (RSM-52), with which it was planned to arm the boat. Compared to the Trident-I missiles that were equipped with the American Ohio, the R-39 missile had best characteristics flight range, throw weight and had 10 blocks versus 8 for the Trident. However, the R-39 turned out to be almost twice as long and three times as heavy as its American counterpart. The standard SSBN layout was not suitable for accommodating such large missiles. On December 19, 1973, the government decided to begin work on the design and construction of a new generation of strategic missile carriers.
TK-208 is the first submarine built of this type. It was laid down at the Sevmash enterprise in June 1976. Her launch took place on September 23, 1980. Before the ship was launched, an image of a shark was painted on the bow. Then shark stripes began to appear on crew uniforms. Although the project was started later than the American project, the cruiser still entered sea trials a month earlier than the American Ohio (July 4, 1981). TK-208 entered service on December 12, 1981. In total, from 1981 to 1989, 6 Akula-type boats were built and launched. The planned seventh ship was never completed.
For the first time, Leonid Brezhnev announced the creation of the “Shark” series at the 26th Congress of the CPSU, saying: “The Americans have created a new submarine “Ohio” with Trident-I missiles.” We also have a similar system - “Typhoon”. Brezhnev called the “Shark” “Typhoon” for a reason; he did this in order to mislead his Cold War opponents.
To ensure reloading of missiles and torpedoes, in 1986 the diesel-electric transport-missile carrier “Alexander Brykin” of Project 11570 with a total displacement of 16,000 tons was built.
On September 27, 1991, during a training launch in the White Sea on the TK-17 Arkhangelsk, a training rocket exploded and burned out in the silo. The explosion tore off the cover of the mine, and the warhead of the rocket was thrown into the sea. The crew was not injured during the incident; the boat was forced to undergo minor repairs.
In 1998, the Northern Fleet underwent tests, during which 20 R-39 missiles were launched simultaneously.
Chief designer of the project Sergey Nikitich Kovalev
Sergei Nikitich Kovalev (August 15, 1919, Petrograd - February 24, 2011, St. Petersburg) - general designer of Soviet nuclear-powered strategic submarine cruisers. Twice Hero Socialist Labor(1963, 1974), laureate of the Lenin Prize (1965) and the State Prize of the USSR, Russian Federation (1978, 2007), holder of four Orders of Lenin (1963, 1970, 1974, 1984), holder of the Order of the October Revolution (1979), full member Russian Academy Sciences (1991, USSR Academy of Sciences - since 1981), Doctor of Technical Sciences.
Biography
Sergei Nikitich Kovalev was born on August 15, 1919 in the city of Petrograd.
In 1937-1942 he studied at the Leningrad Shipbuilding Institute. Because of the Great Patriotic War completed his studies at the Nikolaev Shipbuilding Institute.
In 1943, after graduating from the institute, he was assigned to work at the Central Design Bureau No. 18 (later became known as the Central Design Bureau of Marine Equipment "Rubin"). In 1948 he was transferred to SKB-143 to the position of assistant chief designer. Since 1954, he became the chief designer of the Project 617 steam and gas turbine boat.
Since 1958, he has been the Chief (later General) designer of nuclear submarines and strategic submarine cruisers of projects 658, 658M, 667A, 667B, 667BD, 667BDR, 667BDRM and 941. At Sevmash, only according to Kovalev’s designs, 73 submarines were built. A total of 92 submarines were built according to all Kovalev’s projects.
Sergei Nikitich Kovalev died in St. Petersburg at the age of 92.
Awards
Honorary titles
Orders and medals
Awards
Design
The power plant of the submarines was made in the form of two independent echelons, located in two different, fortified buildings. The reactors were equipped with an automatic shutdown system in the event of loss of power supply, and to monitor the condition of the reactors, the submarine was equipped with pulse equipment. Also, during the design, the TTZ included a clause on ensuring a safe radius; for this purpose, methods for calculating dynamic strength were developed and tested by experiments in experimental compartments complex nodes housings (fastening modules, pop-up cameras and containers, inter-body connections).
To build the Sharks, a completely new workshop No. 55 was specially built at Sevmash, which became the largest indoor boathouse in the world. The ships of this project have a large reserve of buoyancy - more than 40%. In a fully submerged state, exactly half of the displacement is accounted for by ballast water, for which the boats received the unofficial name “water carrier” in the navy, and in the competing design bureau “Malachite” - “a victory of technology over common sense.” One of the reasons for this decision was the requirement for the developers to ensure the smallest draft of the ship to be able to use existing piers and repair bases. Also, it is the large reserve of buoyancy, coupled with a durable deckhouse, that allows the boat to break through ice up to 2.5 meters thick, which for the first time made it possible to conduct combat duty in high latitudes right up to the North Pole.
