Ballistic missile system D-19 class R-39 "Variant"

The D-19 complex was developed specifically for Project 941 submarines. It consists of 20 R-39 Variant three-stage ballistic missiles. Given the size and weight of these shells, the Shark is the only type of submarine capable of carrying them on board.

The range of destruction of missiles is 8300 km, the warhead is divided into 10 warheads, each with its own guidance. The mass of the rocket at launch is 90 tons, the weight of each warhead in TNT equivalent is 100 kilotons.

All missiles can be launched in one gulp, with a small interval between individual launches. It is allowed to fire from the surface position, as well as from a depth of up to 55 m. Weather conditions do not affect launches. The depreciation rocket launch system reduces the interval between launches and the level of noise produced.

Missile complex D-19U with 20 ballistic missiles R-39UTTH "Bark"

In 1986, the Akula submarine missile system was planned to be upgraded for R-39UTTKh Bark missiles. These shells were supposed to cover a distance of up to 10 thousand km, and also pass through the ice. The re-equipment was to take place in 2003, when the life of the R-39 was ending. However, in 1998, after unsuccessful tests, it was decided to curtail the project and develop a new solid-fuel ballistic missile, the Bulava.

Specifications

open launch silos

The technical characteristics of Project 941 submarines are the most outstanding in the world. Giant dimensions, combined with a safe layout and firepower, make each such cruiser a reliable tool for nuclear deterrence.

Pressurized water nuclear reactor with a capacity of 190 MW

The nuclear power plant is made according to the block type. It consists of two pressurized water reactors on thermal neutrons OK-650. The thermal power of each is 190 MW, the total shaft power is 2x50,000 liters. With.

Turbine

The submarine "Shark" has two steam turbines. Each is located in the aft compartments of the main hulls, which increased the survival of the submarine. Due to the two-stage rubber-cord damping and block layout, vibration isolation of the units is provided, which reduces the overall noise.

mover

"Shark" has two low-speed fixed-pitch seven-bladed propellers. To reduce the noise produced, the propellers are in annular fairings (fenestrons).

Reserve means of movement

The reserve means of movement of Project 941 submarines include two ASDG-800 800 kW diesel generators, two 190 kW DC electric motors and a lead-acid battery. For maneuvering in confined spaces, two thrusters with 750 kW engines and rotary propellers are provided. They are located in the bow and stern.

Radio electronic equipment

The design of the "Shark" was originally designed for service in polar conditions

Electronic equipment and weapons are represented by the following systems:

• information and control combat system "Omnibus";
• hydroacoustic complex "Skat-KS", on TK-208 was replaced by "Skat-3";
• hydroacoustic mine search station MG-519 "Harp";
• echometer MG-518 "North";
• radar complex MRCP-58 "Buran";
• navigation system "Symphony";
• the Molniya-L1 radio communication complex and the Tsunami satellite communication system;
• television complex MTK-100.

Two pop-up buoy type antennas are also provided. They allow you to receive signals, messages and target designations at a depth of 150 m, as well as when under ice.

Full speed and displacement characteristics

The speed characteristics of the Shark submarines have the following indicators:

• surface speed - 12 knots;
• underwater - 25 knots (46.3 km / h);
• autonomy of navigation - up to 6 months.

Surface displacement is 23,200 tons, underwater - 48,000 tons. These submarines are jokingly called water carriers, because when immersed, half of their weight is ballast water.

Diving depths

Project 941 submarines are capable of diving up to 500 m. The working depth is 400 m, radio communication is provided at 150 m, and ballistic missiles are launched up to 55 m.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the Project 941 submarine have the following meanings:

• waterline length - 172.8 m;
• hull width - 23.3 m;
• draft at the waterline - 11.2 m.

Thanks to these parameters, the Shark is the largest submarine in the world, designed specifically to carry R-39 missiles. The crew is 160 people, including 52 officers.

Advantages and disadvantages

With the advent of high-precision strategic ballistic missiles, stationary launch silos began to lose ground in the issue of delivering a guaranteed retaliatory strike. Project 941 nuclear submarines were created to restore this potential.

The advantages of the Shark submarines are represented by three key aspects:

• the possibility of serving in the Arctic, including under-ice shelves;
• heavy R-39s, which have no analogues among portable strategic missiles;
• increased safety and survivability of the crew and the submarine due to the structural layout.

The appearance of such cruisers in service with the Soviet fleet prompted the United States to sign the SALT-2 treaty. It was these boats that ensured the parity of world powers in the Cold War, their photos still inspire respect and fear of a possible nuclear war.

The disadvantages of the 941 project are controversial. There are complaints about the dimensions caused by the low quality of the R-39 solid fuel, the running properties and controllability of the submarine, noise, and high cost. There is an opinion in modern analytics that it was more important for the USSR to show the scale and power than practical efficiency and expediency.

