While you are reading these lines, somewhere far away (or maybe not so far), silent killers, hiding under the water column, ply the seas. They are huge, powerful and deadly, capable of lurking deep in the depths for months, only to one day deliver the decisive blow.
No, this is not a new horror movie or a documentary video "from the life of sharks." In this article, dear readers, you will find the answer to the question of how which submarine is worthy to bear the title of the largest in the worldand which countries can afford to build such steel giants.
More recently, we introduced readers to 10the largest ships in the world.
10. "Astyut" - length: 97 m, width 11.3 m
The tenth largest submarine in the world, it is the largest, most advanced and most powerful submarine ever operated by the Royal Navy. Its size is 97 meters long and 11.3 meters wide.
The Astyut class includes three submarines, with four more under construction. In case it is necessary to engage in battle, the submarine is armed with six 48 missiles or torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and 533 mm torpedo tubes (TA).
In 2012, the Astyutes proved their ability to launch Tomahawk missiles by successfully firing two missiles from the Gulf of Mexico and accurately hitting targets at a proving ground in North Florida.
9. "Seawulf" - 107.6 x 12.2 m
This series of nuclear-powered submarines was built by order of the US Navy in 1989-1998. The Sivulfs were a response to the construction of submarines in the Soviet Union under the Project 971 Schuka-B. In total, three ships were built, although it was originally planned that the series would include 12 submarines.
The length and width of the Seawulf hull are 107.6 meters and 12.2 meters, respectively. These submarines are equipped with one nuclear reactor and have a speed of 18 knots.
The US submarine's armament includes eight 660mm torpedo tubes, 50 torpedoes or missiles, and 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
8. Project 945A "Condor" - 110.5 x 12.2 m
The first, but not the only one among the largest submarines in Russia. To date, there are two Condors in operation, 110.5 meters long and 12.2 meters wide.
The hull of Condor-class submarines is made of lightweight and durable titanium, which allows the submarine to reach deeper depths and reduces the noise level. Of the armament, the Condors boast six 533 mm torpedo tubes, 40 torpedoes, S-10 Granat cruise missiles and 8 Igla-1 and Igla MANPADS launchers.
7. Project 971 "Pike-B" - 110.3 x 13.6 m
The Soviet Union can be criticized for many things, but not for its weak army and navy. It was in the USSR that the construction of one of the largest nuclear submarines in the world, Shchuky-B, was carried out. Unlike the Kondors, the hull of this submarine is made of alloy steel. The length of the formidable steel "fish" is just over 110 meters, and the width is over 13 meters.
The Shchuki-B project (1983-2001) was carried out at the Sevmash machine-building enterprise in Severodvinsk and was revised several times. The improved boats were called the "Improved Akula" or "Akula-II" by the western military. And the most modernized submarine - K-335 "Cheetah" - was called "Akula-III" in the West. The Indian Navy is also armed with one of the modernized "Shchuk-B" (K-152 "Nerpa"). It lacks the SOKS system and the ability to launch acoustic countermeasures.
In 2017, four Pike-B class submarines remained in service. Each of them is equipped with four 650-mm torpedo tubes, four 533-mm torpedo tubes, IRS Caliber-PL, and Strela-3M MANPADS.
6. "Triumfan" - 138 x 12.5 m
Sunny France is one of the few European countries that can afford to build a huge, heavy and expensive submarine. From 1989 to 2009, four Triumfan class submarines were built, 138 meters long and 12.5 meters wide. It was originally planned to build six units, but the plans of the French Navy changed due to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Triumfans are armed with four 533 mm torpedo tubes, 10 torpedoes, 8 Exocet SM39 cruise missiles, which are launched from TA and M45 and M51 missiles.
5. "Vanguard" - 149.9 x 12.8 m
The pride of the British Navy, over 149 meters long and over 12 meters wide. The Vanguard series includes four nuclear submarines, whose history began in the 90s of the twentieth century. They were built in a huge covered boathouse (workshop for construction or repair) 260 meters long and 58 meters wide. Its dimensions make it possible to build not only nuclear submarines, but also destroyers with guided missile weapons.
Initially, it was planned to assemble 6 or even 7 submarines, but with the collapse of the USSR, Great Britain and other NATO countries no longer needed a large number of submarines as one of the means of nuclear deterrence.
