The best submarines of the Russian Navy. Nuclear submarines of Russia: number

The most important part of the navy are its submarines. Modern submarines can perform a wide range of missions to detect and destroy enemy ships, submarines or ground targets. In addition, the naval component of the strategic nuclear forces is entirely based on submarines. Currently, as part of the renewal of the Navy, new submarines are being built various types. In the foreseeable future, the fleet should receive several dozen submarines, both strategic or multi-purpose, and diesel-electric or special. However, for now, the basis of the submarine fleet in quantitative terms are submarines built earlier, including before the collapse of Soviet Union.

The four fleets of the Russian Navy (with the exception of the Caspian Flotilla) currently serve a total of 76 submarines different types. Missile submarines are in service and in reserve strategic purpose(SSBN), nuclear attack submarines, diesel submarines, as well as a number of nuclear and diesel special purpose submarines.

Strategic missile cruisers

The basis of the naval component of the nuclear forces are the Project 667BDRM Dolphin nuclear submarines. Currently, the Russian Navy has six such submarines: K-51 "Verkhoturye", K-84 "Ekaterinburg", K-114 "Tula", K-117 "Bryansk", K-118 "Karelia" and K-407 "Novomoskovsk". The submarine "Ekaterinburg" is currently undergoing repairs. Completion of work and delivery of the boat is scheduled for the end of this year. Another submarine of the Dolphin project, K-64, was withdrawn from the fleet in 1999 and soon went for refurbishment. All six Project 677BDRM submarines serve in the Northern Fleet.

The second largest type of SSBN in the Russian Navy is Project 667BDR “Squid”. Submarines of this type were built from the mid-seventies to the early eighties. Most of the Kalmar submarine cruisers have now been decommissioned and disposed of. Currently, the fleet has only three submarines of this type: K-433 “St. George the Victorious”, K-223 “Podolsk” and K-44 “Ryazan”. The latter is the newest of the existing Project 667BDR submarines and was delivered to the fleet in 1982. All three Kalmars serve in the Pacific Ocean.

Until the mid-nineties, nuclear deterrence tasks were carried out by the K-129 Orenburg submarine, built according to project 667BDR. In 1996, it was decided to convert it into a carrier of deep-sea vehicles. Currently, Orenburg belongs to project 09786 and is designated BS-136.

The Northern Fleet has three nuclear submarines of projects 941 and 941UM “Akula” in service and in reserve. The heavy missile cruiser TK-208 “Dmitry Donskoy” continues to serve. This was facilitated by repairs and modernization in accordance with project 941UM, during which the submarine received equipment missile complex"Mace". Two other Akulas, the TK-17 Arkhangelsk and the TK-20 Severstal, were put into reserve in the middle of the last decade due to the lack of R-39 missiles. Their future fate has not yet been determined.

In January 2013, a flag-raising ceremony took place on the lead SSBN of the new Project 955 Borei. The submarine K-535 Yuri Dolgoruky, under construction since 1996, passed all tests and was handed over to the fleet. At the end of December of the same year, the submarine cruiser K-550 Alexander Nevsky was accepted into the Navy. The lead submarine of the Borei project became part of the Northern Fleet, and the first production submarine joined the Pacific Fleet.

Multipurpose nuclear submarines

The tasks of destroying various surface, underwater and coastal targets are assigned to multi-purpose nuclear submarines armed cruise missiles and torpedoes. The most popular nuclear submarines of this class are the Project 971 Shchuka-B submarines. The Russian Navy has 11 submarines of this type, distributed between the Northern and Pacific fleets. Five Shchuka-B submarines serve in the Pacific Fleet, six are in the Northern Fleet. At the moment, five Project 971 submarines are undergoing repairs or are being prepared for them. To date, the Navy has lost three submarines of this type. The K-284 "Akula" boat has been in storage since 2002, the K-480 "Ak Bars" was handed over for disposal at the end of the last decade, and the dismantling of the K-263 "Barnaul" started last year.

The fate of the K-152 “Nerpa” boat is worth special consideration. It was laid down in 1991 for the domestic fleet, but financial difficulties led to the failure of all work deadlines. In 2004, a contract was signed, according to which the submarine was planned to be completed and transferred to the Indian Navy. After a number of difficulties, all work was completed, and in January 2012 the submarine was accepted by the customer.

The second largest multipurpose nuclear submarines in the Russian Navy are Project 949A Antey submarines. There are 5 and 3 submarines of this type in service in the Pacific and Northern fleets, respectively. Initially, it was planned that the Navy would receive 18 of these submarines, but the financial capabilities of the fleet allowed the construction of only 11. To date, three boats of the Antey project have been out of service. In August 2000, the K-141 Kursk submarine tragically died, and since the end of the 2000s, work has been underway to dismantle the K-148 Krasnodar and K-173 Krasnoyarsk submarines. Of the remaining submarines, four are currently undergoing repairs.

From the late seventies to the early nineties, four submarines of projects 945 Barracuda and 945A Condor were built. The ships B-239 “Karp” and B-276 “Kostroma” were built according to project 945, and the ships B-534 “Nizhny Novgorod” and B-336 “Pskov” were built according to project 945A. All these submarines are part of the Northern Fleet. Last year, work began on the repair and modernization of the Karp submarine. After it, Kostroma will undergo repairs. "Pskov" and "Nizhny Novgorod" continue to serve.

Until now, four multi-purpose nuclear submarines of Project 671RTMK “Pike” remain in the Northern Fleet. Two submarines, B-414 "Daniil Moskovsky" and B-338 "Petrozavodsk" continue to serve, and two others, B-138 "Obninsk" and B-448 "Tambov" are under repair. In accordance with current plans, all the Shchukas in the fleet will end their service in the foreseeable future. It was previously reported that all of them will be written off by the end of 2015. They will be replaced by new types of multi-purpose submarines.

On June 17, 2014, a flag-raising ceremony took place on the K-560 Severodvinsk submarine, the lead and so far only ship of Project 885 Yasen. The first Yasen was laid down at the end of 1993 and launched only in 2010. By 2020, it is planned to build 8 Yasen-class submarines equipped with missile weapons. Due to the long construction time for the lead submarine, all other submarines in the series will be built according to the updated 885M project. Currently, there are three new type submarines on the stocks of the Sevmash enterprise: Kazan, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk.

Not nuclear submarines

Since the early eighties, several domestic shipyards have been engaged in serial production of Project 877 Halibut diesel-electric submarines. Over the past decades, several versions of this project have been created, thanks to which the Halibuts of various modifications have become the most popular submarines in the Russian Navy.

The Baltic Fleet has two submarines of the Halibut project: B-227 Vyborg and B-806 Dmitrov (Project 877EKM). The Black Sea Fleet has only one Project 877B boat - the B-871 Alrosa. The Northern Fleet has the second largest group of Halibuts - five Project 877 diesel-electric submarines and one Project 877LPMB. Finally, eight Project 877 Halibut diesel-electric submarines serve at the bases of the Pacific Fleet.

A further development of Project 877 is Project 636 “Varshavyanka” and its versions. On August 22, 2014, the lead submarine of Project 636.3, the B-261 Novorossiysk, was accepted into service with the Black Sea Fleet. By the end of the decade, the Black Sea Fleet will receive five more submarines of this type. Two of them, B-237 Rostov-on-Don and B-262 Stary Oskol, have already been launched.