Crew conditions
On the Sharks, the crew members are provided with not just good, but unimaginably good living conditions for submarines. For its unprecedented comfort, the Sharks were nicknamed the “floating hotel,” and sailors call the Shark the “floating Hilton.” When designing the Project 941 submarines, apparently, they did not particularly strive to save weight and dimensions, and the crew was accommodated in 2-berth, 4-berth and 6-berth cabins lined with wood-like plastic, with desks, bookshelves, lockers for clothes, washbasins and televisions.
The “Shark” also has a special recreation complex: a gym with a wall bars, a horizontal bar, a punching bag, exercise bikes and rowing machines, and treadmills. True, some of this did not work from the very beginning. It also has four showers, as well as nine latrines, which is also very significant. The oak-paneled sauna was, generally speaking, designed for five people, but if you tried, it could accommodate ten. There was also a small pool on the boat: 4 meters long, two meters wide and two meters deep.
Representatives
| Name | Factory number | Bookmark | Launching | Commissioning | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy" | 711 | June 17, 1976 | September 23, 1980 | December 12, 1981, July 26, 2002 (after modernization) | Modernized according to project 941UM. Converted for the new Bulava SLBM. |
| TK-202 | 712 | 22 April 1978 (01 October 1980) | September 23, 1982 (June 24, 1982) | December 28, 1983 | In 2005, it was cut into metal with financial support from the United States. |
| TK-12 "Simbirsk" | 713 | April 19, 1980 | December 17, 1983 | December 26, 1984, January 15, 1985 (as part of the Northern Fleet) | In 1998, he was expelled from the Navy. On July 26, 2005, it was delivered to Severodvinsk for disposal as part of the Russian-American Cooperative Threat Reduction program. Disposed of |
| TK-13 | 724 | February 23, 1982 (January 5, 1984) | April 30, 1985 | December 26, 1985 (December 30, 1985) | On July 15, 2007, the American side signed a contract for disposal. On July 3, 2008, recycling began in the docking chamber at Zvezdochka. In May 2009, it was cut into metal. In August 2009, a six-compartment block with reactors was transferred from Severodvinsk to the Kola Peninsula to Saida Bay for long-term storage. |
| TK-17 "Arkhangelsk" | 725 | February 24, 1985 | August 1986 | November 6, 1987 | Due to lack of ammunition, it was put into reserve in 2006. The issue of disposal is being resolved. |
| TK-20 "Severstal" | 727 | January 6, 1987 | July 1988 | September 4, 1989 | Due to lack of ammunition, it was put into reserve in 2004. The issue of disposal is being resolved. |
| TK-210 | 728 | - | - | - | Not pawned. Hull structures were being prepared. Dismantled in 1990. |
TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy"
TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy"- Project 941 “Akula” heavy strategic missile submarine, armed with ballistic missiles, designed to launch missile attacks on strategically important enemy military-industrial facilities. Modified according to project 941UM. Equipped with the Bulava missile system with 6 hypersonic nuclear warheads. "Dmitry Donskoy" is the fastest of all ships in the series, it exceeded the previous speed record of Project 941 "Akula" by two knots.
Ship history
| date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 16, 1976 | |
| July 25, 1977 | |
| December 29, 1981 | |
| February 9, 1982 | |
| December 1982 | Transition from Severodvinsk to Zapadnaya Litsa |
| 1983-1984 | Trial operation of the D-19 missile system, which includes the R-39 (Soviet solid-fuel submarine-launched ballistic missile) |
| December 3, 1986 | Included on the Board of Winners of the socialist competition of advanced formations, ships and units Navy |
| January 18, 1987 | Inscribed on the Honor Board of advanced units and ships of the USSR Ministry of Defense |
| August 1988 | Testing under the “Soil” and “Placer” programs |
| September 20, 1989 | Moved to Severodvinsk to Sevmashpredpriyatie for major renovation and modernization according to project 941U |
| 1991 | Curtailment of work on project 941U |
| June 3, 1992 | Classified as a subclass TAPKSN |
| 1996 | Resumption of work on project 941UM |
| 1989-2002 | Modernization carried out according to project 941UM |
| October 7, 2002 | Given the name "Dmitry Donskoy" |
| June 26, 2002 | Exit from the stocks |
| June 30, 2002 | Beginning of mooring tests |
| July 26, 2002 | Re-introduced into the Northern Fleet |
| 2008 | Repairs and modernization were carried out at OJSC PO Sevmash |
| September 2013 | Plans were reported to launch the R-39 Bulava ICBM from the Dmitry Donskoy to confirm the technical characteristics of the missile |
| June 9, 2014-June 19, 2014 | Exit from the territory of OJSC PA "Sevmash" to the sea |
| July 21, 2014 | Returned to the territory of the Belomorsk Naval Base after conducting state tests of the SSBN 955 "Borey" and K-551 "Vladimir Monomakh" |
| August 30, 2014 | Together with the SSGN K-560 "Severodvinsk" of project 885 "Ash" and MPK-7 "Onega" of project 1124M "Albatross" entered the White Sea |
Specifications
| Technical characteristics of TK-208 “Dmitry Donskoy” | |
|---|---|
| Surface speed | 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Underwater swimming speed | 27 knots (50 km/h) |
| Working depth | 320 meters |
| 400 meters | |
| Sailing autonomy | 120 days |
| Crew | 165 people |
| Surface displacement | 23200 tons |
| Submerged displacement | 48000 tons |
| Maximum length | 172 meters |
| Maximum width | 23.3 meters |
| Height | 26 meters |
| Power point | 2 turbines, 45,000 l/s each |
Main weapons
TK-202
TK-202- Project 941 Akula heavy strategic missile submarine. The second ship in this series.
