Quiet, almost silent, they lurk in the depths of the sea. They can spend many months underwater. Moreover, they are strong enough to destroy a large part of the planet. Here are the largest submarines in history.

Akula class submarines, Soviet Union/Russia, 48 thousand tons

The largest submarines ever built by man are the Shark-class nuclear submarines (Typhoon by NATO classification).

Their length was 175 meters and their width was extremely large. Submarines in this class weigh twice as much as those next in size.

The Typhoon submarines are known as Project 941 "Shark". The project was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970-1980s.

Military-technical deal between Delhi and Moscow

Yasen-class submarines threaten the United States

These sea monsters were not only huge, but also much quieter than their predecessors. The boats were powered by two nuclear reactors.

They had the ability to destroy most of the world. Each had a frightening number of ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads in its arsenal.

Crew members lived on submarines in relative comfort and could spend up to 120 days at a time underwater. When emergency, for example, nuclear war, this period could be increased.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the submarines came under the ownership of the new Russian navy. In 1997, two huge submarines were scrapped for financial reasons. Later, the remaining vessels were also taken out of service.

Borei class submarines, Russia, 24 thousand tons

The second largest submarines in the world are also Russian, and they are much more modern than the Akula class vessels they replaced.

These 170 m long nuclear submarines are equipped with R-30 Bulava type ballistic missiles.

Borey class boats are narrower than their predecessors, their dimensions are smaller, and therefore they are cheaper to produce. However, the first copy still cost $770 billion.

The first Borei submarine went to sea in 2009, and in January 2013 the Russian Pacific Fleet accepted it into service.

Russia currently has three similar submarines, but plans to purchase several more.

Putin's submarine fleet continues to grow.

Ohio class submarines, USA, 18,750 tons

The third largest class of submarines is produced in the USA.

In the early 1970s, the American submarine fleet was considered obsolete, and the need for new submarines arose. At the same time, the Soviet Union, the Americans' sworn enemy in the Cold War, improved its means of searching for and combating submarines.

The United States responded with Ohio-class boats, which differed from their predecessors in increased combat potential and improved stealth.
The US currently has 18 such submarines.

In one thing the Ohio class boats are superior Russian analogues- they can carry more missiles on board than both the Akula and the Borei.

The design is designed to ensure that submarines can spend as much time as possible on the high seas. for a long time, patrolling the oceans with its deadly cargo of missiles. A number of measures were taken to shorten the time they needed to stay in port, simplify repairs and the replenishment process.

Murena class submarines, Soviet Union/Russia, 18,200 tons

The Moray class (NATO Delta) is the fourth largest type of submarine in the world. These submarines were created during the Cold War, their task was considered to be attacks on American industrial and military facilities, as well as cities, in the event of a nuclear war.

The Delta class is divided into four subclasses. Project 667B "Moray eel" (Delta I) entered service in 1972. A total of 18 such submarines were built, the last one being decommissioned in 1998. Project 667BD "Murena-M" (Delta II) became a modification of the "Murena" with additional missile compartments. Project 667BDR "Squid" (Delta III) - the first submarines capable of firing an entire set of ballistic missiles in one salvo, which for Soviet Union was a big step forward. Project 667BDRM "Dolphin" (Delta IV) differs from its predecessors in its noiselessness.

Vanguard class submarines, UK, 15,900 tons

The Royal Navy's four Vanguard nuclear submarines are based at Clyde Base in Scotland.

If the world - God forbid - erupts nuclear war, these ships will play a huge role in the fate of Great Britain.

Since 1998, they have carried only strategic ballistic missiles, one of which with 128 warheads must be at sea at any given time. At the same time, the country does not have tactical or aviation nuclear weapons at all.
Submarines of this class are planned to be decommissioned no earlier than 2028.

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

A huge steel monster with a size of 9 storey house became 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 technical characteristics of the 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 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 a 9-story 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 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, the general public called the new nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Shark" General Secretary Central Committee of the CPSU L. I. Brezhnev.

For reference: In the Russian fleet, the first submarine, called “Shark,” was created back in 1909. The designer of the submarine was Ivan Bubnov. The boat was lost during 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 task 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 had ready-made and successful projects. 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 this project 7 ships 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 It’s not so much the size of the ship that causes this, but its layout. The submarine has a double-hull design. Behind the outer shell of a lightweight steel body is 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. While American Ohio-class nuclear submarines were built to patrol the clear waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Soviet submarines mainly operated in the Arctic Ocean, so the ship’s design was created with a safety margin capable of overcoming the resistance of a 2-meter-thick ice shell .