Until recently, great hopes were placed on the Project 677 Lada diesel-electric submarines, which are a further development of the Halibuts. Previously, there were plans to build a series of several Project 677 boats, but tests of the lead ship forced serious adjustments to be made to them. As a result, the first submarine of the project, B-585 St. Petersburg, is in trial operation by the Northern Fleet. Two production ships of Project 677 are under construction. Due to problems with the lead submarine, the construction of serial submarines was suspended for some time.

Special equipment

In addition to combat submarines, the Russian Navy has a number of special submarines and underwater vehicles designed to perform specific tasks of various kinds. For example, the Baltic, Northern and Pacific fleets operate four Project 1855 Priz deep-sea rescue vehicles.

According to open data, the Northern Fleet has 10 special-purpose nuclear and diesel-electric submarines designed to perform various tasks. This equipment is intended to carry out research work, conduct rescue operations and ensure combat duty of submarine missile cruisers. The most famous representative of this class of equipment is the special AS-12 Losharik submarine, capable of diving to depths of several kilometers. It was reported that in September 2012, Losharik participated in research work in the Arctic, during which its crew collected soil samples at a depth of more than 2 kilometers.

In the future, the Russian Navy should receive a number of new special-purpose submarines. Thus, since 2012, the Belgorod submarine of Project 949A has been completed according to a special project, thanks to which it will be able to become a carrier of deep-sea research vehicles. Last spring, representatives of the Navy claimed that the military department plans to build a special hydroacoustic patrol submarine, the task of which will be to detect underwater targets at a distance of up to several hundred kilometers.

Prospects

At the moment, in total, the Russian Navy has more than seven dozen submarines and devices for various purposes. The vast majority of this equipment was built before the collapse of the Soviet Union, which has a corresponding impact on both the condition and capabilities of the submarine fleet. However, in recent years, a number of measures have been taken to update it. In accordance with current plans, by 2020 the Navy should receive a relatively large number of new submarines.

By the end of this decade, the fleet will receive eight Project 955 Borei strategic missile carriers, the same number of Project 885 Yasen multi-purpose nuclear submarines and six Project 636.3 Varshavyanka diesel-electric submarines. Nuclear-powered Borei and Yasen missiles will be distributed between the Northern and Pacific fleets. “Varshavyanka”, in turn, will serve at Black Sea bases. Previously it was reported about plans regarding the future project 677 Lada. In the near future, it is planned to develop an updated version of this project, which will use a new power plant. The successful completion of this project will expand plans for the construction of non-nuclear submarines.

In parallel with the construction of new submarines, the old ones will be decommissioned. For example, by 2015-16 it is planned to cease operation of the remaining Project 671RTMK Shchuka nuclear submarines. Almost all submarines of this type have already been withdrawn from the fleet and disposed of, and only four remain in service. Over time, similar processes will occur with other types of submarines, which will be replaced by the new Yasen, Borei, Varshavyanka and, possibly, Lada. However, a complete renewal of the submarine fleet will take a long time and will be one of the most expensive projects in the entire history of the Russian Navy.

Based on materials from sites:
http://ria.ru/
http://rg.ru/
http://flot.sevastopol.info/
http://flotprom.ru/
http://flot.com/

Our country's submarine fleet has always represented a force that could not be ignored. After the collapse of the USSR, the development program of the submarine fleet in Russia slowed down for well-known reasons. However, since the 2000s, such a breakthrough has been made in this regard that even many foreign experts were surprised by the changes taking place. At the same time, the Russian leadership is not going to stop there. We will not reveal all the secrets of modernization and the creation of new submarine projects; we will only talk about those Russian submarines that, according to our overseas partners, are the main threat to them.
"Pike-B"
The first place in this list is occupied by nuclear submarines of Project 971 “Shchuka-B” (aka “Akula” according to NATO classification). They belong to the third generation boats and began entering service with the fleet in 1984. The latest advanced modifications pose a particular danger. Multi-purpose "Pikes" are designed to intercept enemy submarines, protect their own and destroy other surface ships. In addition to eight torpedo tubes capable of firing torpedoes, missile-torpedoes, as well as installations for launching cruise missiles (including those with nuclear warheads), no less important “weapons” of the “Akula” are its stealth and low noise.
"Halibut" and "Varshavyanka"
The second and third positions are occupied by the sister submarines Halibut (Project 877) and Varshavyanka (Project 636). Both types are the quietest in their class; the Varshavyanka even received the nickname “Black Hole” in NATO. The designers initially (the main project was created in the 70s of the last century) were given the task of creating a submarine that was guaranteed to emerge victorious in a duel situation. That is, she had to detect and destroy the enemy submarine before it understood anything. And this task was completed. The Halibut is armed with six torpedo tubes, and the Varshavyanka (these submarines of the latest version are being built today for the Black Sea Fleet) also has launchers for firing Caliber cruise missiles. Both types of submarines are readily purchased abroad. Our Halibuts and Varshavyankas are already serving in Algeria, Vietnam, India, and China.
"Borey"
The Project 955 strategic submarine missile carrier Borei was also included in the list of storms of the seas. This is the first submarine entirely designed and built in post-Soviet Russia. The Borei is armed with ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads and torpedo tubes capable of firing an entire arsenal of weapons to destroy surface and underwater ships. The nuclear reactor provides the submarine with an underwater speed of up to 30 knots; it is capable of diving to a depth of 480 m and staying under water for 90 days. Three boats of this class are already in service with the Russian Navy and are capable of performing their assigned mission anywhere in the World Ocean. By 2020, the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to put eight more Boreevs into service.
"Ash"
Well, the latest nuclear submarine of Project 885 “Ash” closes the list of “thunderstorms from under the water”. This is the most modern and most expensive Russian nuclear-powered multi-purpose submarine of the fourth generation. The first ship "Severodvinsk" entered the Northern Fleet in 2014. Sufficiently powerful weapons (homing torpedoes and cruise missiles with a firing range of up to 400 miles) allow the Yasen to hit targets underwater, on water and on land equally effectively.
The boat's hull is made of low-magnetic steel and covered with rubber, which makes it invisible to the enemy. The huge spherical antenna of the hydroacoustic complex, located in the bow of the submarine, allows sailors to hear the enemy ship long before it detects them. An underwater speed of 35 knots, the ability to dive to 600 m and stay under water for up to 100 days make the Yaseni a very powerful and modern weapon.

Submarines form the main backbone of Russia's naval armament. They are capable of performing a number of strategically important tasks. They are used to destroy enemy ships, various underwater and surface objects, as well as hit targets in the enemy’s coastal waters. In addition, they are able to quietly carry out combat missions and leave places of temporary deployment. The submarine fleets of the Russian Federation and the United States are considered to be the most powerful, and these powers share the palm in dominance over the World Ocean.

How the nuclear submarine fleet was born

In the middle of the last century, in 1954, the Nautilus was launched, which is considered the first nuclear submarine launched by the United States. Development of the SSN 571 type submarine vessel began in 1946, and its construction began in 1949. The basis for the design was the German military submarine of the 27th series, the design of which the Americans changed beyond recognition and installed a nuclear power plant in it. Before the beginning of 1960, production of the first nuclear submarines of the EB 253-A project, better known as the Skate submarines, was launched.