However, a comparison of performance characteristics with foreign and domestic counterparts shows that most of these claims have no substantial grounds. Certain noise and cost issues do exist, but they are within acceptable limits, adjusted for development time and proportionality.

Submarine sizes in comparison

As the main competitor to Project 941, Ohio-class submarines are singled out - a series of ships in the United States designed for strategic missiles. Both projects were developed at about the same time.

In terms of dimensions, the Ohio submarine is not much inferior to the Shark in comparison - 170.7 m long, 12.8 m wide and 11.1 draft. The displacement differs significantly - the American submarine weighs 16746 and 18750 tons in the surface and underwater state, respectively.

Despite its smaller size, the American submarine carries 24 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. Its key advantage is the modular system of individual units, which facilitates the gradual modernization of the submarine.

Application in combat conditions

Project 941 ships were not used in combat conditions. Their main participation is patrolling in Arctic waters, participation in trials. In 1987, TK-12 carried out a long high-latitude voyage to the Arctic with a crew change. In 1997, during the tests of the Northern Fleet, a salvo launch of 20 R-39 missiles was carried out from the TK-20.

Parpurin Vadim

Dear comrades, surely many of you have visited naval saloons, climbed the uncomfortable trembling gangways to the decks of huge ships. We wandered around the upper deck, examining the missile launchers, sprawling radar branches and other fantastic systems.

Even such simple things as the thickness of the anchor chain (each link is about a pood weight) or the sweeping radius of the ship's artillery barrels (the size of a more summer cottage "six acres") can cause sincere shock and bewilderment in an unprepared layman.
The dimensions of ship mechanisms are simply Huge. Such things are not found in ordinary life - we learn about the existence of these cyclopean objects only during a visit to the ship on the next Navy Day (Victory Day, during the days of the St. Petersburg International Naval Salon, etc.).

Indeed, from the point of view of a single person, small or large ships do not exist. Marine equipment is striking in its dimensions - standing on the pier next to a moored corvette, a person looks like a grain of sand against a huge rock. A "tiny" 2500-ton corvette looks like a cruiser, and a "real" cruiser is generally paranormal in size and looks like a floating city.

The reason for this paradox is obvious:

An ordinary four-axle railway wagon (gondola car), loaded to the brim with iron ore, has a mass of about 90 tons. Very bulky and heavy piece.

In the case of the 11,000-ton missile cruiser Moskva, we have only 11,000 tons of metal structures, cables and fuel. The equivalent is 120 railway wagons with ore, densely concentrated in a single array.

Anchor of the submarine missile carrier pr. 941 "Shark"

How does water hold THIS?! The conning tower of the battleship New Jersey

But the cruiser "Moskva" is not the limit yet - the American aircraft carrier "Nimitz" has a total displacement of more than 100 thousand tons. Truly great is Archimedes, whose immortal law keeps these giants afloat!

Big difference

Unlike surface ships and vessels that can be seen in any port, the submarine component of the fleet has an increased degree of stealth. difficult to see even when entering the base - largely due to the special status of the modern submarine fleet.

Nuclear technologies, danger zone, state secret, objects of strategic importance; closed cities with a special passport regime. All this does not add popularity to the "steel coffins" and their glorious crews. Nuclear-powered boats quietly nest in the secluded coves of the Arctic or hide from prying eyes on the coast of distant Kamchatka. Nothing is heard about the existence of boats in peacetime. They are not suitable for naval parades and the notorious "flag display". The only thing these sleek black ships can do is kill.

Baby C-189 against the backdrop of "Mistral"

What does "Baton" or "Pike" look like? How big is the legendary "Shark"? Is it true that it does not fit in the ocean?

It is quite difficult to find out this question - there are no visual aids in this regard. Museum submarines K-21 (Severomorsk), S-189 (St. Petersburg) or S-56 (Vladivostok) are half a century old "diesels" of the Second World War and do not give any idea about the real size of modern submarines.

The reader will surely learn a lot of interesting things from the following illustration:

Comparative sizes of silhouettes of modern submarines on a single scale

The thickest "fish" is a heavy strategic missile submarine.
Below is an American Ohio-class SSBN.
Even lower is the underwater "aircraft carrier killer" of project 949A, the so-called. "Baton" (it was to this project that the deceased "Kursk" belonged).
A multi-purpose Russian nuclear submarine of project 971 (code ) lurked in the lower left corner.
And the smallest of the boats shown in the illustration is the modern German diesel-electric submarine Type 212.

Of course, the greatest interest of the public is associated with the "Shark" (it is also "Typhoon" according to NATO classification). The boat is really amazing: the length of the hull is 173 meters, the height from the bottom to the roof of the cabin is equal to a 9-storey building!