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 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.

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.

Dear comrades, many of you have probably visited naval salons and climbed uncomfortable, shaking gangways onto the decks of huge ships. We wandered around the upper deck, looking at missile launch containers, spreading branches of radars and other fantastic systems.

Even such simple things as the thickness of an anchor chain (each link is about a pound of weight) or the radius of sweeping the barrels of naval artillery (the size of a country “six hundred square meters”) can cause sincere shock and bewilderment in the unprepared average person.
The dimensions of the ship's mechanisms are simply enormous. 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 St. Petersburg International Naval Show, etc.).

Indeed, from the point of view of an individual, small or large ships do not exist. Marine technology is amazing in its size - standing on the pier next to a moored corvette, a person looks like a grain of sand against the backdrop of a huge rock. The “tiny” 2500-ton corvette looks like a cruiser, but the “real” cruiser has generally paranormal dimensions and looks like a floating city.

The reason for this paradox is obvious:

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

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

Anchor of the submarine missile carrier project 941 “Shark”

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

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

A big difference

Unlike surface ships and vessels that can be seen in any port, the underwater 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 secrets, objects of strategic importance; closed cities with special passport regime. All this does not add to the popularity of the “steel coffins” and their glorious crews. Nuclear boats quietly nest in secluded coves of the Arctic or hide from prying eyes on the coast of distant Kamchatka. Nothing has been heard of 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 S-189 against the backdrop of the Mistral

What do “Loaf” or “Pike” look like? How big is the legendary "Shark"? Is it true that it doesn't fit in the ocean?

It is quite difficult to clarify this issue - there are no visual aids on this matter. The museum submarines K-21 (Severomorsk), S-189 (St. Petersburg) or S-56 (Vladivostok) are half a century old “diesel engines” from the Second World War and do not give any idea about the real size of modern submarines.

The reader will certainly 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 missile submarine cruiser strategic purpose.
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 lost “Kursk” belonged).
Hidden in the lower left corner is the multi-purpose Russian nuclear submarine of Project 971 (code ).
And the smallest boat shown in the illustration is the modern German diesel-electric submarine Type 212.

Of course, the greatest public interest is associated with the “Shark” (aka “Typhoon” according to NATO classification). The boat is truly amazing: the hull length is 173 meters, the height from the bottom to the roof of the deckhouse is equal to a 9-story building!

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

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

In addition, the huge reserve of buoyancy turns the Akula into a powerful icebreaker. When the tanks are blown, the boat, according to Archimedes’ law, “rushes” upward with such force that even a 2-meter layer of rock-hard arctic ice cannot stop it. Thanks to this circumstance, the “Sharks” could carry out combat duty in the highest latitudes, right up to the regions North Pole.

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

You can admire the shark’s appearance for a long time:

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

The boat is simply 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: the “Shark” is made according to the “catamaran” design with two durable hulls made of titanium alloys. 19 isolated compartments, a duplicate power plant (each of the durable hulls has an independent OK-650 nuclear steam generating unit 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 convenience of personnel accommodation, this floating Hilton was unrivaled.

Loading the 90-ton Kuzka mother. In total, the boat's ammunition load included 20 R-39 solid-fuel SLBMs

"Ohio"

No less surprising is the comparison of the American submarine missile carrier "Ohio" and the domestic TRPKSN project "Shark" - 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 half as wide as the Soviet monster - 23 versus 13 meters. However, it would be unfair to call the Ohio a small boat - 16,700 tons steel structures and materials inspire respect. The Ohio's underwater displacement 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 operating depth range is more than 500 meters. Underwater speed over 30 knots.

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

"Loaf" and "Shark"

Two "loaves"

But how justified was the construction of such monsters to solve tactical problems? According to a widespread legend, the cost of each of the 11 boats built reached half the cost of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov! At the same time, the “loaf” was focused on solving purely tactical problems - exterminating AUGs, convoys, disrupting enemy communications...
Time has shown that multi-purpose nuclear submarines are 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 the American Seawolf-class nuclear submarines.

But don’t think that “Pike-B” is so small and puny. Size is a relative value. Suffice it to say that the baby does not fit on a football field. The boat is huge. Surface displacement is 8100, underwater displacement is 12,800 tons (in the latest modifications it has increased by another 1000 tons).

This time, the designers made do with one OK-650 reactor, one turbine, one shaft and one propeller. Excellent dynamics remained at the level of the 949th “loaf”. A modern hydroacoustic complex and a luxurious set of weapons appeared: deep-sea and homing torpedoes, Granat cruise missiles (in the future - Caliber), Shkval missile-torpedoes, Vodopad missile-launching missiles, thick 65-76 torpedoes, mines... at the same time , the huge ship is piloted by a crew of just 73 people.

Why do I say “total”? Just an example: to operate a modern American boat analogue of the Pike, an unsurpassed underwater killer of the type, a crew of 130 people is required! At the same time, the American, as usual, is extremely saturated 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 buoyancy reserve. 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 a single-hull and a double-hull boat? In the first case, ballast tanks are located inside a single durable housing. This 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 buoyancy reserve. At the same time, this makes the boat small (as small as a modern nuclear submarine can be) and quieter.

Domestic boats are traditionally built using a double-hull design. All ballast tanks and auxiliary deep-sea equipment (cables, antennas, towed sonar) are located outside the pressure hull. The stiffening ribs of the robust housing are also located on the outside, saving precious volume interior spaces. From above, all this is covered with a light “shell”.

Advantages: a reserve of free space inside a durable case, allowing for the implementation of special layout solutions. A larger number of systems and weapons on board the boat, increased unsinkability and survivability (additional shock absorption in case of nearby explosions, etc.).

Nuclear waste storage facility in Sayda Bay (Kola Peninsula). Dozens of submarine reactor compartments are visible. The ugly “rings” are nothing more than stiffening ribs of a durable casing (the lightweight casing has been previously removed)

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

Don’t be fooled by hearing about the above-mentioned “reserve of free space”. It is still forbidden to ride mopeds or play golf inside the compartments of Russian Shchukas - the entire reserve was spent on installing numerous sealed bulkheads. The number of habitable compartments on Russian boats usually ranges from 7...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 aircraft is divided by hermetic bulkheads into only three compartments: central, reactor and turbine (of course, not counting the insulated deck system). Americans traditionally bet on high quality manufacturing of hull structures, reliability of equipment and qualified personnel as part of submarine crews.

A whopping big fish. American multi-purpose submarine of the Seawolf class

Another comparison on the same scale. It turns out that the “Shark” is not so large compared to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the “Nimitz” type or the TAVKR “Admiral Kuznetsov” - the size of aircraft-carrying ships is completely paranormal. Victory of technology over common sense. The small fish on the left is the Varshavyanka diesel-electric submarine

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

The first cases of submarines being used for combat purposes date back to the mid-19th century. However, due to their technical imperfections, submarines for a long time played only a supporting role in the naval forces. The situation changed completely after the discovery of atomic energy and the invention of ballistic missiles.

Goals and dimensions

Submarines have different purposes. The size of the world's submarines varies depending on their purposes. Some are designed for a crew of only two people, while others are capable of carrying dozens of intercontinental missiles. What tasks do the world's largest submarines perform?

"Triumfan"

French strategic nuclear submarine. Its name means "triumphant". The length of the boat is 138 meters, displacement - 14 thousand tons. The ship is armed with three-stage M45 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads, equipped with individual guidance systems. They are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 5,300 kilometers. At the design stage, the designers were tasked with making the submarine as invisible as possible to the enemy and providing it with effective system early detection enemy anti-submarine defense systems. Careful study and numerous experiments have shown that the main reason for revealing the location of an underwater vessel is its acoustic signature.

When designing the Triumphan, all known noise reduction methods were used. Despite the impressive size of the submarine, it is a rather difficult object to detect acoustically. The specific shape of the submarine helps reduce hydrodynamic noise. The sound level produced during operation of the ship's main power plant has been significantly reduced thanks to a number of non-standard technological solutions. "Triumphan" has on board an ultra-modern sonar system designed for early detection of enemy anti-submarine weapons.

"Jing"

Strategic nuclear-powered missile submarine built for the Chinese Navy. Due to the increased level of secrecy, much of the information about this ship comes not from the media, but from the intelligence services of the United States and other NATO countries. The submarine's dimensions were determined based on a photograph taken in 2006 by a commercial satellite designed to take digital images of the earth's surface. The length of the vessel is 140 meters, displacement - 11 thousand tons.

Experts note that the dimensions of the Jin nuclear submarine are larger than the dimensions of previous, technically and morally obsolete Chinese Xia-class submarines. The new generation vessel is adapted to launch Julan-2 intercontinental ballistic missiles equipped with multiple nuclear warheads. Their maximum flight range is 12 thousand kilometers. The Julan-2 missiles are an exclusive development. When designing them, the dimensions of the Jin class submarines, intended to become carriers of these formidable weapons, were taken into account. According to experts, the presence of such ballistic missiles and submarines in China significantly changes the balance of power in the world. Approximately three-quarters of the territory of the United States is in the zone of destruction of the Jin boats located in the Kuril Islands area. However, according to information available to the US military, test launches of Julan missiles often end in failure.