Ship history
| date | Event |
|---|---|
| 02 February 1977 | Enlisted in the lists of ships of the Navy |
| July 25, 1977 | Classified as a subclass of heavy strategic missile submarine cruiser (TRKSN) |
| December 28, 1983 | Entry into service of the USSR Navy |
| January 18, 1984 | Included in the Northern Fleet |
| April 28, 1986 | Getting into the trawl of a fishing vessel |
| September 20, 1989-October 1, 1994 | Medium repair in the city of Severodvinsk at the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Zvezdochka" |
| June 3, 1992 | Classified as a subclass TAPKSN |
| March 28, 1995 | Withdrawn from the Navy and put into storage in Nerpichya Bay, in the city of Zaozersk |
| August 2, 1999 | Towed to the city of Severodvinsk |
| 1999-2003 | Was in the city of Severodvinsk at the Federal State Enterprise "Zvezdochka" waiting for cutting into metal |
| 2003-2005 | Cut into metal. Reactor compartments were towed to the sludge in Saida Bay |
Specifications
| Technical characteristics of TK-202 | |
|---|---|
| Surface speed | 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Underwater swimming speed | 25 knots (46.3 km/h) |
| Working depth | 400 meters |
| Maximum immersion depth | 480 meters |
| Sailing autonomy | 180 days |
| Crew | 160 people |
| Surface displacement | 23200 tons |
| Submerged displacement | 48000 tons |
| Maximum length | 172 meters |
| Maximum width | 23.3 meters |
| Height | 26 meters |
| Power point | 2 pressurized water reactors OK-650, 150 MW each 2 propeller shafts with 50 thousand hp per shaft |
Main weapons
TK-12 "Simbirsk"
TK-12 "Simbirsk"- Project 941 Akula heavy strategic missile submarine. The third ship in this series.
Ship history
| date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 19, 1980 | |
| May 21, 1981 | Enlisted in the lists of ships of the Navy |
| December 17, 1983 | Launched |
| August 22-25, 1984 | First trip to sea as part of factory sea trials |
| November 13-22, 1984 | State tests with testing of the missile system |
| December 27, 1984 | Entry into service of the USSR Navy |
| December 28-29, 1984 | Made the transition to its permanent base in Nerpichya Bay (Zapadnaya Litsa) |
| June 12-18, 1985 | Moved from Nerpichya Bay to the city of Severodvinsk to Sevmashpredpriyatie |
| August 7-September 3, 1985 | |
| September 4-10, 1985 | Testing of individual functions of the navigation system in the White Sea |
| September 21-October 9, 1985 | Completed a trip to high latitude areas |
| July 4-31, 1986 | Inter-pass repairs were carried out at Sevmashpredpriyatie |
| August 1-18, 1986 | Completed an extensive acoustic testing program |
| August-September 1986 | The first of the ships of this project made a trip to the North Pole |
| 1987 | Awarded the title "Excellent Ship" |
| January 27, 1990 | Placed in 1st category reserve for upcoming repairs |
| February 9, 1990 | Came to the city of Severodvinsk to Sevmashpredpriyatie for repairs |
| April 10, 1990 | Placed in category 2 reserve due to an operation to reload the reactor cores |
| November 1991 | |
| June 3, 1992 | Classified as a subclass TAPKSN |
| 1996 | Placed in reserve. Laid up in Neprichya Bay |
| 2000 | Expelled from the Navy |
| November 2001 | Received the unofficial name "Simbirsk" |
| July 2005 | Towed from its permanent base to the city of Severodvinsk to Sevmashpredpriyatie for disposal within the framework of the Russian-American program “Cooperative Threat Reduction” |
| June-April 2006 | Spent nuclear fuel was disposed of from the ship |
| 2006-2007 | Cut into metal. The reactor compartments were sealed, launched and towed for long-term storage to Saida Bay |
Specifications
| Technical characteristics of TK-12 "Simbirsk" | |
|---|---|
| Surface speed | 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Underwater swimming speed | 27 knots (50 km/h) |
| Working depth | 320 meters |
| Maximum immersion depth | 380 meters |
| Sailing autonomy | 120 days |
| Crew | 168 people |
| Surface displacement | 23200 tons |
| Submerged displacement | 48000 tons |
| Maximum length | 172 meters |
| Maximum width | 23.3 meters |
| Height | 26 meters |
| Power point | 2 pressurized water reactors OK-650, 190 MW each 2 turbines of 45 thousand hp each. |
Main weapons
TK-13
TK-13- Project 941 Akula heavy strategic missile submarine. The fourth ship in this series.