Just 5 years later, at the beginning of 1959, Project 627 appeared, which became the first nuclear submarine of the Soviet Union. It was immediately adopted by the Navy. Soon after this, Soviet designers developed Project 667-A, which was originally intended for use as a strategic missile submarine cruiser (SSBN). Actually, the adoption of the 667s into service as combat units is considered to be the beginning of the development of the second generation of nuclear submarines of the USSR.

In 1970 of the last century, Project 667-B was adopted and approved in the Union. It was a nuclear submarine called "Moray". It was equipped with a powerful naval DBK (ballistic missile system) "D-9" for intercontinental use. Following this submarine, Murena-M (project 667-BD) appeared, and already in 1976 the Soviet fleet received the first series of missile-carrying submarines, project 667-BDR. They were armed with missiles that had multiple warheads.

The further development of the submarines of the leading countries was carried out in such a way that the design was based on silent propellers and some changes in the hull. Thus, in 1980, the first attack submarine appeared, which became Project 949 III generation. To perform a number of strategic tasks, it used torpedoes and cruise missiles.

A little later, Project 667-AT appeared, the flagship of which was the K423 nuclear submarine. It was adopted in 1986 by the Soviet fleet. It is also worth noting that this project managed to survive to this day. Like other Russian nuclear submarines, the active combat units of the fleet include the Project 667 model K395.

One cannot fail to note the Soviet submarines created in 1977. They became a modification of the project 667 ─ 671 RTM, of which 26 units were built by the end of 1991. Soon after this, the first domestic multi-purpose nuclear submarines were created, the hull of which was made of titanium - Bars-971 and 945, known as Barracuda.

Is half a hundred a lot or a little?

The Russian submarine fleet is armed with 76 submarines of various classes, including SSBNs, multi-purpose submarines, diesel-powered submarines, and special-purpose vessels. The question of how many nuclear submarines there are in Russia can be answered this way: there are 47 of them. It should be noted that this is a very large number, since the construction of one nuclear submarine today costs the state over $1 billion. If we take into account ships being re-equipped and in ship repair yards, then the number of nuclear submarines in Russia will be 49. For comparison, we present some data on the submarines in service with the superpowers. The American submarine fleet has 71 submarine combat units, while Great Britain and France each have 10 units.

Nuclear-powered heavy missile-carrying cruisers

Heavy missile carriers are considered the largest and most dangerous in terms of defeating enemy force and destructive ability. There are 3 such nuclear submarines in Russian service. Among them is the missile carrier Dmitry Donskoy (heavy cruiser TK208), as well as the Vladimir Monomakh. They were built according to Project 945. Their weapons are presented missile system"Mace".

The TK-17 cruiser of the Akula class, which is part of the 941UM project, is in service with the submarine fleet and is called Arkhangelsk. The TK-20 boat is called “Severstal”, and it was also built according to this project. One of the reasons for their decommissioning is the shortage of P-39 ballistic missiles. We also note that these ships are among the largest in the world, and their total displacement is about 50 thousand tons.

At the beginning of 2013, the flag was raised on the nuclear submarine K-535 (Project 955 “Borey”), named after Yuri Dolgoruky. This submarine became the lead submarine missile cruiser of the Northern Fleet. Less than a year has passed, and in December the Pacific Fleet received the K-550. This nuclear submarine is named after Alexander Nevsky. All boats are IV generation strategic missile carriers.

Strategic nuclear submarines "Dolphin"

Project 667-BDRM represents nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy in the amount of 6 units:

• "Bryansk" ─ K117;
• "Verkhoturye" ─ K51;
• "Ekaterinburg" ─ K84;
• "Karelia" ─ K118;
• "Novomoskovsk" ─ K407;
• "Tula" ─ K114.

In mid-1999, the nuclear-powered cruiser K64 ceased to be an active unit of the Navy and was removed from service. All Russian nuclear submarines (photos of some can be seen above) included in the project are in service with the Northern MF.

Project 667-BDR. Nuclear boats "Squid"

In terms of their number in the Navy, modern Russian nuclear submarines of the Kalmar class are right behind the Dolphins. The construction of boats under Project 667BDR began even before the beginning of 1980 in the USSR, so most of the nuclear submarines have already been decommissioned and become unusable. Today, the Russian fleet has only 3 units of such submarine cruisers:

• "Ryazan" ─ K44;
• “Saint George the Victorious” ─ K433;
• "Podolsk" ─ K223.

All submarines are in service with the Russian Pacific Fleet. Ryazan is considered the “youngest” of them, since it was put into operation later than the others, at the end of 1982.

Multi-purpose nuclear submarine

Russia's multi-purpose nuclear submarines, which were assembled according to Project 971, are considered the most numerous in their class (Shchuka-B). They are capable of destroying targets in coastal waters, on the shore, as well as hitting underwater structures and objects located on the surface of the water. The Northern and Pacific fleets are armed with 11 nuclear submarines of this type. However, 3 of them various reasons will no longer be in use. For example, the nuclear submarine "Akula" is not used at all, and "Barnaul" and "Bars" have already been transferred for disposal. The Nerpa K152 submarine has been sold to India under contract since 2012. Later it was transferred to the Indian Navy.

Project 949A. Multipurpose nuclear submarine "Antey"

There are 3 Russian Project 949A nuclear submarines and they are part of the Northern Fleet. 5 Antey nuclear submarines are in service with the fleet Pacific Ocean. When this submarine was conceived, it was planned to put 18 units into operation. However, the funding shortage made itself felt, so only 11 of them were launched.

Today, Russia's Antey-class nuclear submarines are in service with the fleet in the amount of 8 combat units. Several years ago, the submarines “Krasnoyarsk” K173 and “Krasnodar” K178 were sent for dismantling and disposed of. On September 12, 2000, a tragedy occurred in the Barents Sea that claimed the lives of 118 Russian sailors. On this day, the Antey project 949A Kursk K141 AFRC sank.

Multi-purpose nuclear submarines "Condor", "Barracuda" and "Pike"

From the early 80s to the 90s, 4 boats were built, which were projects 945 and 945A. They were named "Barracuda" and "Condor". According to the 945 project, the Russian nuclear submarines Kostroma B276 and Karp B239 were built. As for the 945A project, it was used to create the Nizhny Novgorod B534, as well as the Pskov B336, which were initially put into service with the Northern Fleet. All 4 submarines are still in service today.

Also in service there are 4 submarines of the multi-purpose project "Pike" 671RTMK, including:

• "Obninsk" ─ B138;
• "Petrozavodsk" ─ B338;
• "Tambov" ─ B448;
• “Daniil of Moscow” ─ B414.

The Ministry of Defense plans to decommission these boats and replace them with a completely new class of combat units.

Nuclear submarine 885 type "Ash"

Today, the SSGN Severodvinsk is the only operational submarine of this class. On June 17 last year, a ceremonial flag raising took place on K-560. Over the next 5 years, it is planned to create and launch 7 more such vessels. Already full is underway construction of the submarines “Kazan”, “Krasnoyarsk” and “Novosibirsk”. If “Severodvinsk” is a project 885, then the remaining boats will be created according to the project of an improved modification 885M.

