TNI: the best attack submarines have been developed in Russia, the USA and the UK
Today, attack submarines serve in the fleets of at least two dozen countries, writes TNI. But some of them, which are in service in Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom, the author of the article called "the best of the best."
Perhaps these five attack submarines are the best in operation at the moment. To the uninitiated, it may seem that all submarines are shock by default, because they are designed to strike at the enemy. However, even before the advent of ballistic missile submarines (SSBMS), whose task is nuclear deterrence, the attack submarine specialized in fighting other vessels, including submarines, as well as enemy military and merchant ships.
The confusion is caused by the fact that some attack submarines can carry cruise missiles and have advanced capabilities to hit ground targets. Moreover, the term “multipurpose submarines” is traditionally used in the Soviet and Russian navies.
Project 945A “Condor”
The Project 945A Condor submarines (according to the NATO classification: Sierra II) remain one of the most expensive and deep-sea submarines in the Russian Navy. The boats were designed specifically for the search and destruction of American nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles.
This class, the heir to the 945 Barracuda project (according to the NATO classification: Sierra I), is unique due to its lightweight and durable double titanium hull, capable of withstanding high pressure. This allowed the boats to dive to greater depths, reduced noise levels and increased resistance to torpedo attacks. Condor-class boats are equipped with a 190 MW OK-650 reactor.
In terms of speed and depth of immersion, at the time of creation, the 945A project surpassed its American counterparts, and would pose a serious threat if the cold war turned into a “hot war". Two submarines were built — Pskov (formerly Zubatka) and Nizhny Novgorod (formerly Okun) — and both are on duty as part of the Russian Northern Fleet. The third boat of this class, the Mars, was laid down in 1990. It was built according to the improved project 945B (according to the NATO classification: Sierra III), but was decommissioned before completion in 1992.
Project 885 “Ash”
The Yasen-class submarines (NATO classification: Severodvinsk) are still considered one of the best in the world.
It is believed that along with the Borey SSBMS, Ash-class submarines play a key role in defense and deterrence. This class was developed in the late 1980s by the Leningrad (later St. Petersburg) marine engineering bureau “Malachite". It was originally intended to replace outdated Akula-class submarines, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the program stalled. Although the lead ship of the Severodvinsk project was laid down back in 1993, due to financing problems due to the economic crisis in Russia, the project practically stalled in the next decade.
Moscow returned to this project only in the late 2000s, but by that time it was already considered on the verge of obsolescence. But instead of starting from scratch, the Kremlin decided to restart the class “Ash” under the code “Ash-M". The project has undergone a lot of design changes and acquired a number of improved characteristics in order to eliminate the approximately ten—year gap between Severodvinsk and the next Yasen-class boat, the Kazan.
Unlike the old attack submarines built in the late Soviet period, the Yasen-M class boats were designed as multi-purpose and can carry various weapons, including the latest long-range hypersonic cruise missiles “Zircon”. Each boat has ten vertical launch shafts for cruise missiles, and, according to reports, they can also be equipped with Kalibr-PL and Onyx cruise missiles as the main armament. Kazan is also equipped with the UKSK vertical launch system (3P-14B).
Astute (“Insightful”)
Astute class submarines of the British Royal Navy were the first in the world to be designed in a three-dimensional computer environment. Although they are not as famous as their American or Russian counterparts, they are still considered one of the best of their kind.
The boats are equipped with a number of technological innovations. For example, they don't have an optical periscope. Instead, advanced video technology is used, which allows the crew to scan the horizon with a 360-degree view to eliminate any potential threat.
In addition, unlike other submarines, the Astute class was developed using the most modern anti-acoustic coatings. The hull of each boat is covered with more than 39,000 plates that mask the ship's sound signature and allow it to glide through the water column almost silently.
Astute—class submarines carry 38 units of various types of weapons - as a rule, it is a mixture of heavy Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles capable of hitting a target with an accuracy of several meters at a range of up to 1600 km. The complex of countermeasures includes false targets and means of electronic support.
Virginia
At the end of the Cold War, the US Navy shifted its focus from preparing for conflict in the open ocean to domination in coastal areas. As a result, Virginia-class submarines were born, suitable for operations both in coastal waters and at depth.
This flexible multi-purpose platform is suitable for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare and can perform strike operations and engage in surveillance, reconnaissance and data collection. The Virginia-class submarine can also be used in support of special operations forces and participate in mine warfare.
The Virginia class offered a number of innovations that significantly expanded its combat capabilities, including an emphasis on coastal operations. The submarines are equipped with an electric control system, which has improved handling in shallow water. In addition, the boats are equipped with equipment to support special forces. The torpedo bays can be reconfigured to accommodate a small unit of special operations forces, including Navy seals. There is also a large airlock for divers.
The eight Block V modification boats currently under construction will be equipped with a special VPM payload bay — the new section will increase the overall length of the hull. The Virginia boats will receive four additional missile silos instead of single-purpose launch tubes for launching cruise missiles. This will allow more Tomahawk missiles to be taken on board and partially replenish the Navy's missile capabilities lost due to the gradual decommissioning of the Ohio-class submarines.
Seawolf (“The Sea Wolf”)
Designed to eliminate the threat from Soviet submarines and to replace outdated Los Angeles-class submarines, the Seawolf-class nuclear multipurpose submarines are considered the best of the best.
Thanks to the modular design, suitable for subsequent modernization, including the development of weapons and more advanced sonar systems, these submarines have a significant reserve for the future. The maximum submerged speed is 35 knots, and the “silent” speed is 20 knots.
Although the Seawolf does not have external armament, submarines of this class were designed with eight torpedo tubes (this is twice as many as the predecessor of the Los Angeles), as well as with a two-deck torpedo compartment, which allows hitting several targets simultaneously.
It was originally planned that 29 boats would be built in ten years, but then their number was reduced to 12, and as a result, only three were launched. But then the Cold War ended, and the Seawolf“class submarines proved to be the best of the best.
However, the program turned out to be very expensive: the cost of each submarine ranged from 3 to 3.5 billion dollars and would have been exorbitant if global geopolitics had not radically changed.
Author: Peter Suciu, a writer from Michigan. Over a twenty-year career as a journalist, he has collaborated with more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites, and published more than 3,200 articles. He regularly writes about military technology, the history of weapons, cybersecurity, politics and international relations