"Vanguard"

British strategic nuclear submarine, the size of which allows it to compete with the largest submarines in the world. The length of the vessel is 150 meters, displacement - 15 thousand tons. Boats of this type have been in service with the Royal Navy since 1994. Today, Vanguard-class submarines are the only carriers of British nuclear weapons. They carry Trident-2 ballistic missiles. This weapon deserves special mention. It is produced by a famous American company for the US Navy. The British government took on 5% of the cost of developing the missiles, which, according to the designers' plans, were supposed to surpass all their predecessors. The Trident-2's kill zone is 11 thousand kilometers, and the accuracy of the hit reaches several feet. Missile guidance does not depend on the American global positioning system. Trident 2 delivers atomic warheads to a target at a speed of 21 thousand kilometers per hour. The four Vanguard boats carry a total of 58 of these missiles, representing the UK's "nuclear shield".

"Murena-M"

Soviet submarine built during the Cold War. The main goals of creating the boat were to increase the range of missiles and overcome American sonar detection systems. The expansion of the affected area required a change in the dimensions of the underwater vessel compared to previous versions. The launch silos are designed for D-9 missiles, the launch mass of which is twice the usual. The length of the ship is 155 meters, displacement is 15 thousand tons. According to experts, Soviet designers managed to complete the initially set task. The range of the missile system has increased approximately 2.5 times. To achieve this goal, the Murena-M submarine had to be made one of the largest submarines in the world. The dimensions of the missile carrier have not changed the worst side his level of secrecy. The design of the boat included vibration damping mechanisms, since at that time the US sonar tracking system became a serious problem for Soviet strategic submarines.

"Ohio"

"Borey"

The development of this nuclear submarine began in the Soviet Union. It was finally designed and built in the Russian Federation. Its name comes from the name of the ancient Greek god of the north wind. In accordance with the plans of the creators, the Borey boat in the foreseeable future should replace the Akula and Dolphin class submarines. The length of the cruiser is 170 meters, displacement - 24 thousand tons. Borei was the first strategic submarine built in the post-Soviet era. First of all, the new Russian boat serves as a platform for launching Bulava ballistic missiles equipped with multiple nuclear warheads. Their flight range exceeds 8 thousand kilometers. Due to problems with financing and disruption of economic ties with enterprises located on the territory of the former Soviet republics, the completion date of the ship's construction was repeatedly postponed. The Borey boat was launched in 2008.

"Shark"

According to NATO classification, this vessel is designated "Typhoon". The dimensions of the Akula submarine exceed everything that has been created throughout the history of submarines. Its construction was the Soviet Union's response to the American Ohio project. The huge size of the heavy submarine cruiser "Akula" was due to the need to deploy on it R-39 missiles, the mass and length of which significantly exceeded those of the American Trident. Soviet designers had to come to terms with large dimensions in order to increase the flight range and weight of the warhead. The Akula boat, adapted for launching these missiles, has a record length of 173 meters. Its displacement is 48 thousand tons. Today, the Akula remains the largest submarine in the world.

Creation of an era

The USSR also occupies the first place in the ranking. This is understandable: the superpowers involved in the Cold War believed in the possibility of delivering a pre-emptive strike. They saw their main task as quietly placing nuclear missiles as close to the enemy as possible. This mission was assigned to large submarines, which became the legacy of that era.

A few facts about the largest submarine in the world.

On September 23, 1980, the nuclear submarine “Akula” was launched in the Soviet Union, which remains the main maritime giant today. This was a symmetrical but more powerful response to the US Navy's introduction of the Ohio-class submarines.

There's no hiding from her

Work on Project 941 to create the Akula submarine (NATO classification Typhoon - Interpolit.ru note) began on December 19, 1973, when the USSR government adopted a decree providing for the construction of a new missile carrier. The project was developed by Central design department marine technology (TsKB MT) "Rubin" (St. Petersburg), which was headed by general designer Igor Spassky.

Typhoon class submarines were built in Severodvinsk, at the local Sevmash shipyard. The first strategic submarine was laid down on June 30, 1976. On September 23, 1980, it was launched, and three months later it became part of the Northern Fleet under the number TK-208. Before the descent, an image of a shark was painted on the side of the bow below the waterline; later, stripes with a shark appeared on the crew’s uniform.