As for weapons, the Yasen nuclear submarines will be equipped with supersonic cruise missiles of the Caliber type. The firing range of these missiles can be 2.5 thousand km, and they are high-precision projectiles whose main task will be the destruction of enemy aircraft carriers. It is also planned that the Kazan nuclear submarine will be equipped with fundamentally new equipment that has not previously been used in the development of underwater vehicles. Moreover, due to a number of technical characteristics, primarily due to the minimal noise level, detecting such a submarine will be very problematic. In addition, this multi-purpose submarine will be a worthy competitor to the American SSN575 Seawolf.

At the end of November 2012, tests of the Caliber missile system were carried out. The shooting was carried out from the submerged Severodvinsk submarine at ground targets from a distance of 1.4 thousand km. In addition, a supersonic Onyx-type rocket was launched. The missile launches were successful and proved the feasibility of their use.

On June 15, 2010, in Severodvinsk, the newest submarine cruiser of Project 885 was removed from the dock of the Northern Engineering Enterprise. Thus, today in Russia the lead submarines of new series of three main classes have been built: SSBN of Project 955 (“Yuri Dolgoruky”), diesel-electric submarines of Project 677 (“ St. Petersburg") and finally SSGN project 885 ("Severodvinsk").

It is worth paying attention to this intermediate milestone in order to understand what prospects await the domestic submarine fleet and on what submarines those future officers and sailors who today are only finishing the 9th-11th grades of secondary schools will serve.

FOURTH GENERATION

The history of the new, fourth generation of domestic submarines began at the turn of the 70-80s of the last century, immediately after the requirements were formed and preparations began for the construction of third-generation submarines - projects 941, 945, 949, 971 and others. The new generation of boats was supposed to build on the success that was achieved with the creation of third-generation submarines, capable, despite some shortcomings, of competing with their American and British peers in terms of equipment capabilities and level of stealth.

According to the tradition of the Soviet Navy, the simultaneous construction of several submarine projects was envisaged to perform various tasks - strategic, anti-aircraft carrier, multi-purpose, anti-submarine and special purpose. However, at the end of the 80s it became clear that such a practice leads to an unjustified increase in costs for the Navy, and following the example of a potential enemy, it was decided to reduce this diversity to three main classes: two classes of nuclear submarines - strategic and multi-purpose and one class of multi-purpose diesel -electric submarines.

As a result, work on new boats led to the creation of three projects, which were approved as the main ones. The role of the new “strategist” was intended for Project 955 “Borey”, and the new multi-purpose submarine cruiser - Project 885 “Yasen”. It was planned to build promising diesel submarines according to Project 677 Lada.

Unfortunately, the implementation of these plans came at an extremely difficult time for our country. The collapse of the USSR and the destruction of industry, primarily the defense industry, led to the fact that in the 90s and most of the 2000s, the fleet received “Soviet backlog” submarines, without dreaming of new submarines. The construction of the latter progressed with enormous difficulties. Meanwhile, the number of submarines of the Russian Navy was sharply reduced due to the withdrawal from its composition large quantity boats of early projects, and many combat units, nominally remaining in service, could not go to sea for years.

As a result, the following situation has now developed in the Russian submarine fleet.

MARINE STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES

Currently, the Russian strategic nuclear forces include six RPK SN project 667BDRM (built in the 80s - early 90s), five RPK SN project 667 BDR (built in the 70-80s), one RPK SN project 955 (launched in 2007, not yet put into operation). In addition, three Project 941 RPK SN remain in service with the Russian Navy, one of which (Dmitry Donskoy), after conversion, is used for testing the D-30 missile system with the Bulava ICBM, and two more are awaiting the decision of their fate.

Currently, the construction of three more Project 955 missile submarines is underway. Two of them should be delivered to the Russian Navy during 2011, and the third in 2014 or 2015. The history of this project is quite dramatic: construction of the lead ship officially began in 1995, but almost did not progress due to underfunding. Subsequently, the project had to undergo a serious rework, when, after several unsuccessful launches, the promising Bark missile system was abandoned in favor of the Bulava, the development of which turned into a real drama. As a result, the renewal of Russia's naval strategic nuclear forces is being delayed. Today, very significant intellectual, financial and industrial resources have been allocated to solve the problems of the Bulava, and this allows us to hope that in the near future the missile will be put into service.

In general, despite the existing difficulties, the state of Russia's naval strategic nuclear forces can be considered the most favorable compared to the rest of the domestic submarine fleet. Their basis is six RPK SN project 667BDRM, currently undergoing repairs with re-equipment on the Sineva ICBM, and it is expected that they will remain in the Navy until the 2020s, and subject to further modernization, even longer.

Taking into account the construction of a series of ships of Project 955 (assuming that all the problems of the Bulava can be eliminated within the next year) and taking into account the restrictions of the START-3 Treaty, signed in the spring of this year, we can say that the presence in service of six RPK SN of Project 667BDRM and the construction of the same number of Boreys will make it possible to remove the issue of updating Russian strategic nuclear forces for the next 20 years from the agenda.

"AIRCARRIER KILLERS"

Today, the Russian Navy retains eight nuclear-powered submarine cruisers of Project 949A Antey. These boats, the construction of which began in the 80s, are among the most modern in the Russian Navy, but the state of this component of the submarine can be called a crisis. First of all, due to the failure of the Legend ICRC and the decommissioning of most of the Tu-95RC reconnaissance aircraft, as well as difficulties with the commissioning of the new Liana ICRC. As a result, boats of this type can only use the P-700 to guide their missiles own funds detection, which precludes the use of this missile at full range and requires approaching the target.

The second and more serious problem is the narrow specialization of these submarines. “Sharpened” to fight aircraft carrier formations of the US Navy, Project 949A submarines turned out to be very large, complex and expensive to build and operate ships, the purpose of which in modern conditions is unclear. In addition large sizes make these boats very noticeable, and they are also quite noisy.

The service life of the Anteevs can be extended and their capabilities can be expanded through major repairs and modernization, with the replacement of the Granit missile system on the boats with a new missile system with universal launchers. Such re-equipment will allow the Anteys to use a wide range of modern cruise missiles and make them multi-purpose ships. However, such a modernization will not eliminate all the shortcomings of the project, and in addition, it will be extremely time-consuming and expensive.

SUBMARINE HUNTERS

In December 2009, the K-152 Nerpa nuclear submarine was commissioned into the Russian Navy. The new Project 971I nuclear submarine is intended to be leased to the Indian Navy. Before this, the already formed Indian crew will undergo training on the submarine.

This fact is especially interesting given the state of the group of domestic multi-purpose nuclear submarines. The last multi-purpose nuclear submarine entered service with the Russian Navy in 2001. It was the same type of submarine as the Nerpa, the Gepard. Today, the Russian Navy operates, not counting the Nerpa, 12 submarines of Project 971, the average age of which exceeds 15 years. In addition to these nuclear submarines, the fleet also has multi-purpose nuclear submarines of other projects - 671RTMK (four units) and 945 (three units). In the next decade and a half, at least half of the submarines of this class will fail, in particular, all submarines of Project 671RTMK and Project 945, as well as the first Project 971 nuclear submarines built. Such a reduction, if not compensated by the introduction of new submarines into the fleet, will lead to that by the mid-to-late 2020s the group of multi-purpose nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy will not be able to carry out combat missions- even something as important as covering Russian strategic submarine cruisers in combat service, and there will be no talk of allocating any noticeable number of nuclear submarines to carry out missions in remote areas of the World Ocean.

How can this situation be avoided?