Ship history
| date | Event |
|---|---|
| February 23, 1982 | Laid down in workshop No. 55 "Sevmashpredpriyatie" in the city of Severodvinsk as a heavy strategic missile submarine cruiser (TRPKSN) |
| January 19, 1983 | Enlisted in the lists of ships of the Navy |
| April 30, 1985 | Launched |
| December 26, 1985 | Signing the acceptance certificate for the submarine's entry into service |
| February 15, 1986 | Included in the Northern Fleet with permanent base in Neprichya Bay |
| September 1987 | visited the submarine General Secretary Central Committee of the CPSU M. S. Gorbachev |
| 1989 | Won the prize of the Navy Civil Code for missile training |
| June 3, 1992 | Classified as a subclass TAPKSN |
| 1997 | Withdrawn from the Navy |
| June 15, 2007 | Disposal contract signed |
Specifications
| Technical characteristics of TK-13 | |
|---|---|
| Surface speed | 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Underwater swimming speed | 27 knots (50 km/h) |
| Working depth | 320 meters |
| Maximum immersion depth | 400 meters |
| Sailing autonomy | 120 days |
| Crew | 165 people |
| Surface displacement | 23200 tons |
| Submerged displacement | 48000 tons |
| Maximum length | 172 meters |
| Maximum width | 23.3 meters |
| Height | 26 meters |
| Power point | 2 pressurized water reactors OK-650, 190 MW each 2 turbines of 45 thousand hp each. |
Main weapons
TK-17 "Arkhangelsk"
TK-17 "Arkhangelsk"- Project 941 Akula heavy strategic missile submarine. The fifth ship in this series.
Ship history
| date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 9, 1983 | Laid down in workshop No. 55 "Sevmashpredpriyatie" in the city of Severodvinsk as a heavy strategic missile submarine cruiser (TRPKSN) |
| March 3, 1984 | Enlisted in the lists of ships of the Navy |
| December 12, 1986 | Launched |
| December 12, 1987 | Arrived at permanent place based in Nerpichya Bay (Western Litsa) |
| February 19, 1988 | Included in the Northern Fleet |
| June 3, 1992 | Classified as a subclass TAPKSN |
| June 17, 2001 | Left for the city of Severodvinsk for repairs |
| November 18, 2002 | Given the name "Arkhangelsk" |
| 2002 | Repairs at Sevmashpredpriyatiya have been completed |
| February 15-16, 2004 | V.V. Putin and his entourage went out to sea on a submarine |
| January 26, 2005 | Withdrawn from the permanent readiness forces |
| May, 2013 |
Specifications
| Technical characteristics of TK-17 "Arkhangelsk" | |
|---|---|
| Surface speed | 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Underwater swimming speed | 25 knots (46.3 km/h) |
| Working depth | 400 meters |
| Maximum immersion depth | 480 meters |
| Sailing autonomy | 120 days |
| Crew | 180 people |
| Surface displacement | 23200 tons |
| Submerged displacement | 48000 tons |
| Maximum length | 172 meters |
| Maximum width | 23.3 meters |
| Height | 26 meters |
| Power point | 2 pressurized water reactors OK-650, 190 MW each 2 turbines of 45 thousand hp each. |
Main weapons
TK-20 "Severstal"
TK-20 "Severstal"- Project 941 Akula heavy strategic missile submarine. The sixth ship in this series.
