5 most powerful submarines in the world today

A Russian newspaper recently published an analysis by a military expert, evaluating five types of submarines with ultimate power based on many different criteria.

Russia's Akula-class submarines have a displacement equivalent to that of a medium-sized aircraft carrier.

The Severodvinsk shipyard recently held a ceremony to lay the Ulyanovsk submarine, the seventh in the Yasen class of nuclear attack submarines. The ship is expected to be completed in 2023 and delivered to the Russian Navy in 2024.

On this occasion, Russian military observer Andrei Kotz evaluated the five most powerful submarine models today according to various criteria.

Largest submarine

Dmitry Donskoy is currently the world's largest submarine in the Russian Navy.

The Russian Akula-class submarine (NATO designation Typhoon), Project 941, is the largest nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine ever built.

This submarine model was built in the period 1976-1986, equivalent to the size of a 9-story building and equal to an aircraft carrier. The Akula-class submarine is 175 meters long, 23 meters wide, and has a displacement of 50,000 tons.

Operating continuously for 120 days, the Akula was the backbone of the Soviet nuclear submarine fleet during the Cold War.

The Soviet Union built and deployed a total of 6 submarines of this type. Each Akula “monster” is capable of carrying up to 20 R-39 intercontinental ballistic missiles, with a destructive power of 200kt, enough to flatten an entire country. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia gradually eliminated these submarines and only the Akula-class Dmitry Donskoy remained.

The ship today is a mobile laboratory and is used to test launch the RSM-56 Bulava ballistic missile.

On July 30, Dmitry Donskoy was among more than 100 Russian warships and submarines taking part in Navy Day celebrations in St. Petersburg.

Most powerful armed submarine

US Ohio-class nuclear submarine.

According to author Andrei Kotz, the US Ohio-class strategic missile submarine is the most powerful and diversely armed version. The US currently operates 18 Ohio submarines. Each carries 24 Trident I ballistic missiles or 14 Trident II missiles.

The explosive power of up to 475kt, including 8 warheads for each Trident II missile, affirmed the ultimate power of the Ohio-class submarine.

“The Ohio-class submarine is an important strategic weapon of the US Navy. More than half of Washington's nuclear strike capability is inside the Ohio's launch tubes,” wrote Kotz.

Another strength of the Ohio submarine is its nuclear engine, which allows it to reach underwater speeds of up to 25 knots and dive to a maximum depth of 550m.

The quietest submarine

Russian Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine.

In the 1980s, the Soviet Navy received the legendary Project 877 Paltus diesel-electric submarine. Over the years, dozens of these submarines were built and delivered to other countries such as Poland, Romania, India, Algeria, Iran, and China.

During the period 1990-2000, Russia upgraded this submarine into the famous version named Kilo, under Project 636. The first 3 countries to buy Kilo submarines from Russia included China, Vietnam and Algeria.

The Russian Navy has also ordered six of them and will receive two more in the near future. According to author Kotz, one of the strengths of the Kilo submarine is “the ability to operate completely silently at low speeds.”

NATO acknowledges the power of Kilo submarines and calls them “black holes of the ocean”.

According to experts, currently, only the French Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarine can compete with the Kilo submarine in terms of quiet running ability.

Each submarine of this type is equipped with 18 533mm torpedoes and 8 missiles. The ship can fire continuously every 15 seconds. A fleet of Kilo boats is enough to attack an enemy aircraft carrier fleet, launch all weapons and return to base as quickly as possible.

Just one of the 18 torpedoes hitting an enemy aircraft carrier would be enough to disable or even sink a super battleship dozens of times larger.

The most compact submarine

6 French micro-submarines fit the size of a football field.

The title of the most compact submarine belongs to the French Rubis class. The ship is 73.6 meters long, 8 meters wide, and has a displacement of 2,600 tons. The Rubis class submarine is 20 times smaller than Russia's largest Akula submarine, and six of them can fit on a football field.

At first glance, the French submarines may seem harmless, but that impression is completely wrong. “Each Rubis-class submarine is equipped with 14 550mm torpedoes to attack surface ships. The small nuclear reactor allows the submarine to operate continuously for 45-60 days. The maximum crew size is 57 people.

The most mysterious submarine

Russia's mysterious, never-before-seen Status-6 submarine.

A photo of Russia's Status-6 unmanned nuclear submarine development project was accidentally captured by the media in November 2015, during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Ministry officials.

Since then, the ship has attracted a wave of speculation and heated debate in the Western media, especially among military experts.

According to sources, the ship will be developed in the direction of stealth, fast speed and high level of automation. The main mission of this ship is to fire nuclear warheads at enemy coastal areas.

“In other words, this submarine is a giant torpedo, powerful enough to destroy enemy ports and create tsunamis,” wrote author Kotz.

In March 2016, a Russian shipbuilding company confirmed plans to build an unmanned submarine large enough to carry torpedoes. Experts speculated that this was the Status-6, which could also carry other mini-submarines.

According to Danviet.vn