There are currently two Project 885 multi-purpose nuclear submarines under construction for the Navy. As is known, the lead ship of the project, the K-329 Severodvinsk, was recently removed from the construction shop. Existing plans provide for the commissioning of a fleet of six nuclear submarines of this type over the next ten years, and they obviously will not be able to replace all 27 multi-purpose submarines (including the anti-aircraft 949A submarines) currently in service with the Navy.

The lead boat of Project 885 was intended to be laid down at the turn of the 80s and 90s, but financial restrictions and the collapse of the USSR delayed the start of work until 1993. Then a long epic of its construction began. Initially, it was assumed that this ship would be handed over to sailors in 1998, and rumors appeared about the laying of two or three more Project 885 hulls. But in 1996, due to lack of funding, construction was practically frozen.

In 1998, the commissioning dates shifted to the early 2000s, then to 2005, to 2007... Work on the boat began again only in 2004. After the renewal of funding, the project had to be modernized - the equipment laid down by the creators of the submarine in the late 80s was outdated and it was pointless to complete the cruiser with it. In addition, according to some information, difficulties arose with the main power plant new generation, which had to be modified.

In fact, rumors about the construction of the next buildings of Project 885, allegedly laid down in the 90s, also turned out to be untrue. In reality, work on the second ship of the improved Project 885M, named Kazan, began only in 2009.

It should be noted that the need to build a series of six Project 885 cruisers raises questions. In order to understand this topic, you need to understand the origin and evaluate the characteristics of Severodvinsk. This is a large submarine ship with a standard displacement of 9,700 and a total displacement of more than 13,500 tons, about 120 meters long and 13 meters wide. It has a high speed (according to some sources, up to 33 knots) and has powerful weapons: 8 torpedo tubes of 533 and 650 mm caliber, as well as 8 silo-type launchers, each of which can accommodate up to three cruise missiles of various types.

The boat is equipped with powerful electronic equipment and hydroacoustics, and the cost of its construction, according to some sources, is close to two billion dollars. The closest analogue of the domestic project in terms of functionality and characteristics is American project SSN-21 Sea Wolf. Sea Wolves are also large, fast, heavily armed and expensive combat units. In the late 80s, they were supposed to be a response to the introduction of Project 971 submarines into the USSR Navy. Then the United States wanted to build 30 submarines of this type. However, due to the end of the Cold War, the need for such a series disappeared and in 1989-2005 the US Navy received only three boats, while the price of each submarine reached four billion dollars. The Virginia, which was smaller in size and not so outstanding in terms of performance characteristics, was chosen as the main nuclear submarine of the new generation. Submarines of this type are planned to be built in the amount of 30 units to replace the aging Los Angeles-class submarines.

In this regard, the question arises: does Russia today need to build a series of ships similar to the Sea Wolf, the characteristics of which were at one time calculated based on the expected big war with the most powerful enemy on earth? Or, taking into account the current international situation, we can limit ourselves to commissioning two or three Project 885 (885M) submarines, and choose a cheaper option as the main nuclear submarine in the future, which retains the necessary capabilities due to modern equipment and weapons.

The above considerations regarding the upcoming significant reduction in the group of multi-purpose nuclear submarines allow us to conclude: the construction in the next decade and a half of a cheaper “mass” nuclear submarine in the amount of at least 12-15 units is vital. In terms of basic characteristics, such a boat should correspond to the Project 971 or even 671RTM nuclear submarines, surpassing these submarines in terms of stealth and, of course, the capabilities of equipment and weapons. Judging by some information, the development of such a project is being carried out by a number of design bureaus.

DIESEL BOATS

Back in the late 90s of the last century, the question was raised about the need to replace Project 877 boats, which today form the basis of the domestic diesel submarine fleet. Deliveries of submarines of this project to the Russian Navy were completed in 1994. Currently, according to various sources, our fleet contains from 12 to 15 diesel-electric submarines of this type, the oldest of which were built in the early 80s.

As replacement options, the construction of either improved Project 636/636M submarines or the latest Project 677 submarines was considered. The first option promised the possibility of a relatively cheap and quick renewal of the submarine due to the structural similarity of the Project 636 and 877 submarines, at the same time, the capabilities of the latter were to increase significantly due to new equipment. The second was more risky - the Project 677 boat was a completely new product, the development of which in the conditions of the post-Soviet collapse of industry promised great difficulties.

Nevertheless, in 1997, the lead submarine of Project 677 was laid down, but it was launched only eight years later, and the submarine was ultimately put into operation only in May 2010. At the same time, the boat was accepted for “limited operation” - according to available information, a standard sonar system was not installed on it, the development of which had problems, and there were difficulties with the main power plant.

The delay in commissioning of the lead boat also “suspended” the fate of the next submarines of the project - B-586 “Kronstadt” and B-587 “Sevastopol”, laid down in 2005 and 2006. As a result, they have not even been launched yet. Whether it will be possible to correct the problems that have arisen without deteriorating the performance characteristics of the boat and in what time frame this can be done is still unknown.

As a result, today a paradoxical situation arises: for almost 15 years, having in its hands a successful, modern, competitive project 636, which is in demand on the world market and maintains its competitiveness through constant improvement, Russia is not building these boats for itself. Trying to bet on newest project 677, our country is faced with a number of organizational and technical problems, as a result of which the renewal of the diesel submarine has been delayed for ten years. With a different development of events, over the past ten years the fleet could have received six, and maybe eight submarines of the 636th project. It is possible that he will eventually receive them - but a decade and a half later than he should have.

FUTURE OPTIONS

The renewal of the Russian Navy, including the submarine fleet, directly depends on what funds the country can allocate to solve this problem and how carefully it will control their spending. According to representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense, in order to fully finance the needs of the Armed Forces, it is necessary to spend 28-36 trillion rubles in the next 10 years. If the least expensive, 13 trillion version of the State Arms Program for 2010-2020 is adopted, funding for the Navy will be on a residual basis - strategic nuclear forces, air force and air defense will have priority. According to information from a number of sources, in this case, the replenishment of the fleet with new ships will be carried out through the implementation of a joint military and civilian shipbuilding program that is not included in the State Armed Forces. At the same time, in addition to the actual financing issues, a lot of problems with the reorganization and modernization of the shipbuilding industry must be solved.

In the event of one or another scenario, what will the Russian submarine look like 15 years later? The following main scenarios can be distinguished:

1. Minimal. In the absence of the necessary funding, only “protected” items will receive development; in the case of the submarine fleet, these are naval strategic nuclear forces. The grouping of multi-purpose nuclear submarines will retain 2-3 Project 949A submarines and 6-7 Project 971 boats, and will also receive 4-6 Project 885 ships. In total, it will include 10-16 nuclear submarines. The group of diesel boats will include the last 5-6 submarines of Project 877 and a similar number of boats of Project 677 and/or 636M. Taking into account the distance from each other of the main naval theaters, Russia will not have the opportunity to create a more or less strong underwater group in any of them, without allowing the others to become critically weakened. The capabilities of the submarine to carry out combat missions will be sharply reduced.