Ship history
| date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 12, 1985 | Laid down in workshop No. 55 "Sevmashpredpriyatie" in the city of Severodvinsk as a heavy strategic missile submarine cruiser (TRPKSN) |
| August 27, 1985 | Enlisted in the lists of ships of the Navy |
| April 11, 1989 | Launched |
| December 19, 1989 | The acceptance certificate for entry into service was signed |
| February 28, 1990 | Included in the Northern Fleet |
| June 1990 | Took part in exercises to determine unmasking factors |
| June 3, 1992 | Classified as a subclass TAPKSN |
| October 11, 1994 | Left for the city of Severodvinsk at Sevmashpredpriyatie for repairs |
| December 3-4, 1997 | Took first place in the Northern Fleet in missile training |
| 1998 | Took first place in the Northern Federation in the fight for survivability |
| June 20, 2000 | By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, the name "Severstal" was assigned |
| 2001 | At the end of the year it was declared the best submarine of the Northern Fleet |
| April 29, 2004 | Placed in reserve |
| 2008 | Was in reserve until the decision was made to scrap or re-equip |
| May, 2013 | A decision has been made to dispose of |
Specifications
| Technical characteristics of TK-20 "Severstal" | |
|---|---|
| Surface speed | 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Underwater swimming speed | 25 knots (46.3 km/h) |
| Working depth | 400 meters |
| Maximum immersion depth | 480 meters |
| Sailing autonomy | 180 days |
| Crew | 160 people |
| Surface displacement | 23200 tons |
| Submerged displacement | 48000 tons |
| Maximum length | 173.1 meters |
| Maximum width | 23.3 meters |
| Height | 26 meters |
| Power point | 2 pressurized water reactors OK-650, 190 MW each 2 turbines of 45 thousand hp each. |
Main weapons
TK-210
TK-210- Project 941 Akula heavy strategic missile submarine. It was planned to be laid down in 1986 at Sevmash under serial number 728. It was supposed to be the seventh ship in the series, but due to the SALT-1 agreement, construction was canceled, and the finished hull structures were dismantled for metal in 1990.
Comparative assessment of project 941 "Shark"
The US Navy has only one series of strategic boats in service, which belong to the third generation - the Ohio. A total of 18 Ohio-class submarines were built, of which 4 were converted to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles. The first nuclear submarines of this series entered service simultaneously with the Soviet Sharks. Due to the possibility of subsequent modernization inherent in the Ohio, including with mines, extra space and replaceable cups, they use one type of ballistic missiles - Trident II D-5 instead of the original Trident I C-4. In terms of the number of missiles and their number, the Ohio is superior to both the Soviet Sharks and the Russian Borei.
"Ohio", in contrast to Project 941 "Shark", are intended for combat duty in the open ocean in warm latitudes, in the case where "Sharks" are often on duty in the Arctic, while being in the relatively shallow waters of the shelf and, in addition, under a layer of ice, which has a significant impact on boat design. In particular, for Sharks, sea temperatures above +10 °C can cause significant mechanical problems. Among US Navy submariners, diving in shallow waters under the Arctic ice is considered very risky.
The predecessors of the "Sharks" - submarines of projects 667A, 670, 675 and their modifications, were nicknamed "roaring cows" by the American military due to their increased noise; their combat duty areas were located off the coast of the United States - in the coverage area of powerful anti-submarine formations, moreover they had to overcome the NATO anti-submarine line between Greenland, Iceland and Great Britain.
In the USSR and Russia, the main part of the nuclear triad consists of ground-based strategic missile forces.
After the acceptance of strategic submarines of the Akula type into service in the USSR Navy, the United States agreed to sign the proposed SALT-2 treaty, and the United States also allocated funds under the Cooperative Threat Reduction program for the disposal of half of the Akulas with a simultaneous extension service life of their American “peers” until 2023-2026.
On December 3-4, 1997, in the Barents Sea, during the dismantling of missiles under the START-1 treaty by shooting from the Akula nuclear submarines, an incident occurred: while the US delegation was observing the shooting from aboard a Russian vessel, a multi-purpose nuclear submarine of the type Los Angeles maneuvered near the nuclear submarine Akula, approaching at a distance of up to 4 km. The US Navy boat left the firing area after warning detonation of two depth charges.
The Soviet Union and the United States maintained nuclear parity with each other until the early 70s. Neither side had an overwhelming superiority over each other in the number of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles. In the USSR, they relied on silo installations of nuclear intercontinental missiles and a nuclear submarine fleet. Strategic aviation was small in number and did not have the qualities that would provide it with air superiority over the enemy. In the United States, on the contrary, at that time there already existed a nuclear triad, in which the main emphasis was on strategic aviation and silo launchers of ICBMs.
However, even this a large number of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles, capable of repeatedly destroying all life on the planet, could not satisfy either the Soviet or the American side. Both countries were looking for a way to create a first strike advantage. The rapidly developing arms race in this direction led to the emergence of the largest submarines in the history of mankind, the Soviet Project 941 Akula-class nuclear submarines.
Reasons explaining the appearance of the steel monster
The huge steel monster, the size of a 9-story building, was a response to the appearance of the Ohio-class nuclear submarine in the US Navy. This submarine could carry 24 intercontinental missiles. Not a single submarine in the USSR possessed such firepower. The presence of such submarines by the enemy negated the existing balance in delivery means, which had been achieved with such difficulty by that time. Project 941, developed in the Soviet Union, could not only deprive the Americans of superiority in the naval component of the nuclear triad, but also provide a certain advantage.
