Nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles (SSBN) - designed to deliver nuclear missile strikes against strategically important military-industrial facilities and administrative and political centers of the enemy. The advantage of an SSBN on patrol over other means of nuclear deterrence lies in its intrinsic survivability, which follows from the difficulty of detecting it. At the same time, a nuclear missile strike against the enemy is guaranteed in the event of a full-scale conflict. SSBNs can also be an effective first-disarming strike, covertly approaching areas of intended targets, reducing the flight time of ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
In addition to the term SSBN, Russia also uses the designation - Strategic Missile Submarine Cruiser (SSBN).
USSR / RUSSIA
The construction of submarines with ballistic missiles on board began in the late 1950s. In the USSR, a series of diesel and nuclear submarines for this purpose was laid almost simultaneously. The boats were built at a striking pace, incomprehensible for the present time.
The lead diesel-electric submarines (diesel-electric submarines) of project 629, B-92 and B-93, were laid down in Severodvinsk and Komsomolsk-on-Amur in 1957, already at the end of 1958 they were put on tests, and at the same time serial construction of boats began, which lasted until 1962. A total of 24 submarines of this type were built. Including one boat on the ZLK - for the PRC Navy.
Project 629A diesel missile submarine
The boats were originally designed to be equipped with D-2 ballistic missiles. Each submarine carried three R-13 liquid-propellant missiles, placed in the wheelhouse enclosure. The launch was carried out from the surface position. The R-13 was the world's first specialized ballistic missile designed to arm submarines. The single-stage rocket, the launch weight of which was 13.7 tons, carried a detachable warhead equipped with a high-power thermonuclear charge. The launch range was 650 kilometers, the circular probable deviation was 4 kilometers, which ensured the defeat of only area targets. Later, part of the boats in the process of overhaul was re-equipped with the D-4 complex with an underwater launch of R-21 missiles.
The construction of the first Soviet nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarine of Project 658 began in September 1958, and in 1960 the lead boat of this project had already entered service. Many technical solutions, parts and assemblies were borrowed from the first Soviet nuclear submarine of project 627. This greatly facilitated the design and accelerated construction.
Differences with project 627 were in the introduction of the rocket (fourth) compartment, almost completely borrowed from diesel-electric submarines of project 629. Replacing spherical bulkheads with flat ones, designed for higher pressure, installing an RCP device (for replenishing compressed air at periscope depth), and also more powerful and perfect ventilation and air conditioning system. In addition, the composition of the torpedo armament was changed. The lines of the light hull of the nuclear submarine of pr. 658 were the same as those of the diesel-electric submarines of pr. 629. Thanks to this, good seaworthiness was ensured and the flooding of the superstructure deck was reduced, which, in turn, made it possible to launch missiles from the upper cut of the silos.
SSBN pr.658
Initially, the boats were designed for the D-2 armament complex, but in 1958 they decided to start developing a project that provided for the re-equipment of the submarine with more promising missiles with an underwater launch and an increased range.
It was assumed that the new complex will be installed on nuclear-powered ships in the process of modernization and overhaul. The upgraded boats were assigned the designation of the 658-M project.
To accommodate the R-21 missiles of the D-4 complex, they used the same launchers as for the R-13 missiles, since they initially had a larger inner diameter. To ensure the underwater launch of missiles, a system for automatically maintaining a given depth was developed.
The creation of Soviet submarine missile carriers of the first generation made it possible to increase the potential for nuclear deterrence of the USSR, and, despite the accidents and related casualties, gain invaluable experience in operating ships of this type and train personnel for more advanced ships.
The first Soviet nuclear-powered missile ship, in comparison with the American SSBN "George Washington", had higher surface and underwater speeds and a greater depth of immersion. At the same time, it was significantly inferior in noise and characteristics of underwater reconnaissance means. American boats significantly outnumbered Soviet ones in the number of ballistic missiles on board, carrying 16 Polaris A1 silos against 3 on the first Soviet SSBNs.
This led to the fact that the circulation of boats pr.658 / 658M was limited to eight units. Soon, on the stocks of shipyards, they were replaced by the next generation submarine missile carriers.
By the early 1980s, the USSR managed to create a fairly effective Maritime Nuclear Deterrence Force (NSNF) - the degree of implementation of the combat potential, having increased by 3, 25 times compared to 1967. The increase in efficiency was influenced by: the quantitative and qualitative improvement of the ship composition of the USSR NSNF, an increase in ammunition on Soviet SSBNs and the introduction of MIRVs on SLBMs, an increase in the technical reliability of Soviet SLBMs. An increase in the combat stability of Soviet SSBNs armed with intercontinental SLBMs was due to the transfer of combat patrol areas to the zones of dominance of the Soviet Navy in the Barents, Japanese and Okhotsk seas. The technical reliability of Soviet SLBMs was comparable to that of American missiles.
Areas of combat patrolling of missile submarines of the USSR in the Atlantic theater of operations
In the late 1980s, the Soviet Navy had 64 nuclear and 15 diesel ballistic missile submarines. On average, Soviet SSBNs went on combat patrols 4-5 times less often than American missile carriers. This phenomenon was caused by the inadequate number of ships, the construction of the infrastructure for basing and maintenance, as well as the low technical reliability of the nuclear power plants of the first Soviet nuclear submarines. That did not allow the use of ships with the required intensity, and due to the development of a technical resource and delays in carrying out repairs, it led to the accumulation of
The lack of standardization and unification in the design resulted in a large number of missile submarine (RPL) projects armed with various types of missiles. For example, in 1982, the Soviet Navy included 86 RPLs of nine projects armed with seven types of SLBMs, which naturally increased the cost of their operation.
The Soviet NSNF, developing in an extensive way, by the mid-1970s had reached quantitative parity with the US NSNF in terms of the number of RPLs and SLBMs. The US naval strategic nuclear forces, developing intensively, have always been ahead of the USSR in terms of quality indicators.
Over the years since the collapse of the USSR, the number of strategic missile carriers in the Russian Navy has decreased by about 10 times. In combat readiness in the Northern and Pacific fleets there are 7 SSBNs of projects 667BDR and 667BDRM built in 1979-1990. SSBNs of project 941 were withdrawn from the active composition of the fleet.
Satellite image of Google Earth: withdrawn from the fleet of SSBN pr.941
SSBN TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy" was modernized on pr.941UM. The boat is used for testing the D-30 Bulava-M complex, for which two launchers have been converted to R-30 ballistic missiles.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy", next to the aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov" being upgraded for India
RPSN K-535 "Yuri Dolgoruky" - the lead ship of the project 955 "Borey" was enlisted in the lists of ships of the Russian Navy on August 19, 1995. Due to insufficient funding and changes in the project, the construction proceeded with great difficulties. To speed up the construction, the backlog of the nuclear submarine of project 971 "Shchuka-B" K-137 "Cougar" was used. On February 12, 2008, the boat was launched from the floating dock into the water and placed at the outfitting wall.
RPSN K-535 "Yuri Dolgoruky"
Until recently, she passed state tests. At the moment, the RPSN K-535 is being repaired in Severodvinsk.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN pr. 955 K-535 "Yuri Dolgoruky" in Severodvinsk
Russian strategic missile submarines have two permanent bases: Gadzhievo in the Northern Fleet, and Rybachy in the Pacific Fleet.
In Gadzhievo, located on the Kola Peninsula, the operating five SSBNs of the project 667BDRM "Dolphin" are based. Apparently, there will also be SSBNs pr. 955 "Borey", which in the future should come to replace the "Dolphins".
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN pr. 667BDRM based on submarines Gadzhievo
At Rybachye, located not far from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, nuclear submarines of the Pacific Fleet are based. There, in between trips, there are two boats of the project 667BDR "Kalmar". In the same place in Rybachye, on the other side of the bay, there is a complex for maintenance and repair of submarines.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN pr. 667BDR in Rybachye
Currently, the Russian naval nuclear deterrent forces are going through hard times and need modernization and renewal. Unfortunately, the adoption of new strategic missile carriers is taking a long time. This is largely due to the unreliability and underdevelopment of the D-30 missile system.
USA
The first American SSBN "George Washington" was launched in December 1959 and went on its first combat patrol from the forward US Navy base in Holy Lough (UK) in the fall of 1960. Initially, the boats of this project were armed with 16 Polaris A-1 ballistic missiles. The firing accuracy during test launches at a maximum range of 2200 km was 900 m, which was a good indicator for a sea-based missile.
SSBN "George Washington"
SSBN "J. Washington”was designed on the basis of the Skipjack-class nuclear torpedo boat, in the hull of which a 40-meter central section was added to accommodate missile silos, missile fire control systems, navigation equipment and auxiliary mechanisms. The general layout of the boats of the "George Washington" type with vertical shafts located behind the wheelhouse turned out to be very successful and became a classic scheme for strategic submarine missile carriers.