2. Acceptable. With larger amounts of funding, it is possible to take the necessary measures to preserve it in service. more boats of “Soviet projects”. Modernization of all 12 existing Bars and, for example, four boats of Project 949A in combination with the commissioning of six nuclear submarines of Project 885 and, possibly, the first 2-3 boats of the new project will make it possible to maintain the number of multi-purpose boats at the level of 22-25 units, which will make it somewhat easier position. The group of diesel submarines, having completely gotten rid of the obsolete Project 877 submarines, will consist of 12-15 new submarines.

3. Optimal. Regular funding in combination with the modernization of shipbuilding will allow, in particular, to completely update the composition of the strategic nuclear forces, without bothering with the modernization of the RPK SN of old projects. The grouping of multi-purpose boats will retain the old combat units: 4-6 Project 949A submarines, which have undergone deep modernization, and 8-10 Project 871 submarines, also improved. The order for the construction of Project 885 boats will be reduced to two or three units, but at the same time the fleet will receive 12-15 more compact and cheaper submarines. In this case, the number of multi-purpose nuclear submarines will at least remain at the current level, and perhaps even increase slightly, while improving quality. The group of diesel boats in this case will consist of up to 20 units of project 677 and/or 636M, and probably some others.

Submarine - sea thunderstorm
Steely eyes under a black cap

100 years ago, submarines proved their combat effectiveness, confidently occupying their niche in the field of naval weapons. It was the nuclear submarine missile carriers that were entrusted with the honorable role of “gravediggers of humanity.”
Due to their high complexity and high cost, nuclear submarines were initially available only in the fleets of the USSR and the USA. After some time, they were joined by British and French nuclear submarines. Later, Chinese nuclear submarines appeared. Now the Indian Navy has nuclear submarines - the Indians use Russian technology, but at the same time are actively working on the project of their own nuclear submarine.

Like any technical system, submarines of different designs have their own advantages and disadvantages. This is what the American educational channel Discovery tried to find out by ranking the best submarines. From my point of view, it is stupid and ignorant to directly compare submarines of different eras. Imagine the navigator of a German U-boat trying to determine, using a primitive gyrocompass, where the North is under this damn water, where to sail and what to do - the battery is almost empty, there is no connection with the shore, and enemy anti-submarine ships are on their tail. What does a German sailor have in common with a crew member of a modern nuclear submarine equipped with satellite communications and navigation systems? A nuclear-powered ship can operate covertly in the sea waters for months, and it can incinerate all living things on several continents. It is much more logical to compare only nuclear submarines based on the “Best Submarines” program.

A couple more words from the theory of submarines. Despite their excellent combat qualities, submarines are still too specific weapons, which in most cases are not capable of replacing surface ships. Submarines are powerless against aviation, and in the event local conflicts when, for example, it is necessary to support the landing force with fire, their strike potential against ground targets is vanishingly small. The main combat quality of a submarine is stealth; it is this parameter that is usually at the forefront when comparing submarines. Although an advantage often becomes a disadvantage - the submarine cannot announce its presence, because it is simply not visible. But these are minor things.

Much more serious is the fact that submarine forces operating separately from aviation and surface ships are becoming easy prey. German submarine aces initially made huge scores for themselves by destroying unarmed transports or attacking an unprepared enemy. With the advent of more or less serious counteraction, the effectiveness of Doenitz’s “wolf packs” sharply decreased, and when naval anti-submarine aircraft went hunting, radars and new acoustic stations appeared, the Germans’ last chance of success melted away. During World War II, 783 German U-bots remained at the bottom of the Atlantic, and 32,000 submariners died!

The moral is this: submarines are excellent at their tasks, but using them to solve all the problems facing the Navy is pointless and ineffective. And now, I think it’s worth moving directly to the rating.

10th place – type “Virginia”

Fourth generation US Navy multipurpose nuclear submarines.
The lead ship entered service in 2004. There are currently 8 nuclear submarines in service; according to the plan, 22 more submarines should be built by 2030
At first glance, the characteristics of the world's most modern nuclear-powered ship evoke a deep sense of disappointment. Underwater speed is 25 knots, working depth is 250 meters. Well... you won’t surprise even Kriegsmarine submariners with such indicators. The armament does not shine either: 4 torpedo tubes and 12 vertical launch silos for launching Tomahawk cruise missiles. Ammunition - 26 torpedoes and 12 “Battle axes”. Not thick. From special means- the boat is equipped with an airlock for the exit of combat swimmers and uninhabited underwater vehicles.

But this project also has a number of strengths, making the Virginia nuclear submarine an extremely dangerous underwater enemy. Complete secrecy is her motto! A system of insulated decks, cascading pneumatic shock absorption of equipment, new “silencing” hull coatings and a propeller enclosed in a fenestron (annular fairing) - all this ensures an extremely low noise level. The boat is practically undetectable against the background of ocean noise. General Electric's new S6E nuclear power plant allows the reactor to be recharged once every 30 years, which corresponds to the design life of the submarine.
“Virginia” is full of various “high-tech” systems and the most modern radio-electronic equipment. For the first time in world practice, instead of a traditional periscope, a telescopic mast is used on which a video camera, an infrared sensor and a laser rangefinder are installed. The image is transmitted to a monitor in a central location via a fiber-optic cable. The solution is, of course, interesting.

But...no matter how hard American submariners try to admire their new boat, this is not at all what their dreams were about. 20 years ago, such a nuclear submarine in service with the US Navy would have caused a storm of indignation - America was preparing to build completely different submarines, with exorbitant characteristics and a very high cost. By these indicators, Virginia is just a compromise. Nevertheless, the boats of this project carry successful innovative solutions, have high combat potential and are designed for mass construction.

9th place – Typhoon

Project 941 heavy strategic missile submarine. Its hull is as long as two football fields. The height is the size of a nine-story building. Underwater displacement - 48,000 tons. Crew - 160 people.
The largest underwater ship ever created by man. A dubious achievement in terms of combat effectiveness, but at the same time one cannot help but admire the size of this submarine. A total of 6 nuclear-powered missile submarines were built under Project 941.

Thanks to its cyclopean dimensions, the Typhoon was capable of breaking through ice up to 2.5 meters thick (!), which opened up the prospect of combat duty in the high Arctic latitudes for the Soviet submarine cruiser.
Another advantage of this incredible “underwater catamaran” is its extremely high survivability. Nineteen (!) sealed compartments made it possible to disperse and duplicate everything important systems ship. The Typhoon's reactors were placed in two independent compartments in different hulls of the submarine.
What? What different buildings are we talking about?

Anchor "Typhoon"

The Typhoon owed its immense size to the R-39 solid-fuel ballistic missile with a launch weight of 90 tons; there were 20 of them on board the nuclear submarine cruiser. The designers had to use unconventional layout solutions, as a result - this incredible “underwater catamaran” has two separate durable titanium hulls (technically, there are five of them!). At the same time, the mass of sea water contained in the light hull is 15,000 tons, for which the Typhoon received the ironic nickname “water carrier” in the navy. But he fulfilled his task of strategic nuclear deterrence 100%. Specialists from the Malachite Design Bureau said the best thing about this project: “a victory of technology over common sense.”

8th place – “Goldfish”

Records that were not reported by TASS. On December 18, 1970, the Northern Fleet nuclear submarine K-162, while submerged, set an absolute world speed record of 44.7 knots (82.78 km/h).