Surface displacement - 23,000 tons; underwater - 48,000 tons. The figures clearly indicate a colossal reserve of buoyancy - more than 20 thousand tons of water are pumped into the ballast tanks of the boat to submerge the Shark. As a result, the "Shark" received the funny nickname "water carrier" in the Navy.

For all the seeming irrationality of this decision (why does the submarine have such a large reserve of buoyancy ??), the “water carrier” has its own characteristics and even advantages: in the surface position, the draft of the monstrous monster is slightly larger than that of “ordinary” submarines - about 11 meters. This allows you to go to any base, without the risk of running aground, and use all the available infrastructure for servicing nuclear submarines.

In addition, a huge reserve of buoyancy turns the Shark into a powerful icebreaker. When blowing through the tanks, the boat, according to the law of Archimedes, “rushes” up with such force that even a 2-meter layer of arctic ice, strong as a stone, will not stop it. Due to this circumstance, the "Sharks" could carry out combat duty in the highest latitudes, up to the regions of the North Pole.

But even in the surface position, the Shark surprises with its dimensions. How else? - the largest boat in world history!

You can admire the shark view for a long time:

"Shark" and one of the SSBNs of the 677 family

The boat is just huge, there is nothing more to add here

Modern SSBN project 955 "Borey" against the backdrop of a gigantic "fish"

The reason is simple: two submarines are hidden under a light streamlined hull: "Shark" is made according to the "catamaran" scheme with two durable hulls made of titanium alloys. 19 isolated compartments, duplicated by a power plant (each of the robust buildings has an independent nuclear steam generating plant OK-650 with a thermal power of 190 MW), as well as two pop-up rescue capsules designed for the entire crew ...

Needless to say - in terms of survivability, safety and ease of placement of personnel, this floating Hilton was out of competition.

Loading a 90-ton "kuzkina mother". In total, the boat's ammunition included 20 R-39 solid-propellant SLBMs

"Ohio"

No less surprising is the comparison of the American submarine missile carrier "Ohio" and the domestic TPKSN of the "Shark" project - it suddenly turns out that their dimensions are identical (length 171 meters, draft 11 meters) ... while the displacement differs significantly! How so?

There is no secret here - "Ohio" is almost twice as wide as the Soviet monster - 23 versus 13 meters. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to call the Ohio a small boat - 16,700 tons of steel structures and materials inspire respect. Underwater displacement "Ohio" is even greater - 18,700 tons.

Carrier killer

Another underwater monster, whose displacement surpassed the achievements of the Ohio (surface displacement - 14,700, underwater - 24,000 tons).

One of the most powerful and advanced boats of the Cold War. 24 supersonic cruise missiles with a launch weight of 7 tons; eight torpedo tubes; nine isolated compartments. The working depth range is more than 500 meters. Underwater speed over 30 knots.

In order to accelerate the “loaf” to such speeds, a two-reactor power plant was used on the boat - uranium assemblies in two OK-650 reactors burn with terrible black fire day and night. The total energy output is 380 megawatts - enough to provide electricity to a city for 100,000 inhabitants.

"Baton" and "Shark"

Two "batons"

But how justified was the construction of such monsters to solve tactical problems? According to a popular legend, the cost of each of the 11 built boats reached half the cost of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov! At the same time, the "loaf" was focused on solving purely tactical tasks - the destruction of AUGs, convoys, disruption of enemy communications ...
Time has shown that multi-purpose nuclear submarines are the most effective for such operations, for example ...

« Pike-B"

A series of Soviet nuclear multi-purpose boats of the third generation. The most formidable underwater weapon before the advent of American nuclear submarines of the Seawolf type.

But, you do not think that "Pike-B" is so small and frail. Size is a relative value. Suffice it to say that the baby does not fit on the football field. The boat is huge. Surface displacement - 8100, underwater - 12,800 tons (on the latest modifications, it increased by another 1000 tons).

This time, the designers got by with one OK-650 reactor, one turbine, one shaft and one propeller. Excellent dynamics remained at the level of the 949th "loaf". A modern sonar system and a luxurious set of weapons appeared: deep-water and homing torpedoes, Granat cruise missiles (in the future - Caliber), Shkval rocket-torpedoes, Vodopad PLUR, thick torpedoes 65-76, mines ... at the same time , a huge ship is operated by a crew of only 73 people.

Why do I say "everything"? Just an example: to control the modern American boat-analogue of the "Pike" - an unsurpassed underwater killer type, a crew of 130 people is required! At the same time, the American, as usual, is saturated to the limit with radio electronics and automation systems, and its dimensions are 25% smaller (displacement - 6000/7000 tons).

By the way, an interesting question: why are American boats always smaller? Is it really all the fault of "Soviet microcircuits - the largest microcircuits in the world" ?! The answer will seem banal - American boats have a single-hull design and, as a result, a smaller margin of buoyancy. That is why the "Los Angeles" and "Virginia" have such a small difference in the values ​​of surface and underwater displacement.