This is what caused the next round of the naval arms race. Work began to boil in Soviet design bureaus and overseas. Each country tried to be the first to create a strategic submarine missile carrier.
The reasons for the appearance of a ship of this size are explained by the technical side of the issue. The thing is that the Soviet nuclear submarine was created with the expectation of being ahead of the Americans in terms of the power of its missile salvo. The Project 941 nuclear submarine was supposed to carry on board the new R-39 intercontinental ballistic missiles, which were superior to the American Trident-1 intercontinental missiles deployed on the Ohio-class missile submarines. The Soviet nuclear baton could carry 10 nuclear warheads, instead of the 8 on the American missile, and the R-39 missile flew much further than its American counterpart. The new Soviet rocket had three stages and, according to the project, was supposed to weigh up to 70 tons. Having such specifications main weapon, Soviet designers had to decide difficult task— create an appropriate launch platform.
In addition, it was planned to immediately install 20 such missiles on the new nuclear submarine missile carrier. The commissioning of new Soviet nuclear-powered ships was supposed to cool the militant ardor of overseas strategists. As foreign sources noted, the Soviet Typhoon-class Shark submarine, according to NATO classification, could wipe out the entire West Coast of the United States with one salvo. The presence of 3-4 missile carriers of this type by the Soviets would threaten the entire territory of the United States, not to mention the vulnerability of the territories of NATO allies.
The enormous destructive power akin to a typhoon strike, which the Soviet submarine possessed, became the reason for it to be given the appropriate name “Typhoon” in the West. According to the classification, Project 941 boats had the code “Typhoon”.
For reference: According to the NATO classification, “Akula” submarines were Soviet multi-purpose submarines of the “Shchuka-B” type of Project 971, built already in the mid-80s. The NATO code “Akula” was assigned to these ships after the name of the lead ship of the K-284 “Akula” nuclear submarine project, which entered service with the Pacific Fleet in 1984.
Birth of a record holder
In the Soviet Union, there have already been cases of creating record-breaking equipment. This includes the world's largest transport aircraft, the AN-22 Antey, and the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker, Lenin. In military terms, the USSR also caused a lot of trouble for the American military, creating an excellent military equipment. The latest generation of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles caused terror overseas. The navy did not lag behind in this regard, so the world's largest nuclear submarine, the Akula, did not come as a surprise to the Soviet country.
The Soviet ship, built in the early 80s of the 20th century, remains to this day an unsurpassed achievement of design thought. For many technical parameters The new nuclear submarine is rightfully considered the most ambitious Soviet military project. The technical dimensions of the ship alone are amazing, not to mention the cost of building a ship of such scale. The length of the ship is 173 meters, and the width of the hull is 23 meters. The hull of the boat is a steel cigar the size of 9 storey building. Only the draft of the boat was 12 meters. These dimensions also corresponded to the huge displacement. The Soviet submarine missile carrier had the displacement of a World War II battleship - 50 thousand tons.
In terms of displacement, the Akula nuclear submarine was three times larger than its opponent, the Ohio-class submarine. If we talk about the name of the ship, the Soviet version has folk origin. Even on the slipways, the boat began to be called a shark. This comparison was so successful that it subsequently took root in military and political circles. For the first time in the general public, the new nuclear-powered missile cruiser was called “Shark” by the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee L. I. Brezhnev.
For reference: In the domestic fleet, the first submarine, called “Shark,” was created back in 1909. The designer of the submarine was Ivan Bubnov. The boat died in the First World War during a military campaign.
The designers of the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Equipment, the flagship of the Soviet shipbuilding industry, handled the task of developing a project for a Soviet underwater super-cruiser perfectly. In 1972, Leningraders received technical assignments for the development of a project for a third-generation strategic nuclear submarine. Design work headed by the talented Soviet designer S.N. Kovalev, who already had completed and successful projects behind him. His offspring roamed the seas and oceans, remaining a reliable shield of the Soviet state. Since 1973, after the decision of the Soviet government, work on the creation of the project began within the walls of the Rubin Central Design Bureau.
The place where new ships of this size were built was the Sevmash enterprise. For the construction of new ships, a new boathouse of enormous size was specially erected on the shipyard territory. Dredging work was carried out in the water area of the shipyard to allow the passage of ships of such a large displacement.
Three years later, the first lead submarine of Project 941 was laid down on the Sevmash stocks. The ship received the factory index TK-208 (heavy cruiser - 208). In total, it was planned to build 7 ships under this project over the next 10-15 years. It should be noted that Soviet designers managed to overtake their American colleagues by earlier creating finished project new submarine missile carrier. The launch of a new Soviet submarine of colossal size in September 1980 came as a real shock to the Americans. The first Ohio-class boat launched in December 1981, when the Soviet missile carrier entered the active fleet.