In the fall of 1971, during a long voyage to the Atlantic - all the way to the Brazilian Basin, she overtook the aircraft carrier Saratoga more than once - the US Navy group never managed to break away from her. The Soviet submarine, despite all attempts to evade, easily and naturally took an advantageous position for an attack in front of the amazed Americans.
In addition to excellent driving performance, the K-162 (since 1978 - K-222) had solid weapons. The main caliber was 10 Amethyst anti-ship missile launchers, there were also 4 torpedo tubes and 12 torpedoes.

Why was only one submarine built according to super-project 661 “Anchar”? There are several reasons for this:
Too much noise; at a speed of more than 35 knots, the K-162 created a monstrous roar. In the central post, the level of acoustic noise reached 100 decibels. This deprived the boat of stealth, and it was pointless to compete in speed with anti-submarine helicopters.

Another funny thing is that the titanium monster cost the USSR 240 million rubles (at the same time, American taxpayers paid 450 million dollars for the aircraft carrier Enterprise, in the 1960s they paid 60 kopecks for 1 dollar... so you do the math). Incredible, but true - the submarine cost almost as much as a giant nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a displacement of 85,000 tons. No wonder K-162 was nicknamed “Goldfish”!

7th place – “Elusive Mike”

Another record holder from ocean depths– multi-purpose nuclear submarine K-278 “Komsomolets” with a titanium hull. On August 4, 1985, she installed absolute record diving depth among submarines is 1027 meters!
In fact, the best submarine of the USSR Navy was designed for an even greater depth - 1250 meters, while the record-breaking submarine could use its weapons at any depth; During test dives, K-278 successfully fired dummy torpedoes at a depth of 800 meters!

The only ship of Project 685 “Plavnik” was well armed and very dangerous - 6 bow torpedo tubes and 22 ammunition. The submarine's armament complex included strategic cruise missiles "Granat", high-speed underwater missiles "Shkval", anti-submarine missile-torpedoes "Vodopad" with nuclear warheads and homing electric torpedoes.
The amazing submarine became an insoluble mystery for the “probable enemy” Navy - at a depth of 1 kilometer, “Elusive Mike” was not detected by any acoustic, magnetic or other means.

Footage from the Mir deep-sea submersible, 1994

Well...I don’t want to mention it...this is the same submarine that was lost in a fire in the Norwegian Sea on April 7, 1989. K-278 sank at a depth of 1858 meters, part of the crew was rescued. The exact reasons for the death of the submarine have not yet been established; the Arctic reliably keeps its secrets.

6th place – “City Killers”

On November 15, 1960, the nuclear submarine George Washington with ballistic missiles on board went out on combat patrol for the first time. The main task of the new submarine was to launch nuclear missile strikes from the depths of the World Ocean against important administrative centers, military-economic potential and major cities with the aim of their complete destruction.

The ideas behind this ambitious project were:
- a ballistic missile launched from a submarine has a shorter flight time compared to a missile launched from a land base. This factor provides greater surprise and reduces the time during which the enemy can take countermeasures;
- a nuclear missile-carrying submarine has such great mobility compared to a conventional diesel boat that the enemy is unable to detect and hit it in time;
- if there are a certain number of nuclear missile-carrying submarines in positions in the World Ocean, the enemy will never determine from where he should expect an attack;

Within a year to “J. Washington" was joined by 4 more similar submarines. Entering the starting positions in the Norwegian and Mediterranean seas, each of them could launch 16 Polaris A-1 ballistic missiles to a range of 2200 km. The missiles were equipped with warheads with an explosive power of 600 kilotons and were launched from a depth of 20 meters. Frankly weak characteristics from the standpoint of our days, but fifty years ago strategic submarine missile carriers of the J. Washington" made the whole world shudder.

5th place – Inimitable “Lyre”

Project 705(K) underwater interceptor. An elusive and merciless killer, created to hunt enemy submarines. The underwater speed is 41 knots, incredible, but the Lyra developed full speed within a minute from a stationary position. At full speed, circulation with a 180° turn was completed in 40 seconds. Such tricks made it possible to escape from an anti-submarine torpedo.
“Lyra” could move away from the pier in thirty minutes, pick up speed and disappear under water, dissolving in the depths of the World Ocean (a conventional nuclear submarine takes 2-3 hours to do this). Such amazing characteristics are the result of special technical solutions, used in the creation of this project.

Firstly, the specialists of the Malachite Design Bureau tried to reduce the size of the nuclear submarine to the limit, reducing the crew to a minimum and leaving only one reactor. A submarine equipped with a comprehensive automated system control, was controlled by a crew of only 32 officers.
Secondly,… that’s right, titanium was used as a structural material. And, of course, an unusual boat required an unusual power point- a reactor with a liquid metal coolant (LMC) - it was not water that was bubbling in the reactor circuits, but a molten lead with bismuth. Actually, such a “unit” was only used on the Soviet submarine K-27, which did not go into production. Also, a liquid metal reactor was tested on the American nuclear submarine USS Seawolf (SSN-575), but after 4 years of operation it was dismantled and replaced with a conventional water-cooled reactor. Therefore, the Lyra became the world’s only series of nuclear submarines with a liquid metal reactor. Reactors of this type have an undeniable advantage - exceptional “receptivity” and high power density.

At the same time, a reactor with liquid metal material poses an increased danger and requires special measures to comply with operating rules. In case of the slightest solidification, the coolant completely ceases to perform its functions, turning the reactor into a nuclear bomb. Most of the boats with liquid metal reactors (including the experimental K-27) left the fleet due to bad stories that happened in the reactor compartment. So on April 8, 1982, during a combat cruise, 2 tons spilled onto the deck of the K-123 nuclear submarine. liquid metal from the reactor primary circuit. Elimination of the consequences of the accident took 9 years.

The base of Atomarine Project 705(K) was in Western Litsa. A special coastal complex was also created there to service submarines of this type: a boiler room to supply steam to the ships, and at the piers there was a floating barracks and a destroyer that supplied steam from their boilers. However, from a safety point of view, this turned out to be not enough - an ordinary accident on a heating main threatened to develop into a terrible one. radiation disaster. Therefore, the Lyras “warmed up” on their own, their reactors constantly operated at a minimally controlled power level. The boat could not be left unattended for a second. All this did not add popularity to the Liras among the inhabitants of the garrison.
All six of the worst horror stories from time to time Cold War were finally decommissioned in the 90s, putting an end to the development of nuclear submarines with liquid metal reactors. On both sides of the ocean they breathed a sigh of relief - the Lears were a formidable underwater enemy for the US Navy, but at the same time the little ones were completely merciless towards their own crew and personnel military base in Zapadnaya Litsa.

4th place – “Pike-B” vs. “Sea Wolf”

The best of the best. The Soviet multi-purpose nuclear submarine of Project 971 "Shchuka-B" absorbed the most successful ideas of the legendary predecessor of Project 671RTMK and the titanium submarine Project 945 "Barracuda".

The tough underwater warrior was not created for records. It was a well-thought-out, balanced project for a multi-purpose nuclear submarine that has virtually no weak points. Underwater speed – 30 knots. Working depth of immersion - 480 meters, maximum - 600. Armament - eight torpedo tubes, 40 units of ammunition in various combinations: Granat cruise missiles with nuclear warheads, anti-submarine missile torpedoes, Shkval underwater missiles, mines and deep-sea homing torpedoes UGST. Among other things, the Shchuka-B was armed with the most powerful 65-76 torpedoes of 650 mm caliber. Warhead– 450 kg, range – about 30 nautical miles. Speed ​​in search mode is 30 knots, at the moment of attack - 50...70 knots. The nuclear submarine could attack the enemy without entering the range of its anti-submarine weapons, and the latest radio-electronic and hydroacoustic equipment of the boat allowed sailors to control the space within a radius of tens of miles from the nuclear submarine.

