Like so many aspects of the Russian Navy submarine fleet, we are kept guessing. But that is not to say it couldn’t be done. If so (and it seems likely), then it could involve major renovations. Possibly some modernization work would be required if not all of the missile tubes are currently active. So whether or not Dmitry Donskoy currently carries part of Russia’s nuclear deterrent, it seems that it could if called upon. And it has been observed at a weapons pier specially designed for loading and unloading nuclear missiles. It frequently joins other Russian Navy vessels on exercises. Under this all of the tubes have to be counted even if not used.Įven if it only has one missile tube ready there is no denying that the giant submarine is still active. The difference to the Russian Ministry of Defense information may reflect their status under New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). By comparison, the Ohio subs, America’s largest, displaces a ‘mere’ 19,000 tons, slightly over a third of the Typhoon’s mass. These massive naval vessels stretch out to a length of 175 m (574 feet) and have a submerged displacement of 48,000 tons. But there have been persistent rumors that only one or two tubes were upgraded to allow it to act as a test bed. As far as submarines go, the Typhoon class has no equal. Coating materials and shock-absorption can reduce the acoustic signature of the boat.Officially, per the Russian Ministry of Defense website ( in Russian), it has a capability for 20 of the missiles. Built at the same time as the Typhoon-class, the Delta-class submarines have formed the backbone of the Soviet and Russian strategic submarine fleet since first being introduced in 1973. It also employs two floating antenna buoys to receive radio messages, target designation data and satellite navigation signals at great depth and under an ice cover,” FAS states.Ī surprising element of the Typhoon-class boat is that, despite its massive size, it was actually somewhat quiet and stealthier than many smaller submarines. The ‘Slope’ system allows to track 10-12 vessels simultaneously. “The Typhoons are equipped with the ‘Slope’ hydroacoustic system that consists of four hydroacoustic stations. The FAS report explains that the Typhoons operated with floating antenna buoys in order to network satellite navigation details and targeting designations from beneath the ice. As part of this strategic focus, the Typhoons were engineered for ice-breaking and traveling beneath the ice. This slight disparity did not make a huge difference in many respects, given that the Typhoon class submarines were specifically built to operate as part of Russia’s Northern fleet, meaning they would patrol the Northern Sea Route bordering the Arctic and operate in the Baltic Sea. Navy’s Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, which could fire as many as 24 Trident II D5 submarine-launched nuclear missiles out to ranges beyond 6,500 miles. However, despite the significance of the threat they present, the R-39 armed Typhoon-class submarines were not as threatening as the U.S. Specifics listed in say the R-39s operate with as many as 10 Multiple-Reentry Vehicles capable of delivering a 200 Kiloton warhead. Depending upon which dark corners of the undersea Typhoon submarines were lurking in, they certainly could hold vital U.S. targets at risk from more than 5,000 miles away. Also known as the Project 941 Akula, this vessel is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile. and NATO given that they could fire from ranges up to 8,200 miles and hold U.S. Cutaway illustration of a Russian Typhoon Class submarine. R-39 RiF nuclear weapons presented a significant threat to the U.S. The Typhoon has an automated torpedo and missile loading system including 6 torpedo tubes with calibres of 650 and 533 mm,” the FAS essay states. They are arranged in silos in two rows in front of the sail between the main hulls. “The submarine (Typhoon) is equipped with the D-19 launch system with 20 solid-fuel propellant R-39 missiles which have a range of up to 10,000 km. The Typhoon submarines could carry up to twenty long-range ballistic missiles with, as an interesting article from the Federation of American Scientists describes it, “ 200 nuclear warheads that were once aimed at the United States. Not only were the Typhoon class submarines nearly two football fields long at 574 ft, but the weapons they threatened the West with were extremely substantial and lethal. Although the submarines are no longer actively patrolling the Northern Seas, they remain the world’s largest submarine ever to exist. Russia’s Typhoon class nuclear-armed submarines may not serve anymore, but they are referred to as one of the most “feared” weapons during the Cold War.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |