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How Does the World's Largest Nuclear Submarine Work?

The most feared weapon of all

By Lucian Dorneanu, Science Editor

5th of June 2007, 15:18 GMT

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Typhoon submarine at sea
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Among the arsenal of the most advanced military superpowers, one weapon is the most feared. It's not the atomic bomb, it's even more powerful, while being almost undetectable and can launch a devastating surprise attack on almost any country in the world.

Operating underwater at pressures beyond the range of unaided human survivability, submarines, first widely used in World War I, are used by all major navies today. They are indeed, more powerful than an atomic bomb, since an Ohio class nuclear submarine can carry up to 32 Trident II D5 multiple
warheads nuclear missiles. That is enough to wipe out an entire country.

The roles of military submarines are almost limitless, but the most technologically advance ones are used for military purposes. The race to build the best submarine has been a continuous effort over decades, since it has been considered the ultimate stealth weapon.

The largest submarine in the world is...Russian. Surprised? You shouldn't be. The Russians have a thing for building the largest of almost everything and it's been well demonstrated in many military applications, like tanks, rockets, missiles, trucks, in fact the entire army.

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 48,000 tonnes, Typhoons are the largest class of submarine ever built.

The largest submarine in the world is the Mk 941-U SSBN (Strategic Submarine Ballistic Nuclear) Typhoon', of the Shark (Akula) - class. For this, it has been included in the Guinness Record Book at the beginning of the 1980s.

Only six of them were built at the naval base in Severodvinsk and they were designed as a response to the US's construction of the first Ohio nuclear submarine with 24 ballistic missiles on board. The Russians succeeded in surpassing the Ohio, and the Mk 941-U SSBN Typhoon is, even today, the largest submarine in the world.

The dimensions of this leviathan are truly impressive. It's 564 feet long (172 meters), has a beam of 74.8 feet (22.8 meters), and an underwater displacement of 50,000 tons. The maximum speed is over 30 knots and it can stay submerged for 120 days, with a maximum crew complement of 130.

Its weaponry is also impressive. For close combat, it's got two torpedo tubes (one 533-mm torpedo tube and one 650-mm torpedo tube) and can carry up to 36 torpedoes at a time. Even more dangerous is the long-range nuclear arsenal it packs, 24 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) replete with 10 nuclear warheads each. These have a range of up to 10,000 km (6,213 miles).

Typhoon submarines are among the quietest sea vessels in operation, being quieter and yet more maneuverable than their predecessors and have a maximum diving depth of 500 meters (1,640 ft), with an operational one of 380 meters (1,246 ft).

Only one of these monsters is required to start a war with many of the world's countries and in the same end the war through its total annihilation ability.

TAGS:

weapon | missile | rocket | nuclear | ICBM
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User opinions:


Comment #1 by: Ukoni Nome on 17 Feb 2009, 10:52 GMT reply to this comment

Very intersting but I thought the English have built a super submarine that defies all imagination..and can remain underwater indefinitely?.. correct or it hasn't been tested as of yet?


Comment #2 by: Missy on 10 Jul 2009, 08:42 GMT reply to this comment

Well the English have built one but its not AS big as the Typhoon--at only 318 feet long its a third less long and right near the same width--and the Typhoon can go over 30 knots--while the Astute can go only 20-22 knots. It will stay under 12 weeks at a time.


Comment #3 by: praveen on 26 Jul 2009, 08:18 GMT reply to this comment

now with the entry of India in to the race.... what would happen? what do you think? Will the fear factor rise? or does it chill? And what does all these nuclear babes do out there.. when they are not fighting? especially, when they are designed to kill?


Comment #4 by: boengaran on 22 Oct 2009, 02:23 GMT reply to this comment

This article is not entirely accurate. Ohio class submarines can carry 24 Trident ballistic missiles, not 36. Typhoon packs only 20 missiles, not 24!


Comment #5 by: Hitesh on 10 Nov 2009, 06:25 GMT reply to this comment

I agree with boengaran. As of now only 1 typhoon class sub is in russian navy service, while 2 are in reserve. The best thing bout them is that they(typhoon) are very quiet and manouverable despite their size. Also, despite the fact that they can carry only 20 ballistics against 24 for Ohio class, these can carry 10 warheads of much greater mass(max being 16 warheads with a compromise with range) against trident-II of ohio with 8 warheads(of lesser mass than that of r-39) max being 10 warheads.
^However max r-39 missiles have been withdrawn w.r.t START-II treaty

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