A total of seven “typhoons” were laid down, but one was not completed. In accordance with the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty SALT-2, three of the six built ships of the project were disposed of. All boats of this type were based in the Northern Fleet, in Nerpichya Bay.

The power of the submarine is such that its missiles can fly about ten thousand kilometers. In other words, from the North Pole zone, any targets up to the equator are accessible to it.

Nine-story building and the Tsar Cannon

Currently, the Russian Navy has two Akula class submarines in service in the Northern Fleet - the TK-20 Severstal and the TK-17 Arkhangelsk.

So that the boats can be on duty in cold waters and break through ice two and a half meters thick, the wheelhouse fencing is made of very durable material. When ascending, the submarine cruiser, having removed the bow rudders, slowly presses against the ice ceiling, after which the main ballast tanks are sharply purged.

Inside the submarine has a catamaran structure. In the steel belly of the “Shark” there are two durable hulls with a diameter of 7.2 m. Each of them is divided into eight compartments. They claim that a tragedy similar to what happened on the Kursk cannot happen on the Akula, since the torpedo compartment is reliably isolated.

home power plant consists of two 190 MW nuclear reactors and two 45,000 horsepower steam turbines.

In essence, the “Shark” is a huge nuclear-powered underwater vessel the height of a nine-story building. They said about it that if this boat was placed next to the Tsar Cannon, then, looking at it, humanity would forever refuse to wage any wars.

Floating Hilton

The crews of the Typhoon class submarines are believed to be located in an unusually comfortable conditions, for which the “Shark” was nicknamed the floating “Hilton”. Only Jules Verne could have imagined something like this, but it seemed impossible to transfer what was written on paper into the realities of the 20th century. Soviet designers and builders of submarines made the fairy tale come true.

Sailors rest in small cockpits. The command staff is accommodated in cabins of two, four and six people. Each of the “rooms” has a washbasin, a TV, a desk and even bookshelves. You can keep fit on the “Shark” in the gym, where there is a wall bars, a punching bag, and various exercise equipment. You can pedal, paddle, or run on a treadmill.

Separately, it should be said that the submarine has nine latrines. The sauna was lined with oak boards. It is designed for five people, but up to ten are packed there. After the sauna it's nice to take a dip in the pool. On a submarine it is small: four meters by two. And two meters deep. Filled out fresh water or outboard salty. If necessary, the water could be heated.

Among other entertainments, we note the “living corner” and solarium, as well as two wardrooms - for the command staff and for sailors and midshipmen.

Main weapons

Project 941 submarines carry missile systems with twenty R-39 three-stage solid-fuel ballistic missiles. Together with launcher one rocket weighs 90 tons. The 17-meter R-39 missile is the longest adopted for service in the world. Each warhead is 100 kilotons of TNT equivalent. Each has individual guidance. The missile launch control system is duplicated and insured against unauthorized launch.

Missiles can be launched from both surface and submerged positions at depths of up to 55 m and without restrictions on weather conditions. The development of the new R-39UTTH "Bark" missile even included launching from under the ice. But in 1998, after the third unsuccessful launch, the Russian Ministry of Defense decided to stop work on the complex.

The boat is also equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes, designed for firing torpedoes and missile-torpedoes, as well as for laying minefields.

Air defense is provided by eight sets of Igla-1 MANPADS.

Electronic weapons of the "Sharks":

Combat information and control system "Omnibus"

Analog hydroacoustic complex "Skat-KS" (digital "Skat-3" was installed on the TK-208 during mid-repair)

Hydroacoustic mine detection station MG-519 "Harp"

Echo-ledometer MG-518 “Sever”

Radar complex MRKP-58 "Buran"

Navigation complex "Symphony"

Radio communication complex "Molniya-L1" with satellite communication system "Tsunami"

Television complex MTK-100

Two pop-up buoy-type antennas that allow receiving radio messages, target designations and satellite navigation signals when located at a depth of up to 150 m and under ice.

Technical characteristics of Typhoon class submarines

Length – 172 m

Width – 23.3 m

Draft – 11 m

Surface displacement – ​​23200 tons

Underwater displacement – ​​48,000 tons

Submarine diving depth - 500 m

Working diving depth – 380 m

Surface speed – 12 knots

Underwater speed – 25 knots

Crew – 160 people

Autonomy – 120 days (according to other sources – up to 180 days)

The submarine "Shark" is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.