Over the course of 8 years, from 1981 to 1989, 6 vessels of the same type were built in the Soviet Union. The seventh ship planned for construction remained on the stocks, even taking into account the fact that the main hull structures for the submarine were ready. The construction of Soviet nuclear missile carriers of Project 941 was provided by more than 1000 related enterprises. At the Sevmash shipyard alone, 1,200 people worked on the construction of the ship.
An interesting detail: of the 6 ships built according to the project, the very first one turned out to be the longest-lived. The KT-208 submarine, launched back in 1981, continues to be in service today. Now this is the TPRKSN (heavy strategic missile submarine cruiser) “Dmitry Donskoy”, KT-208 boat of Project 941.
Design features of the Project 941 submarine missile carrier
For the uninitiated, the boat is a huge whale-shaped steel cigar. However, for specialists, special attention is drawn not so much to the size of the ship as to its layout. The submarine has a double-hull design. Behind outer shell The lightweight body, made of steel, houses a dual main robust body. In other words, inside the boat there are two separate hulls located parallel to each other according to the catamaran design. Durable cases are made of titanium alloy. The torpedo compartment, central post and aft mechanical compartments on the ship are placed in closed compartments, capsules.
The space between the two durable hulls is filled with 20 silo launchers. The conning tower is shifted to the rear of the boat. The entire front deck is one big launch pad. This arrangement of launchers implies the possibility of simultaneous launching of all ammunition. In this case, the missiles should be launched with a minimum time interval. The Soviet missile carrier is capable of launching missiles from surface and submerged positions. The working immersion depth for launch is 55 meters.
The ship has 19 compartments, each of which communicates with the others. Horizontal rudders are installed in the light hull of the bow of the boat. The conning tower has a reinforced structure, specially designed for the emergency ascent of the ship in conditions of the presence of a continuous ice sheet on the surface. Increased strength is key distinctive feature Soviet missile carriers of the third generation. If American Ohio-class nuclear submarines were built to patrol in clean waters Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Soviet submarines mainly operated in the Arctic Ocean, therefore the ship’s design was created with a safety margin capable of overcoming the resistance of an ice shell 2 meters thick.
On the outside, the boat has a special anti-radar and soundproof coating, the total weight of which is 800 tons. Another feature of the ship's design is the presence of life support systems in each individual compartment. The internal layout of the boat is planned and equipped in such a way as to ensure the survival of the ship's crew in the most unforeseen situations.
The heart of the nuclear-powered ship is two OK-650VV nuclear reactors with a total power of 380 MW. The submarine is set in motion through the operation of two turbines with a capacity of 45-50 thousand l/s each. Such huge ship It also had propellers of the appropriate size - 5.5 m in diameter. Two 800W diesel generators were installed on the boat as backup engines.
The nuclear-powered missile carrier on the surface could reach a speed of 12 knots. Underwater, a submarine with a displacement of 50 thousand tons could move at a speed of 25 knots. The working diving depth was 400 m. At the same time, the boat had a certain reserve of critical diving depth, amounting to an additional 100 m.
A ship of such large size and with such performance characteristics was controlled by a crew of 160 people. A third of this number were officers. The interior living quarters on the submarine were equipped with everything necessary for a long and comfortable stay. Officers and midshipmen lived in comfortable 2- and 4-berth cabins. The sailors and petty officers lived in specially equipped cubicles. All living areas on the boat were served by an air conditioning system. During long cruises, the ship's crew, free from combat shifts, could spend time in the gym, visit the cinema and library. It should be noted that the ship’s autonomy exceeded all standards existing before that time - 180 days.
Main comparative characteristics of the Project 941 ship
The Soviet nuclear-powered ship, which entered service in 1981, had a significant superiority in comparison with other foreign-built ships of the same type. The likely opponents of the Soviet III generation missile carrier were:
- American Ohio-class nuclear submarine with 24 Trident ICBMs on board, 18 units built;
- English nuclear submarine "Vangard" with 16 Trident ICBMs, 4 units built;
- French nuclear submarine Triumphant with 16 M45 ICBMs, 4 ships were also built.
The Soviet nuclear submarine was three times larger than all the listed ships in terms of displacement. It had a total weight of 51 tons for a salvo of 20 R-39 ICBMs. British and French submarines were significantly inferior to the Soviet missile carrier in this parameter. British and French nuclear submarines could fire warheads weighing a total of 44 tons at the enemy. Only American Ohio-class submarines, of which less than two dozen were launched, could compete with the Soviet underwater giants.
No other ship, domestic missile carriers of projects 667BDRM and 955, could compare in displacement and combat power with Akula-class submarines. Soviet nuclear submarines, launched in the 80s of the last century, formed the basis of the nuclear missile power of the USSR and became the basis for the nuclear naval component of modern Russia.