What is the difference between single hull and double hull boats? In the first case, ballast tanks are located inside a single strong hull. Such an arrangement takes up part of the internal volume and, in a certain sense, negatively affects the survivability of the submarine. And, of course, single-hull nuclear submarines have a much smaller margin of buoyancy. At the same time, it makes the boat smaller (as small as a modern nuclear submarine can be) and quieter.

Domestic boats, traditionally, are built according to a two-hull scheme. All ballast tanks and auxiliary deep-sea equipment (cables, antennas towed by the GAS) are moved outside the pressure hull. The rigid body stiffeners are also located on the outside, saving precious interior space. From above, all this is covered with a light "shell".

Advantages: the reserve of free space inside the rugged case, allowing the implementation of special layout solutions. More systems and weapons on board the boat, increased unsinkability and survivability (additional depreciation for close explosions, etc.).

Nuclear waste storage facility in Saida Bay (Kola Peninsula). Dozens of submarine reactor compartments are visible. The ugly "rings" are nothing more than the stiffening ribs of a durable case (the light case was previously removed)

This scheme also has disadvantages and there is no escape from them: large dimensions and area of ​​wetted surfaces. A direct consequence is that the boat makes louder noise. And if there is a resonance between a durable and lightweight body ...

Do not flatter yourself when you hear about the “reserve of free space” indicated above. Inside the compartments of the Russian "Pike" it is still impossible to drive mopeds and play golf - the entire reserve was spent on installing numerous hermetic bulkheads. The number of habitable compartments on Russian boats usually ranges from 7 to 9 units. The maximum was achieved on the legendary "Sharks" - as many as 19 compartments, excluding sealed technological modules in the light body space.

For comparison, the robust hull of the American Los Angeles is divided by airtight bulkheads into only three compartments: central, reactor and turbine (of course, not counting the system of isolated decks). The Americans traditionally rely on the high quality of manufacturing of hull structures, the reliability of equipment and qualified personnel in the crews of submarines.

A whopping big fish. American multi-purpose nuclear submarine of the "Sivulf" type

Another comparison on the same scale. It turns out that the "Shark" is not so large compared to the nuclear aircraft carrier of the "Nimitz" type or the TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" - the dimensions of the aircraft carriers are completely paranormal. The victory of technology over common sense. Small fish on the left - diesel-electric submarine "Varshavyanka"

These are the key differences between schools of underwater shipbuilding on different sides of the ocean. And the submarines are still huge.

The Soviet Union and the United States maintained nuclear parity with respect to each other until the early 1970s. Neither side possessed an overwhelming superiority over the other in the number of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles. In the USSR, stakes were placed on mine installations of nuclear intercontinental missiles and an atomic submarine fleet. Strategic aviation was small in number and did not possess the qualities that would have provided 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 ICBM silo launchers.

However, even such 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. In both countries there was a search for a way to create a first strike advantage. The rapidly developing arms race in this direction led to the appearance of the largest submarines in the history of mankind, the Soviet nuclear submarines of Project 941 of the Akula type.

Reasons for the appearance of the steel monster

A huge steel monster with the size of a 9-storey building was the answer to the appearance in the United States of the Ohio-class nuclear submarines in the Navy. This submarine could carry 24 intercontinental missiles on board. Not a single submarine in the USSR possessed such firepower. The presence of such submarines in the enemy nullified the existing balance in the means of delivery, achieved with such difficulty by this 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 give a certain advantage.

This is what caused the next round of the naval arms race. In the Soviet design bureaus and across the ocean, work began to boil. Each of the countries 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 to get ahead of the Americans in terms of the power of a 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 Ohio-class submarine missile carriers. The Soviet nuclear baton could carry 10 nuclear warheads, instead of 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 was supposed to weigh up to 70 tons according to the project. With such technical characteristics of the main armament, Soviet designers had to solve the difficult task of creating 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 noted by foreign sources, the Soviet Typhoon-class Shark submarine, according to NATO classification, could wipe out the entire US West Coast from the face of the earth with one salvo. The presence of 3-4 missile carriers of this type in the Soviets would endanger the entire territory of the United States, not to mention the vulnerability of the territories of the allied countries in the NATO bloc.

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, the boats of project 941 had the cipher "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 by the name of the lead ship of the K-284 "Shark" 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 models of equipment - champions. This is the world's largest transport aircraft An-22 "Antey" and the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin". In military terms, the USSR also gave the US military a lot of trouble, creating excellent military equipment. Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles of the latest generation terrified across the ocean. The navy did not lag behind in this regard, so the world's largest nuclear submarine "Akula" did not come as a surprise to the Soviet country.