For the armament of nuclear submarines, the Americans chose the development of solid-fuel missiles as much more compact and fireproof, and requiring less maintenance costs than liquid-propellant SLBMs. This direction, as it became clear later, turned out to be more promising.
During the planned repairs in 1964-67, the "Washington" was rearmed with "Polaris A-3" missiles with a firing range of about 4600 km and a scattering (cluster) warhead (MRV technology, three nuclear warheads with a yield of up to 200 kt).
The last boat of this type was withdrawn from the fleet at the beginning of 1985.
By the end of the 60s, the American submarine strategic system was completely ready. On 41 SSBNs were placed 656 SLBMs of the Polaris A-2 and Polaris A-3 types, which could deliver 1,552 nuclear warheads to enemy territory. The boats were part of the Atlantic (31 type "Lafayette") and Pacific fleets (10 type "J. Washington").
In 1991, the US NSNF had 8 SSBNs with 128 Poseidon S3 missiles (2080 YABZ), 18 SSBNs with 352 Trident-S4 SLBMs (2816 YABZ) and 4 SSBNs with 96 Trident-2 D5 SLBMs (1344 YaBZ). The total number of warheads was 624,090. Thus, the SSBN had 56% of the available nuclear potential.
The US Navy currently has 14 Ohio-class SSBNs, each carrying 24 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. Unlike Russia, the main nuclear potential of the United States is located precisely on SSBNs.
SSBN type "Ohio"
At the moment, in accordance with the SALT treaty, submarine missiles cannot carry more than 8 warheads. In 2007, the total number of warheads deployed in the United States on SLBMs was 2018.
In the United States, there are two facilities where SSBNs are based. On the Pacific coast, it's in Bangor, Washington. On the Atlantic coast, this is Kings Bay, Georgia. Both naval bases have a well-developed infrastructure for routine repair and maintenance of SSBNs.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN-class "Ohio" in the naval base Bangor
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN of the "Ohio" type in the Kings Bay naval base
UNITED KINGDOM
The first carriers of British nuclear bombs were strategic bombers.
Since the beginning of the 60s, after the creation and mass production of air defense systems in the USSR and as a result of the qualitative strengthening of air defense, the British leadership decided to change priorities in the field of nuclear deterrence. The program for the creation of ground-based ballistic missiles for a number of reasons failed, and it was decided to use all the resources in the creation of SSBNs.
The United States rendered great assistance to its strategic ally in this matter. Design work on the British SSBN started in the early 60s. The project was based on the American Lafayette-class SSBN.
Construction of a series of four Resolution-class submarines began in Great Britain in 1963. In October 1967 "Resolution" - the lead boat in the series - was handed over to the Navy. Initially, all British SSBNs were armed with sixteen Polaris-A3 SLBMs with a firing range of up to 4,600 km, equipped with a dispersive warhead with three warheads with a yield of up to 200 Kt each. Later, a MIRV was created, which was equipped with six warheads with a capacity of 40-50 Kt each. Such warheads are capable of aiming at individual targets located at a distance of 65-70 km from each other.
SSBN "Resolution"
British missile submarines began patrolling in 1969 with an exit to the North Atlantic. In peacetime, up to two SSBNs were to be constantly at sea. With the aggravation of the international situation, other SSBNs were also withdrawn from the base in the missile launch areas.
All boats of the "Resolution" type remained in service until the mid-1990s, until they were gradually replaced by more advanced SSBNs of the "Vanguard" type.
After withdrawal from the fleet, the submarines were disarmed, and spent nuclear fuel was unloaded from the reactors. Until, due to residual radiation, the disposal of submarines or their flooding is impossible, all SSBNs of the "Resolution" project are in storage in Rosyte.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN of the "Resolution" type in a laydown in Rosyte
In the early 90s, the Vanguard-class SSBNs replaced the earlier Resolution-class missile carriers. There are currently four such boats in the British fleet. Ammunition SSBN "Resolution" consists of sixteen SLBM "Trident-2 D5", each of which could be equipped with fourteen warheads of 100 CT. However, for reasons of economy, only 58 missiles were purchased, which made it possible to provide only three ships with a full ammunition load. In addition, the boat was supposed to have only 48 warheads instead of 96 provided for by the state.
All British SSBNs are based in Scotland, in the area of the Clyde naval base, at the Faslane base, in Gar Lough.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SSBN-class "Vanguard", at the base of Faslane