The nuclear-powered icebreaker KT-208 “Dmitry Donskoy” remains the only operational ship of this class in the Russian Navy. Two vessels, KT-17 Arkhangelsk and KT-20 Severstal, were put into reserve in 2006 and 2004. respectively. The final decision on the fate of these two legendary ships has not yet been made. The nuclear submarine KT-208 received a new name in 2002 - KT-208 “Dmitry Donskoy”. The boat is the only one of all ships of this type that has retained its technological resource. This, in turn, made it possible to carry out on the ship in 1999-2002. modernization according to project 941M. The purpose of the modernization was to re-equip the ship for the new Bulava SLBM.
There are no plans to equip the ship with new ballistic missiles. The submarine is used as a self-propelled floating test complex for new types of missile technology. The decision of the high government commission was to extend the life of the vessel until 2020. The nuclear-powered missile carrier is based at the Zapadnaya Litsa naval base and is part of the Russian Northern Fleet.
Construction of heavy nuclear-powered strategic missile cruisers of Project 941 “Akula” ( international classification"Typhoon") was a kind of response to the construction of US nuclear submarines of the " Ohio", armed with 24 intercontinental ballistic missiles.
In the USSR, the development of a project for a new class of submarines began later than the Americans. The designers were faced with a difficult technical task - to place 24 missiles weighing almost 100 tons each on board. After many studies, it was decided to place the missiles between two durable hulls. As a result, the first Akula submarine was built in record time - in 5 years.
In September 1980, unusually large soviet submarine the height of a nine-story building and the length of almost two football fields touched the water for the first time. Delight, joy, fatigue - the participants in that event experienced different feelings, but everyone was united by one thing - pride in a great common cause. Mooring and sea trials were carried out in record time. Tests took place not only in the White Sea, but also in the North Pole area. There were no operational failures during the period of missile firing. During construction nuclear submarines class " Typhoon"were applied latest achievements in the creation of shipborne radio-electronic equipment and noise reduction. Submarines of this project are equipped with a pop-up rescue chamber designed for the entire crew.
heavy nuclear-powered strategic missile cruiser "Akula"
Interestingly, the total underwater displacement submarine "Shark"" is about 50,000 tons. Moreover, exactly half of this weight is ballast water, which is why it was dubbed a “water carrier.” This is the price of the transition from liquid hot to solid fuel. As a result, the project Shark" became the largest submarine in the world and is included in the Guinness Book of Records. For the construction of nuclear submarines, a new workshop was specially built at the Northern Engineering Enterprise - the largest indoor boathouse in the world. The first Project 941 submarine code "TK-208" was laid down at the shipyard of the shipbuilding enterprise in 1976, launched on September 23, 1980, and entered service at the end of 1981. Then five more submarines were built and one of them was nuclear submarine « Dmitry Donskoy». Nuclear submarine"TK-210", laid down in 1986, was never put into operation and was dismantled in 1990 due to the high cost of the project.
dates of laying, launching and commissioning of Project 941 submarines
Design Project 941 submarine made according to the “catamaran” type: two separate durable hulls are located in a horizontal plane parallel to each other. In addition, there are two separate sealed capsule compartments - a torpedo compartment and a control module located between the main buildings in the center plane, which houses the central post and the radio-technical weapons compartment located behind it. The missile compartment is located between the pressure hulls at the front of the ship. Both housings and capsule compartments are connected to each other by transitions. The total number of waterproof compartments is nineteen. The central post compartment and its light fencing are shifted towards the stern nuclear submarine. The robust hulls, central post and torpedo compartment are made of titanium alloy, and the lightweight hull is made of steel (a special sonar is applied to its surface rubber cover, increasing stealth submarines). Submarine "Shark""has a developed stern tail. The front horizontal rudders are located in the bow of the hull and fold. The cabin is equipped with powerful ice reinforcements and a rounded roof, which serves to break the ice during ascent.
Conditions of increased comfort have been created for the boat crew. The officers were placed in relatively spacious two- and four-berth cabins with washbasins, televisions and air conditioning, while the sailors and petty officers were housed in small cockpits. Submarine « Shark“received a gym, swimming pool, solarium, sauna, relaxation room, “living corner” and other premises.
According to domestic press reports, existing plans for the development of Russia's strategic nuclear forces provide for modernization Project 941 nuclear submarines with the replacement of the D-19 missile system with a new one. If this is true, submarine "Shark""has every chance of remaining in service until 2010. In the future, it is possible to convert part of the 941 project into transport nuclear submarines, intended for the transportation of goods along transpolar and cross-polar routes, the shortest route connecting Europe, North America and other countries. The cargo compartment built in place of the missile compartment will be capable of accepting up to 10,000 tons of cargo.
the largest submarine in the world photo
nuclear submarine "Shark" parked
on a barrel
submarine "Shark" on a combat mission
submarine "Shark" on the surface