The Soviet ship, built in the early 80s of the XX century, remains today an unsurpassed achievement of design thought. In many technical parameters, the new nuclear submarine is rightfully considered the most ambitious Soviet military project. Even the technical measurements of the ship are amazing, not to mention the cost of building a vessel of this magnitude. 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 a 9-story building. Only the draft of the boat was 12 meters. Such dimensions corresponded to a huge displacement. The Soviet submarine missile carrier had a displacement of a battleship during the Second World War - 50 thousand tons.

In terms of displacement, the Akula nuclear submarine was three times superior to its opponent, the Ohio-class submarine. If we talk about the name of the ship, then the Soviet version is of 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 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 the Shark, was created back in 1909. Ivan Bubnov became the designer of the submarine. The boat was lost in the First World War during a military campaign.

The designers of the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering, the flagship of the Soviet shipbuilding industry, did an excellent job of developing a project for a Soviet submarine super-cruiser. In 1972, the Leningraders received a technical assignment for the development of a project for a third-generation strategic nuclear submarine. The design work was headed by the talented Soviet designer S.N. Kovalev, who had already completed and successful projects behind him. His offspring plied 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 to boil within the walls of the Rubin Central Design Bureau.

The site for the construction of new vessels of this size was the Sevmash enterprise. For the construction of new ships on the territory of the shipyard, a new boathouse of enormous size was specially erected. In the water area of ​​the shipyard, dredging was carried out for the passage of ships of such a large displacement.

Three years later, the first lead submarine of project 941 was laid on the stocks of Sevmash. 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 were able to overtake their American counterparts, having previously created a ready-made project for a new submarine missile carrier. The launching of a new colossal Soviet submarine in September 1980 came as a real shock to the Americans. The first boat of the Ohio type went into the water in December 1981, when the Soviet missile carrier became part of the active fleet.

For 8 years, from 1981 to 1989, 6 ships 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 were ready for the submarine. The construction of the Soviet nuclear missile carriers of project 941 was provided by more than 1000 allied enterprises. At the Sevmash shipyard alone, 1200 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 a long-liver. Submarine KT-208, launched back in 1981, continues to be in service today. Now it is TPRKSN (heavy strategic missile submarine) "Dmitry Donskoy", boat KT-208 of project 941.

Design features of the submarine missile carrier project 941

For the uninitiated, the boat is a huge whale-shaped steel cigar. However, for specialists, it is not so much the size of the ship that attracts special attention, but its layout. The submarine has a two-hull scheme. Behind the outer shell of the light body, made of steel, is a double main strong body. In other words, there are two separate hulls inside the boat, located parallel to each other according to the catamaran scheme. Durable housings are made of titanium alloy. The torpedo compartment, the central post and the aft mechanical compartments on the ship are placed in closed compartments, capsules.

The space between the two strong hulls is filled with mine launchers in the amount of 20 pieces. The conning tower is shifted to the tail of the boat. The entire front deck is one large launch pad. This arrangement of launchers suggests the possibility of simultaneous launch of the entire ammunition. In this case, the launch of missiles should be carried out with a minimum time interval. The Soviet missile carrier is capable of launching missiles from the surface and from the underwater position. The working depth of immersion for launching is 55 meters.

The ship has 19 compartments, each of which communicates with the others. Horizontal rudders are installed in the light body of the bow of the boat. The conning tower has a reinforced structure, specially designed for emergency ascent of the ship in the presence of a solid ice sheet on the surface. Increased strength is the main distinguishing feature of the Soviet third-generation missile carriers. If American nuclear submarines of the Ohio type were built to patrol in the clear waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, then Soviet submarines mainly operated in the Arctic Ocean, therefore the design of the ship was created with a margin of safety capable of overcoming the resistance of a 2-meter-thick ice shell. .

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 capacity of 380 MW. The submarine is already set in motion through the operation of two turbines with a capacity of 45-50 thousand l / s each. Such a huge ship also had propellers of the appropriate size - 5.5 m in diameter. Two 800W diesel generators were installed on the boat as backup engines.

A nuclear-powered missile carrier on the surface could develop a speed of 12 knots. Under water, a submarine with a displacement of already 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 margin of critical diving depth, which was an additional 100 m.

A ship of such large dimensions and with such performance characteristics was controlled by a crew of 160 people. Of this number, a third accounted for the officers. The interior living quarters on the submarine were equipped with everything necessary for a long and comfortable stay. Officers and midshipmen lived in 2 and 4-bed comfortable cabins. Sailors and foremen lived in specially equipped cockpits. All living quarters on the boat were served by an air conditioning system. During long trips, the crew of the ship, free from the combat shift, could spend time in the gym, visit the cinema and the library. It should be noted that the autonomy of the ship exceeded all standards that existed until that time - 180 days.

