Typhoon class submarine

Typhoon class submarine underway
Class overview
Name:	Akula (Акула) (NATO: Typhoon)
Builders:	Rubin Design Bureau
Operators:	Soviet Navy  Russian Navy
Preceded by:	Delta class submarine
Succeeded by:	Borei class submarine
In commission:	December 12, 1981
Completed:	6
Active:	1
Scrapped:	3
Preserved:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Ballistic missile submarine
Displacement:	23,200–24,500 t (22,830–24,110 long tons) surfaced 33,800–48,000 t (33,270–47,240 long tons) submerged
Length:	175 m (574 ft 2 in)
Beam:	23 m (75 ft 6 in)
Draught:	12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:	2 × OK-650 pressurized-water nuclear reactors, 90 MW (120,700 hp) each 2 × VV-type steam turbines, 37 MW (49,600 hp) each 2 shafts 7 bladed shrouded screws
Speed:	22.22 knots (41.15 km/h; 25.57 mph) surfaced 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) submerged
Endurance:	180 days submerged
Test depth:	400 m (1,300 ft)
Complement:	163
Armament:	1 × 9K38 Igla SAM 2 × 650 mm (26 in) torpedo tubes • RPK-7 Vodopad AShMs • Type 65K torpedoes 4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes • RPK-2 Viyuga cruise missiles • Type 53 torpedoes[1] D-19 launch system • 20 × RSM-52 SLBMs
Notes:	Ships in class include: TK-208[2] TK-202 TK-12[3] TK-13 TK-17[4] TK-20[5] TK-210

The Typhoon class submarine is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine deployed by the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. With a maximum displacement of 33,800 tons, the Typhoons are the largest class of submarine ever built,^[6] large enough to accommodate decent living facilities for the crew, when the submarine remained submerged for months on end.^[7] The source of the NATO reporting name remains unclear, although it is often claimed to be related to the use of the word "typhoon" (тайфун) by Leonid Brezhnev in a 1974 speech while describing a new type of nuclear ballistic missile submarine. In its day it was one of the most feared weapons of mass destruction ever made. Although technically able to successfully deploy their long-range nuclear missiles while moored at their docks,^[8] Soviet doctrine for these vessels was to have them attack North America while submerged under the arctic circle, avoiding the traversal of the GIUK gap to remain safe from enemy attack submarines and anti-submarine forces.

Description and history

The Typhoon class was developed under Project 941 as the Russian Akula class (Акула), meaning shark. It is sometimes confused with other submarines, as Akula is the name NATO uses to designate the Russian Project 971 Shchuka-B (Щука-Б) class attack submarines.

Typhoon submarines are among the quietest Russian sea vessels in operation,^{[citation needed]} being quieter and yet more maneuverable than their predecessors. Besides their missile armament, the Typhoon class features six torpedo tubes; four are designed to handle RPK-2 (SS-N-15) missiles or Type 53 torpedoes, and the other two are designed to launch RPK-7 (SS-N-16) missiles, Type 65 torpedoes, or mines^{[citation needed]}. A Typhoon class submarine can stay submerged for periods up to 180 days^{[citation needed]}in normal conditions, and potentially more if deemed necessary (e.g., in the case of a nuclear war).

Typhoon class submarines feature multiple pressure hulls that simplify internal design while making the vessel much wider than a normal submarine. In the main body of the sub, two Delta class pressure hulls lie parallel with a third, smaller pressure hull above them (which protrudes just below the sail), and two other pressure hulls for torpedoes and steering gear. This also greatly increases their survivability - even if one pressure hull is breached, the crew members in the other are safe and there is less potential for flooding.

Six Typhoon class submarines were built, with each carrying 20 R-39 missiles (SS-N-20) with a maximum of 10 MIRV nuclear warheads each. Originally, the submarines were designated by hull numbers only. Names were later assigned to the four vessels retained by the Russian Navy, which were sponsored by either a city or company. The construction order for an additional vessel (hull number TK-210) was canceled and never completed. Only the first of these submarines to be constructed, the Dmitriy Donskoy, is still in active service with the Russian Navy, serving as a test platform for the Bulava (SS-NX-30) missile which is currently under development. The Arkhangelesk (TK-17) and Severstal (TK-20) remain commissioned, though not currently active with the Russian fleet. All the R-39 missiles have been retired. The Typhoons are slated to be replaced by the Borey class starting in 2009.

In late December 2008, a senior Navy official announced that the two Akula-class submarines, the TK-17 and TK-20, that are in reserve would not be rearmed with the new Bulava SLBM missile system. They could however be modified to carry cruise missiles or to lay mines, or could be used in special operations.^[9] In late June 2009, the Navy Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky told reporters that the two submarines would be reserved for possible future repairs and modernization.^[10]

Satellite photos

• TK-13 69°26′02″N 32°21′17″E / 69.433750°N 32.354650°E / 69.433750; 32.354650^[11] Typhoon class submarine at Zapadnaya Litsa on the Kola peninsula.
• TK-208 64°34′09″N 39°46′12″E / 64.569033°N 39.770111°E / 64.569033; 39.770111^[12] Typhoon class submarine at Severodvinsk, Russia.
• 64°34′46″N 39°48′27″E / 64.579416°N 39.807436°E / 64.579416; 39.807436^[13] Typhoon class submarine at Severodvinsk, Russia.
• 64°34′46″N 39°47′17″E / 64.579429°N 39.788125°E / 64.579429; 39.788125^[14] Typhoon class submarine at Severodvinsk, Russia.

