Typhoon-class submarine

Typhoon class

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
Planned:	8
Completed:	6
Cancelled:	2
Active:	1
Retired:	2
Scrapped:	3
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, 190 MWt each 2 × VV-type steam turbines, 37 MW (49,600 hp) each 2 shafts with 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:	120+ days submerged
Test depth:	400 m (1,300 ft)
Complement:	160
Armament:	1 × 9K38 Igla SAM 6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes RPK-2 Viyuga cruise missiles Type 53 torpedoes D-19 launch system 20 × RSM-52 SLBMs
Notes:	Ships in class include: TK-208TK-202 TK-12TK-13 TK-17TK-20TK-210

The Project 941 or Akula, Russian "Акула" ("Shark") class submarine (NATO reporting name: Typhoon) is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine deployed by the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. With a submerged displacement of 48,000 tonnes, the Typhoons are the largest class of submarine ever built, large enough to accommodate decent living facilities for the crew when submerged for months on end. 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, as a reaction to the US Navy Ohio-class submarines.

The Russian Navy canceled its Typhoon modernization program in March 2012, stating that modernizing one Typhoon would be as expensive as building two new Borey-class submarines. With the announcement that Russia has eliminated the last SS-N-20 Sturgeon SLBMs in September 2012, the remaining Typhoons have reached the end of service.

Besides their missile armament, the Typhoon class features six torpedo tubes; all of which are designed to handle RPK-2 (SS-N-15) missiles or Type 53 torpedoes. A Typhoon-class submarine can stay submerged for periods up to 120 days in normal conditions, and potentially more if deemed necessary (e.g., in the case of a nuclear war). Their primary weapons system is composed of 20 R-39 (NATO: SS-N-20) ballistic missiles (SLBM) with a maximum of 10 MIRV nuclear warheads each. Technically, Typhoons were able to deploy their long-range nuclear missiles while moored at their docks.