On board the Vanguards are four 533 mm torpedo tubes, 16 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles and Spearfish or Tigerfish remote-controlled torpedoes.
4. "Delta" - 167.4 x 11.7 m
This is the collective designation of four types of strategic nuclear submarines at once assembled in the USSR. Project codenames:
- "Murena".
- Murena-M.
- "Squid".
- "Dolphin".
The length of the last modification - "Dolphin" - is 167.4 meters, and width - 11.7 meters. This great steel fish was commissioned in December 1984. Of the seven Dolphins built, five are still in the Russian Navy.
Enemies of the Dolphins will not be in good luck, because they are equipped with four 533 mm torpedo tubes, 12 torpedoes, 16 ballistic missiles and from 4 to 8 Igla and Igla-1 MANPADS.
3. "Ohio" - 170.7 x 12.8 m
These giants are the largest submarines in the United States and the backbone of the American strategic offensive nuclear forces. They regularly have to carry out combat patrols, spending 60% of the time at sea. The size of "Ohio" is 170.7 meters and 12.8 meters (length and width, respectively).
The first submarine of this series entered service in November 1981. All other submarines are named after American states, with the exception of USS Henry M. Jackson, which was named after one of the senators.
These submarines are capable of carrying over twenty Trident II missiles and over 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Their armament also includes four 533 mm torpedo tubes.
2. Project 955 "Borey" - 170 х 13.5 m
The second number in the list of the largest submarines is again Russian development, one of the most advanced in the world. The Borey project began in 2011, and in May 2018 it became known that it is planned to build 14 ships of this type by 2027.
In the future, it is Borei that will replace the first and fourth numbers on our list.
The dimensions of the submarine are 170 meters long and 13.5 meters wide. This curvy, deadly beauty can go underwater at a speed of 29 knots, and is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes, six 324 mm hydroacoustic countermeasures, torpedoes, torpedo missiles and cruise missiles (including Onyx and Caliber), as well as 16 PU complex "Bulava".
1. Project 941 "Shark" - 172.8 x 23.3 m
Known to the West as the Typhoon class and to the Russian sailors as the Shark, these majestic steel giants were created to counter US Ohio-class submarines during the Cold War.
At 172.8 meters long and 23.3 meters wide, these monsters with surface and submarine displacement of 23,200 tons and 48,000 tons, respectively, were larger than competing American submarines. Their height (26 meters) is comparable to the height of a nine-story building.
In fact, the task of the Sharks was to create a nuclear apocalypse in the West, if the Cold War would go into a hot phase.
Its predatory nickname for the world's largest nuclear submarine comes from the image of a shark, which was applied before the first launch, which took place in September 1980.
Inside the light hull of the huge submarine there are five manned hulls. In the event of an emergency in one of the hulls, the crew inside the other hulls will be safe and the assistive devices will still work.
Two nuclear reactors give these strategic submarines the power they need to reach a top speed of around 25 knots underwater.
Rather than constantly navigating the world's seas and oceans, the Sharks were created to stay north of the Arctic Circle for six months, waiting for the command to launch their “farewell to the world” - the R-39 Variant ballistic missiles.
Due to the length and nature of its missions, this Soviet nuclear-powered missile submarine was designed with crew comfort in mind. In fact, the living quarters on the Sharks were so luxurious that the sailors of the Soviet (and later Russian) navy dubbed these giant ships the "floating Hiltons."
Instead of utilitarian steel furniture with minimal upholstery, Shark's interior features comfortable soft chairs, full-size doorways, a fully equipped gym, a fresh or salted seawater pool, solarium and even an oak-planked sauna. The command staff's cabins have TVs, washbasins and air conditioning systems.
However, the triumph of the huge and formidable Sharks did not last long. Of the seven planned submarines, six were built during the 1980s and retired less than 10 years later in the 1990s. The Russian government simply could not afford to keep these largest missile submarines in the world operational.
Currently, only one modernized "Akula" - TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy" - is in service. The largest submarine in the world serves as a testing ground for advanced ballistic missiles deployed on submarines (Bulava SLBMs).
Documentary video - Project 941 "Shark"