The main comparative characteristics of the project 941 ship

The Soviet nuclear-powered ship, which entered service in 1981, had a significant advantage in comparison with other foreign-built ships of the same type. The probable opponents of the Soviet third-generation missile carrier were:

• U.S. Ohio-class nuclear submarine with 24 Trident ICBMs, 18 built;
• English nuclear submarine Vanguard with 16 Trident ICBMs, 4 built;
• French nuclear submarine "Triumphant" with 16 M45 ICBMs, 4 ships were also built.

The Soviet nuclear submarine exceeded all the listed ships in terms of displacement by three times. It had a total weight of a volley of 20 R-39 ICBMs - 51 tons. British and French submarines in this parameter significantly lost to the Soviet missile carrier. English and French nuclear submarines could fire warheads at the enemy with a total weight of 44 tons. Only American Ohio-class submarines, of which less than two dozen were launched, could compete with the Soviet submarine giants.

No other ship, domestic missile carriers of projects 667BDRM and 955, could compare in terms of displacement and combat power with submarines of the Akula type. Soviet nuclear submarines, launched in the 1980s, formed the basis of the USSR's nuclear missile power and became the basis for the nuclear marine component of modern Russia.

The nuclear-powered ship KT-208 "Dmitry Donskoy" remains the only operating 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 project 941M. The purpose of the modernization was to re-equip the ship for the new Bulava SLBM.

Equipping the ship with new ballistic missiles is not planned. The submarine is used as a self-propelled floating test facility for new types of rocket technology. The decision of the high government commission was to extend the life of the ship until 2020. The nuclear-powered missile carrier is based at the Zapadnaya Litsa naval base and is part of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Federation.

In the fall of 2011, reports appeared in the domestic media, according to which by 2014 it was planned to decommission and dismantle all remaining nuclear submarines of Project 941 Akula. The next day, Defense Ministry officials denied this information. As it turned out, in the coming years, these submarines will remain in the fleet. Since then, from time to time, new reports have been received about the future fate of the Sharks. First of all, the possible modernization of these boats is called. However, the repair and re-equipment of the "Sharks" is sometimes called inappropriate, because only three of these boats remain in service. But in the early eighties, the Soviet Union was going to build ten Project 941 submarines. Why, instead of the ten largest submarines in the world, does our country now have only three?

When in the Central Design Bureau MT "Rubin" under the leadership of S.N. Kovalev, the development of project 941 began, the command of the fleet could express quite bold wishes. According to some sources, the possibility of building a series of twelve new submarines was seriously considered. Obviously, for economic reasons, it was subsequently reduced to ten ships. Despite this reduction, the mid-seventies, when the project was created, can be called one of the best periods in the Russian Navy. Therefore, only three and a half years passed from the issuance of a tactical and technical assignment to the laying of the head "Shark". Four years later, the first boat of the TK-208 project left the stocks and went into operation in December 1981. Thus, it took about nine years to create the lead submarine.

Until 1986-87, seven Project 941 submarines were laid down at the Sevmash plant in Severodvinsk. However, problems began already in 1988. Due to a number of financial and political problems, the seventh submarine, 35-40 percent complete, was cut into pieces. The last three boats of the series generally remained at the stage of preliminary preparation for construction. Perestroika began in the country and funding for defense projects was significantly reduced. In addition, the former (?) Potential enemy, who was directly interested in the absence of such equipment, learned about the new submarines.

It is worth noting that the United States had a good reason to be wary of the Sharks. Project 941 boats were the largest submarines in the world and carried solid weapons. The original design of the boat with two main strong hulls located at a distance from each other made it possible to fit two dozen missile silos of the D-19 complex with R-39 missiles into the contours of the light hull. The record-breaking large size of Project 941 boats was due to the size of the missiles. P-39s were 16 meters long and simply did not fit on submarines of an old design like the later versions of Project 667. At the same time, an increase in the size of the boat made it possible to place comfortable cabins and cockpits for the crew, a small recreation room, a gym, a swimming pool and even a sauna.

Both main pressure vessels housed one OK-650VV type reactor with a thermal power of up to 190 MW. Two steam turbine plants with turbo gear units had a total capacity of up to 90-100 thousand horsepower. Thanks to such a power plant, project 941 boats with a displacement of 23-28 (surface) or 48-50 thousand tons (underwater) are able to move under water at a speed of up to 25-27 knots. The maximum diving depth is 450-500 meters, autonomy is up to 120 days.

The main payload of the "Sharks" were R-39 ballistic missiles. These three-stage solid-propellant munitions could fly to a range of about 8200-8500 kilometers and deliver ten warheads to targets with a capacity, according to various sources, from 100 to 200 kilotons. In combination with an unlimited cruising range and a relatively low noise level of the carrier boat, the R-39 missile provided Project 941 submarines with high combat performance. It is worth noting that the R-39 missiles were not very convenient to use. Problems with them were associated, first of all, with weight and size parameters. With a length of 16 meters and a diameter of 2 meters, a rocket with units of the so-called. depreciation rocket launch system (ARSS) weighed about 90 tons. After the launch, the R-39 got rid of six tons of the weight of the ARSS. However, despite such a mass and size, the R-39 rocket was considered serviceable and put into production.

