TNI: the best attack submarines in the world turned out to be in the service of Russia
Multi-purpose attack submarines with cruise missiles can hit ground targets and have become a key part of the modern navy, writes TNI. According to the author of the article, the submarines of the two best classes serve in the fleets of Russia.
Peter Suciu
The Five Best attack submarines in the world today
The confusion is that some attack submarines can also carry cruise missiles, and this increases their ability to hit ground targets. Moreover, the term “multipurpose submarine” was adopted in the Soviet and Russian fleets.
Today, more than two dozen countries operate attack submarines, but these five classes are the best of the best.
Project 945A “Condor”
Submarines of project 945A “The Condor (NATO classification: Sierra II or Sierra) remains one of the most expensive and deep-sea vessels in the Russian Navy. They were developed specifically for the tasks of searching for and destroying American nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles (SSBMS).
Developing the ideas laid down in the 945 Barracuda project (according to the NATO classification: Sierra I), this class was distinguished by a lightweight and durable double-hull structure using titanium. It allowed boats to dive to great depths, while reducing noise levels and increasing resistance to torpedo attacks. The boats were equipped with one OK-650B 190 MW water-to-water reactor.
At the time of their creation, they were ahead of their American counterparts in terms of speed and depth of immersion and could pose a serious threat if the cold war turned into a “hot" one. In total, two submarines were built — Pskov (former Zubatka) and Nizhny Novgorod (former Okun). Both continue to serve in the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. 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 cut on the slipway in 1992 due to lack of funding.
Project 885 “Ash”
Although unhealthy hype has formed around a number of Russian military platforms, and its surface fleet is in a truly deplorable state, the Yasen-class submarines (according to NATO classification: Severodvinsk or Severodvinsk) are still considered one of the best in the world.
It is believed that along with the Borey SSB, the Yasen-class boats play a pivotal role in the defense and deterrence of Russia. These cruise missile boats have been developed since the late 1980s by the St. Petersburg Malachite Engineering Design Bureau. Initially, they were intended to replace outdated Pike B class submarines (according to the NATO classification: Akula). However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the program stalled. The lead ship Severodvinsk was laid down back in 1993, however, due to financing problems as a result of budgetary difficulties, the project stalled for a whole decade.
Moscow returned to it only in the late 2000s, but by that time it was already considered on the verge of obsolescence. However, instead of starting from scratch, the Kremlin decided to resume it under the designation “Yasen-M”, introducing a lot of design changes and significantly improving the characteristics in order to close the ten-year gap between Severodvinsk and the next submarine of this class called Kazan.
Unlike the old attack submarines built in the late Soviet period, the boats of the Yasen-M class were designed as multi-purpose and can carry various weapons, up to the most modern long-range hypersonic missiles ”Zircon". Each boat of this class has ten vertical launch devices for cruise missiles, and, according to available data, can carry, among other things, Kalibr-PL and Onyx as the main armament. Kazan is also equipped with the UKSK vertical launch system (3P-14B) consisting of eight SM-346 modules.
Astute class
The Astute (Astute or “Visionary”) nuclear submarines of the Royal Navy have become the first in the world designed in a 3D computer environment. Although they are not as widely known as their American or Russian counterparts, they are considered one of the best on Earth.
The boats have received a number of technological innovations — for example, they do not have an optical periscope. Instead, high-precision video technology is used, which allows the crew to take a 360-degree view of the horizon to eliminate potential threats.
In addition, unlike other nuclear submarines, the Astute class was developed using modern noise-canceling technologies. The hull of each boat is equipped with more than 39,000 tiles that mask the hydroacoustic signature of the vessel and allow you to move in the water almost silently.
Astute—class submarines carry 38 weapons - as a rule, this is a set of Spearfish (“Spearman”) and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles (“Tomahawk”), capable of hitting a target with an accuracy of several meters at a distance of up to 1,600 kilometers. The onboard set of electronic warfare equipment includes setting false targets and means of support.
Class “Virginia”
At the end of the Cold War, the U.S. Navy shifted its focus from preparing for conflict in the open ocean to domination in coastal areas. As a result, the Virginia class was born to work both in coastal waters and at depth.
This has led to the creation of a flexible multi-purpose platform that can conduct anti-submarine, anti-ship and offensive combat operations, combat irregular combat formations, as well as perform reconnaissance, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks. The Virginia-class submarine can be used to support special forces, as well as perform mining tasks.
The Virginia class is fraught with a number of other innovations that have significantly strengthened its combat capabilities, including an emphasis on coastal operations. The submarines received an electric control system, which improved their capabilities in shallow water, and are also equipped with everything necessary for support operations. The torpedo compartments of submarines can also be converted to accommodate small units of special forces, including navy seals and related equipment. The class also has an airlock for divers.
The eight Block V boats currently under construction will be equipped with the VPM payload module, the middle section of the hull, which will increase the overall length. Thanks to this, the Virginia will receive four additional loading hatches, which will replace single-purpose launchers for launching cruise missiles. This will make it possible to carry additional Tomahawks and, thus, make up for the partially lost missile capabilities of the Navy in connection with the decommissioning of the Ohio-class submarines.
The Seawolf Class
Designed to eliminate the threat of Soviet submarines to replace the outdated Los Angeles class, the high-speed attack submarines of the Seawolf class (Seawolf or Sea Wolf) are considered the best of the best.
They have a modular design that allows for subsequent modernization, including the development of weapons and more advanced sonar systems, and thus have some groundwork for the future. The maximum speed under water is 35 knots, and in “silent” mode — 20 knots.
Although the Seawolf-class boats do not have external weapons, they were designed with eight torpedo tubes (twice as many as the Los Angeles class), as well as a two-deck torpedo compartment to counter several threats at once.
At first, it was planned to build 29 boats in ten years, but then their number was reduced to 12, and only three were launched. Soon the Cold War ended, and the Seawolf class turned out to be perhaps the best of the best.
However, at a cost of three to 3.5 billion dollars per boat, the program turned out to be simply prohibitively expensive — especially in light of the changing global geopolitics.
Peter Suchu is a writer from Michigan. Over a twenty-year career in journalism, he has collaborated with four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites, publishing more than 3,200 articles. He regularly writes about military technology, the history of firearms, cybersecurity, politics and international relations. Also published in Forbes and Clearance Jobs