In the 80s, an international scandal broke out - information was leaked to the press that the KGB, through fake “civilian”
customers purchased high-precision metalworking machines from Toshiba. Propellers manufactured according to new technology, significantly reduced the noise of Soviet nuclear submarines. America imposed sanctions against the greedy managers of the Toshiba company, but the job is done - the Shchuk-Bs have already gone to sea.
Currently, multi-purpose nuclear submarines Project 971 form the backbone of the Russian submarine fleet. In total, 14 Shchuk-Bs were built, another K-152 Nerpa was completed in an export modification, and on April 4, 2012, at the Visakhapatnam base, the boat was accepted into service with the Indian Navy. Several more hulls, which are in a high degree of readiness, were used in the construction of the Borei-class SSBN.

Stung by Soviet superiority, the Pentagon decided to take countermeasures without delay. In October 1989, a new type of submarine with the terrifying name “Seawolf” was laid down in the United States.
The Americans tried their best; the new nuclear submarine uses a revolutionary propulsion system - a water cannon. The distances between the boat's hull and the power plant mechanisms were increased, new shock absorbers and noise-absorbing coatings were used. The boat is practically undetectable when moving at 20 knots.

The armament complex is powerful and diverse: universal Mark-48 torpedoes, Tomahawk tactical cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles"Harpoon", anti-submarine mines "Captor". To launch them, eight 660 mm torpedo tubes are used, installed on the sides of the nuclear submarine. The bow of the boat is completely occupied by sonar, and 6 more passive hydroacoustic antennas are installed along the sides. The result is a real ocean bandit, capable of dealing with any enemy. That's just the price of the issue...4 billion dollars. A good submarine usually costs as much as an aircraft carrier.
30" sea ​​wolves"Should have become the mainstay of the American Navy in the future, but due to the collapse of the USSR, only three boats were built. In return, the sailors received the Virginia with reduced characteristics (Remember, we talked about this?).

The Sea Wolf is certainly cool, but the Russian Navy has three times as many nuclear submarines, Project 971 Shchuka-B, which are almost as good as it in terms of characteristics.

3rd place – “Los Angeles” type

A series of 62 attack nuclear submarines of the US Navy. The Americans themselves like to call them “fast attack submarines,” which, in essence, means “submarine hunters.” The main tasks are to cover aircraft carrier groups and deployment areas of strategic submarine missile carriers, and fight enemy submarines. One of the few nuclear submarines with at least some combat experience - during Desert Storm, two Los Angeles were involved in strikes against ground targets.

Central post

What is the secret of their popularity? Los Angeles cars are known for their reliability and low noise levels. They are quite mobile (underwater speed up to 35 knots), have modest size and cost. The real workhorses of the fleet.

The boats are well armed - there are 4 torpedo tubes and 12 vertical launch silos for launching Tomahawks, the total ammunition load is 38 missiles and torpedoes. "Tomahawks", "Harpoons", "cunning" mines "Captor" - the standard set of American submarines. Some of the "Los Angeles" are equipped with a Dry Deck Shelter container for the work of underwater saboteurs.

Open missile silo covers

America is in no hurry to part with its proven submarines. Even with the new Virginias, many of the Los Angeles are undergoing modernization and will remain in service until at least 2030.

2nd place – Ohio type

The most advanced nuclear submarine missile carriers. With an underwater displacement of 18,700 tons, American designers
managed to “shove” 24 launch silos onto the Ohio for launching Trident ballistic missiles.

Otherwise, these are ordinary submarines, built in the best traditions of the American submarine fleet: 4 compartments, a single reactor, underwater speed of 20-25 knots, four torpedo tubes for self-defense. To increase the combat stability of the Ohio, emphasis was placed in two directions. Firstly, the developers have achieved a radical reduction in acoustic, magnetic, radiation and thermal fields. Secondly, the combat stability of the boat is ensured by an extremely high secrecy regime - during combat patrols, the exact position of the SSBN is unknown even to the helmsmen, and only a few senior officers of the submarine know the coordinates.

In connection with the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, 4 of the 18 Ohio were reclassified as SSGNs (nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines). Trident ballistic missiles were removed from their silos and replaced at 22 missile silos deployed 154 tactical Tomahawks (7 in each). The two shafts closest to the wheelhouse have been converted into airlock chambers for combat swimmers. In addition, in addition to the main crew, the boat can accommodate 66 paratroopers.

Tomahawks

Surprisingly, the Ohio, created 35 years ago, fully meets modern requirements, while their operational tension coefficient corresponds to 0.6. This means that the boats spend 2/3 of their time on combat patrols.
The US Navy command plans to completely remove the Ohio from the fleet's operational status no earlier than 2040. Sixty years in combat service? Let's see, let's see...

1st place – Nautilus

On January 17, 1955, a historic message was heard on the radio: “Underway on nuclear power!”

The submarine USS Nautilus (operational code SSN-571) entered world history, as the first real submarine, which will forever hold first place. I apologize for the involuntary pun, but all its diesel predecessors were not, in fact, submarines. They were "diving" boats, spending the lion's share of their time on the surface. The dive was considered a tactical maneuver, and the time spent under water was limited to a few days. At the same time, the mobility of the boat underwater was extremely limited.

Only the unquenchable flame of a nuclear reactor made it possible to completely disappear under water, providing the submarine with an inexhaustible source of energy. From now on, and despite all the restrictions of the ancient philosophers, a person could spend months at the bottom of the sea, creating his indomitable path to new achievements.

Even at the design stage, it became clear what prospects were opening up for ships with a nuclear power plant. In 1954, the Nautilus was launched, and the first tests began, instilling confidence in the sailors in their power over the forces of nature. The nuclear-powered submarine developed 23 knots while submerged and could maintain this speed indefinitely. Within reasonable limits, of course, one reactor charge was enough for 25,000 nautical miles. This figure means that the Nautilus's submerged cruising range was limited only by supplies of food, air and the endurance of the crew.

Having set its first record as a mere appearance, the Nautilus continued to amaze - on August 3, 1958, it became the first ship to reach the North Pole. Inspired by the successes of nuclear energy, American sailors in 1959 completely abandoned the construction of diesel-electric submarines.

And then...and then naval everyday life began. The Nautilus turned out to be a lousy ship in terms of operation. The vibration of the turbines was such that already at 4 knots the sonar became useless. Concentrated loads and significant dimensions of the energy compartment required new layout solutions, while the mass of lead biological protection amounted to 740 tons (almost a quarter of the ship's displacement!). We had to abandon a number of equipment provided for by the project.
“Nautilus” also became famous as a record holder for the number of emergency situations. These were mainly navigation errors (for example, the ramming of the aircraft carrier Essex in 1966 or unsuccessful attempt break through the Arctic ice while conquering the North Pole). There was also a mild fire - in 1958, the submarine burned for several hours.

Having served for a quarter of a century, the submarine ship was permanently laid up in the city of Groton, turning into a floating museum.
I wish everyone to live their lives as brightly as Nautilus did.