In general, the potential enemy had every reason to be afraid. In 1987 there was a new cause for concern. In the Soviet Union, they decided to modernize all existing "Sharks" in accordance with project 941UTTH. Its main difference from the basic project was the use of upgraded R-39UTTKh missiles. Before the collapse of the USSR, Sevmash managed to finalize only one lead boat of the project, TK-208. Other submarines were not modernized - there was simply no money for this. In the future, the lack of money constantly affected the fate of the Sharks, and only in a negative way.

According to some sources, maintaining one "Shark" in a combat-ready state cost 1.5-2 times more than operating the boats of the 667BDRM project. In addition, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the leadership of our country was ready to make all sorts of concessions in international negotiations, including concessions that were obviously unfavorable for its own defense capability. As a result of consultations with, as they began to say then, foreign partners, the construction of the seventh submarine of the series was completely forgotten, and half of the manufactured ones were decided to be gradually written off and disposed of. In addition, in the early nineties, the production of R-39 missiles ceased. Submarines risked being left without their main.

Due to insufficient funding, Project 941 boats almost all the time stood at the piers without any hope of going on a campaign. The submarine cruiser TK-202 was the first to leave the fleet. The disposal was delayed: instead of the planned start in 1997, work began only in 1999. Cutting "on needles" was completed by the middle of the 2000s. In 1997-98, two other boats, TK-12 and TK-13, were excluded from the combat strength of the fleet. They stood at the berths for a very long time, and at the beginning of the 2000s there was hope for their return. The option of returning the TK-12 boat to service was considered. In addition, she was to receive the name "Simbirsk", since the administration of the city of Ulyanovsk expressed a desire to take patronage over her. But these proposals did not materialize. In 2004, the United States achieved the beginning of the disposal of the boat. The contract for the destruction of the last submarine TK-13 was signed in 2007. A few months later, work began.

As you can see, "foreign partners" were still able to push through a solution that was beneficial to them. The importance of destroying the Sharks is perfectly illustrated by the fact that about 75-80% of the cost of dismantling the boats was paid by the United States and NATO. In total, they spent about $25 million. Probably, in view of the danger of Soviet and Russian submarines, they were ready to once again lay out sums of this order for the disposal of the remaining Russian submarines, including other projects.

A quite fair question may arise: why did the Russian leadership not break the agreement on the joint destruction of unique boats? There are reasons for this. During the first years, our country simply did not have the opportunity to fully maintain all six submarines. Without proper care, nuclear power plants could cause colossal environmental disasters. Later, at the beginning of the 2000s, money appeared, but at the same time another problem appeared. By the end of the nineties, the lack of missile production began to affect. A little later, the situation with ammunition became fatal: in 2005, there were reports that there were only ten R-39 missiles for three submarines. In other words, it was not possible to complete even one submarine.

It is worth noting that the command of the navy drew attention to this problem back in the mid-nineties. In 1998, the modernization of the TK-208 submarine began in accordance with project 941U (another designation is "941M"). Instead of the old launchers, several new mines were mounted on the boat, designed to use the R-30 Bulava missiles. The development of this rocket had just begun at that time, but appropriate measures were already being taken for testing and subsequent operation. After repairs, in 2002, the TK-208 boat received the name "Dmitry Donskoy", and since 2003 she began to participate in the tests of the "Mace".

The operation of the submarine "Dmitry Donskoy" continues to this day. The other two remaining boats turned out to be less lucky: they were not upgraded. In 2004, TK-17 Arkhangelsk and TK-20 Severstal were put into reserve. In the fall of 2001, the Severstal boat set off on a trip to conduct two training launches. Together with the sailors, television journalists, who were filming the documentary “Russian Shark”, went to the place of the combat training mission. Subsequently, the footage was repeatedly used in various films about record-breaking submarines. Ironically, these shots turned out to be the last at the moment in the biography of the TK-20 boat.

After memorable statements from an unnamed source from 2011, the situation with Project 941 boats has repeatedly become the subject of discussion. A couple of months after the official denial of the write-off, the management of the Sevmash plant confirmed that the Dmitry Donskoy submarine would henceforth be used as an experimental one for testing technologies and technical solutions intended for promising projects. The further fate of "Arkhangelsk" and "Severstal" was not called then. At the beginning of 2012, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy V. Vysotsky said that all three existing submarines would remain in the fleet and would be operated over the next years. The situation with the lack of missiles was not commented on. Since then, there have been no official reports on the fate of the remaining Project 941 submarines. Probably, due to the lack of any clear prospects, Severstal and Arkhangelsk will remain in the fleet for several more years, and then will be decommissioned. At least now no one is going to upgrade them to use R-30 missiles. Probably, the fleet command assessed the possibilities and prospects for such modernization and came to the appropriate conclusions.