Vessels

834 TK 208 Dmitriy Donskoy

Typhoon-#1

• 9 February 1982: Entered 18th division (Zapadnaya Litsa), NOR.
• December 1982: Transferred from Severodvinsk to Zapadnaya Litsa.
• 1983-1984: Tests of D-19 missile complex. Commanders: A.V.Olkhovikov (1980-1984).
• 3 December 1986: Entered Navy Board of the Winners of the Socialist Competition.
• 18 January 1987: Entered MoD Board of Glory.
• 20 September 1989–1991: Repairs and refit at Sevmash to Project 941U. 1991 refit cancelled.
• 1996: Returned to 941U refit.
• 2002: Named Dmitriy Donskoy.
• 26 June 2002: End of refit.
• 30 June 2002: Start of testing.
• 26 July 2002: Entered sea trials, Re-entered fleet, without missile system.
• December 2003: Sea trials; refitted to carry a new Bulava missile system. New missile system expected to be operational by 2005.
• 9 October 2005: Successfully launched SS-NX-30 Bulava SLBM from surface.
• 21 December 2005: Successfully launched SS-NX-30 Bulava SLBM from submerged position on move.
• 7 September 2006: Test launch of the Bulava missile failed after several minutes in flight due to the problems in the flight control system. The missile fell into the sea about a minute after the launch. The sub was not affected and was returning to Severodvinsk base submerged. Later reports blamed the engine of the first stage for the failure.
• 25 October 2006: Test launch of the Bulava-M missile in the White Sea failed some 200 seconds after liftoff due to the apparent failure of the flight control system.
• 28 August 2008: Undergone successful testing at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast. More than 170 men are currently working with the Dmitriy Donskoy, hundred of them employees at the Sevmash plant and 70 from other involved companies.

830 TK 17 Arkhangelsk

Typhoon-#5

• 19 February 1988: Entered 18th division (Zapadnaya Litsa) NOR.
• 8 January–9 November 2002: Refit at Sevmash.
• In July 2002, crew petitioned Main Navy Headquarters to adopt the name Arkhangel'sk (renamed on 18 November 2002).
• Commander: 2002-2003 V.Volkov.
• 17 February 2004: Took part in military exercises with President Vladimir Putin aboard.
• Could be modified to carry cruise missiles or to lay mines, or could be used in special operations.

TK 20 Severstal

Typhoon-#6

• 28 February 1990: Entered 18th division (Zapadnaya Litsa), NOR.
• 25 August 1996: Successfully launched SLBM
• November 1996: Successfully launched SLBM from North Pole.
• 24 July 1999: Took part in parade on Navy Day in Severomorsk, NOR.
• November–December 1999 - distant cruise.
• 2001: named to Severstal.
• June 2001–December 2002: Repairs at Sevmash.
• Commander: A.Bogachev (2001).

Typhoon-based cargo vessel

The Submarine Cargo Vessel is a proposed idea by the Rubin Design Bureau where a Typhoon has its missile launchers removed and replaced with cargo holds. The projected cargo capacity of this configuration is 15,000 tonnes (15,000 long tons).

Notable popular culture

Typhoon class submarine, covered with ice

Probably the most well-known fictional Typhoon class was the stealth submarine Red October. It is the subject of the Tom Clancy novel The Hunt for Red October and the movie adaptation of that book.

In the novel, the Red October used a drive system consisting of long shafts cut through the hull with impellers inside them, called a tunnel drive or caterpillar drive. In the movie, the caterpillar drive was instead said to be a magnetohydrodynamic drive. In both the novel and the movie, the drive was said to be near-silent; this made the Red October a perfect platform for launching depressed-trajectory ballistic missiles at the United States.

One well-known scene from the book involves a gun battle inside the submarine in the missile room where two characters take potshots at each other peeking from behind ballistic missile tubes. Typhoon class submarines are not designed this way; the missile silos are between the two pressure hulls and are inaccessible to personnel.^{[citation needed]} It is, however, the way the US Navy configures the launch tubes for Polaris ballistic missiles, and Clancy likely assumed at the time (1984) that the Russian submarine was designed in the same manner. (This being still a time of the Soviet Union's existence, there was no way for him to have obtained the information.)

In the animated series Blue Submarine No. 6 an unnamed Typhoon-class submarine was shown in the third and final episode.

In the computer games Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge, the Typhoon is a Soviet naval unit, but unlike its real counterpart, it is an attack submarine and can only hit other naval units.

See also

• Intercontinental ballistic missile
• Nuclear strategy
• Ohio-class submarine

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Typhoon class submarines

• NATO Code Names for submarines and ships
• Federation of American Scientists: Typhoon
• Haze Gray
• Nuclear Notebook - Russian Nuclear Forces, 2005, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, March/April 2005.
• Rubin official site
• russianforces.org - Russian Navy
• globalsecurity.org
• Internal and external pictures from a Russian tourist
• Typhoon Class project details on Naval Technology

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