Project 941 submarines were not lucky to appear in a very difficult period of history. In the midst of their construction, transformations began, which ultimately turned out to be fatal for the country. The elimination of their consequences took many more years, and as a result, the Sharks spent most of their lives at the pier. Now, when it is possible to find ways to return the boats to service, the expediency of this began to raise questions. Despite the record-breaking characteristics for their time, Project 941 boats are rather outdated and they will have to invest as much money in their renewal as it would take to create a completely new project. Does it make sense?

According to the websites:
http://flot.com/
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/
http://deepstorm.ru/
http://lenta.ru/
http://ria.ru/
http://militaryrussia.ru/blog/topic-578.html

Nerpichya Bay, 2004. Reserve. Photo http://ru-submarine.livejournal.com

23.02.2016 at 22:08 · pavlofox · 35 890

The largest submarines in the world

Submarines are in service with many countries of the world. There are among them small vessels, 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 submarine cruisers, the underwater displacement of which can reach 48 thousand tons and a length of 172 meters.

10. Navaga | Length 128 meters

In 10th place among the largest submarines in the world are the Soviet submarines of project 667A "", 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 total combat set of the submarine is 22 torpedoes, two of which are nuclear.

The development of submarines of the Navaga series began in 1958.

9. Triumph | Length 138 meters

French submarines of the "" type are among the largest submarines in the world. The 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.

Submarine dimensions: underwater displacement - 14,335 tons, hull length - 138 meters, width - 12.5 meters. Armament - 16 M45 class ballistic missiles. Ninth place in our ranking.

8. Jin | Length 140 meters

The Chinese submarines of project 094 "" are also striking in their size. They take the 8th place in the ranking of the largest submarines in the world. They replaced the 092 "Xia" class boats. The construction of new submarines began in 1999. Since 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, the width is about 13 meters, the 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, there are currently 6 submarines of this type in service with China. They were supposed to start combat patrols in 2014.

7. Vanguard | Length 150 meters

Among the largest submarines in the world are British submarines of the "". In the 1990s they replaced the Resolution class boats. The appearance of new submarines in the USA and the USSR forced England to start creating a new type of submarine, with the same high combat performance. Initially, it was decided to build at least 7 submarines, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the need for such a number of missile carriers disappeared. In total, 4 Vanguard-class submarines entered service. Construction of the first of them began in 1986.

Submarine dimensions: underwater displacement - 15,900 tons, hull length - 150 meters, width - 12.8 meters. Armed with 16 Trident-2 D5 ballistic missiles.

6. Squid | 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.

To date, most of the Kalmar submarines have been disposed of, the rest are part of the Russian Pacific Fleet.

5. Murena-M | Length 155 meters

Submarines of the project "" are among the largest submarines. This is the modernization of the boats of the Murena project. The main difference is the placement of 16 missiles, not 12. For this, the hull of the boat 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.

4. Dolphin | Length 167 meters

The submarine of the project "", which occupies the 4th place in our rating, continued the development of the Kalmar project. The construction of the first submarine began in 1981. 7 submarines were built. Now they are all part of the Russian submarine fleet. In terms of size, a submarine of that type is one of 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.

3. Ohio | Length 170 meters

American submarines of the "" type are among the largest submarines in the world. They belong to the third generation submarines and are equipped with 24 Trident ballistic missiles. Their feature is multiple warheads and an individual targeting system. Today, Ohio-class submarines form the core of America's nuclear forces. They are on combat duty in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Submarine dimensions: 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.

An interesting fact: in 2009, during combat duty, the crew of the USS Rhode Island submarine rescued four men and a boy who were wrecked and were at sea for four days without hope of rescue.

2. Northwind | Length 170 meters

Russian submarines of project 955 "" take 2nd place in the ranking of the largest submarines in the world. 3 submarines have been built and put into operation, three are under construction and the last one was laid down in December 2015. In total, by 2018, it is planned to build 8 Borey submarines. The submarine was developed in order 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.

1. Shark | Length 173 meters

The first place in the ranking of the largest submarines in the world is occupied by the Russian submarine of project 941 "". This is the largest submarine built by man. Imagine a colossus as high as a nine-story building and two football fields long - 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 gigantic submarine.

The construction of the submarine began in 1976. "Shark" was the answer to the project of the American Ohio-class submarine. The first submarine missile carrier entered service in 1980.

Submarine dimensions: underwater displacement 48 thousand tons, hull length 172.8 meters, width - 23.3 meters. The submarine cruiser is armed with 20 R-39 Variant three-stage ballistic missiles.

The submarine has 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 through ice more than two meters thick. And this means that it can carry out combat patrols in the Arctic latitudes.

In total, Russia is armed with 6 Shark-class submarines.