America was ahead of the USSR by three years. In July 1958, when the first domestic K-3 atomic made the first movement towards the sea, the American Nautilus was already racing at full speed to the North Pole.
But our apparent lag was in fact an advantage. Unlike the USS Nautilus, which was an experimental nuclear-powered ship, the Soviet K-3 was a full-fledged warship - the ancestor of a series of 13 multipurpose submarines.
Elliptical nose shape optimized for underwater movement. Advantage in underwater speed and immersion depth. Large size and enhanced armament: initially it was supposed to equip the boat with T-15 super torpedoes equipped with a 100 Mt warhead, but in the end, the choice stopped at eight standard TA, with the possibility of using T-5 tactical nuclear torpedoes.
In comparison with the first domestic submarine, most of its American peers were expensive toys, unsuitable for combat missions:
- "Nautilus" - the world's first submarine, was launched in 1954. Became the first ship to reach the North Pole (August 3, 1958);
- "Seawulf", equipped with an experimental reactor with a liquid metal coolant, turned out to be a floating tomb: during tests, the ship could not confirm its calculated performance characteristics, and, in addition, killed part of its own crew. A year later, the dangerous and unreliable liquid metal fuel reactor was replaced by a conventional one: the US Navy forever abandoned the use of this type of nuclear power plant;
- "Skate" - a small series of 4 submarines, representing the post-war diesel-electric submarine "Teng" with a nuclear reactor;
- "Triton" - at the time of its creation, it was the largest and most expensive submarine in the world, with two YSUs. "Triton" was built as a radar patrol boat, but in reality it became a demonstrator of military technologies, having made a "circumnavigation" in 60 days underwater. He did not go into the series, remaining the "white elephant" of the fleet;
- “Khalibat” is another “white elephant”. It was built as a carrier of strategic cruise missiles "Regul", in 1965 it was converted into a submarine for special operations;
- "Tallibi" is the world's smallest combat atomic with an underwater displacement of 2,600 tons. Despite its diminutive size and low speed, it has been quite remarkable since then. points of view. The only boat of its type.
The first truly serial submarine was Skipjack. The lead boat entered service in 1959. The first American atomarines with the "Albacor" hull in the form of a body of revolution, an ellipsoidal bow tip and horizontal rudders on the sides of the wheelhouse. A total of six units were built. One of the boats - USS Scorpion (SSN-588) - disappeared without a trace in the Atlantic in 1968 (later the wreckage of the "Scorpion" was discovered at a depth of 3 kilometers).
Scorpion wreck
The next famous type was the Thresher, a series of 14 multipurpose hunting submarines. The lead boat - USS Tresher (SSN-593) - tragically died along with its crew during trials in 1963. The remaining boats were renamed to the Permit class, after the name of the next submarine of this type.
A truly breakthrough project was the Stagen project - a large series of multipurpose submarines, built in the amount of 37 units (in service since 1971). By this time, the Yankees finally came to the idea of large-scale construction and unification of submarines. The main vectors of development were reliability, reduction of the level of own noise and, once again, reliability. Considerable progress was made in hydroacoustics: "Stejen" became the first boat in the world with a spherical GAS antenna, which occupied the entire bow of a submarine.
USS Parche (SSN-683) is heading for another "case"
However, complete unification did not work: nine submarines were 3 meters longer than the rest. And the total number of "Stejens" in fact should be limited to 36 units. One of the last boats of the project - USS Parche (SSN-683) - was considered a "top secret" boat for performing special operations (theft of fragments of Soviet aircraft and ballistic missiles from the ocean floor, hacking of submarine communication cables, covert reconnaissance). "Parche" had an additional 30-meter section of the hull with oceanographic equipment, external mounts for mini-submarines and a noticeable "hump" with electronic reconnaissance equipment - as a result, its handling, performance characteristics and the layout of the compartments changed beyond recognition.
In parallel with the serial Stedgens, the Yankees built a couple more "white elephants":
- "Narwhal" - an experimental submarine equipped with a reactor with natural circulation of the coolant;
- "Glenard P. Lipscomb" - an experimental submarine with a turboelectric power plant. The absence of traditional gearboxes (GTZA) made it possible to reduce the noise of the submarine, however, the large size and lower speed of the Glenarad played against it: the boat with a turbo-electric power plant remained in a single copy.
USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)
In 1976, Los Angeles appeared - the largest ever built series of nuclear submarines. 62 units. Not a single serious radiation accident in three decades of operation. Not a single lost boat. The high-speed, low-noise "Elks" are considered the crown of the efforts of the "father" of the American submarine fleet - Admiral Hayman (Haim) Rikover. They are one of the few nuclear-powered submarines that have had a chance to directly take part in hostilities.
However, even in the case of Los Angeles, there is no need to talk about complete unification. As you know, "Losi" were built in three large sub-series, each of which had noticeable differences. The first is the basic modification, multipurpose torpedo submarines (SSN-688). Since 1985, the second sub-series (VLS) went into production - 12 vertical shafts appeared in the bow of the hull to launch the Tomahawk SLCM.
Finally, the last 23 boats belong to the third sub-series (better known as the 688i or "Superior Los Angeles"). This time the Yankees went even further: the conning rudders disappeared from the boats, instead of the retractable rudders appeared in the bow of the hull; the structure of the cabin was strengthened to ensure safe ascent in ice; the propeller is enclosed in a ring nozzle. The antennas and computers of the hydroacoustic complex were modernized, the boat was able to carry and deploy mines.
USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) - the first sub-series "Elks"
USS Santa Fe (SSN-763) - representative of the third sub-series
In fact, the first USS Los Angeles (SSN-688) and the last USS Cheyenne (SSN-773), which entered service in 1996, were two completely different projects, only in words united by a common name.
The next attempt by the Americans to build a large series of underwater hunters (type SSN-21 "Seawulf") suffered a complete fiasco - due to the end of the Cold War, instead of the planned 30, it was possible to build only three "Seawulf". The index of the project directly indicates the importance of these boats - real submarines of the XXI century. Even now, 20 years later, the SeaWolves are still the most advanced submarines in the world.
Curiously, there are only two real Seawulfs. The third, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), is fundamentally different from its colleagues: it is 30 meters longer and carries the Ocean Interface diving complex on board. As you probably already guessed, "Carter" replaced the special operations boat "Parche" at the combat post.
Instead of super-expensive "Sivulfs" it was decided to build a series of simpler submarines - with "castrated" performance characteristics and focus on local conflicts of low intensity. However, recent reports to Congress indicate that the simplification of the design did not help at all: the cost of the Virginia-class submarines confidently exceeded $ 3 billion.
USS Virginia (SSN-774)
Despite belonging to a single project, "Virgins" are distinguished by a wide variety of designs. Only among the first 12 submarines launched, experts distinguish three sub-series. It is clear that this is not done because of a good life: this is direct evidence of attempts to eliminate major problems identified during the operation of the first Virginias (primarily in the work of hydroacoustics). As a result, we got:
- Block 1. Basic version (built 4 submarines).
- Block 2. New construction technology using large sections (6 submarines were built).
- Block 3. The spherical antenna of the GUS was replaced with a horseshoe-shaped Large Aperture Bow (LAB); 12 bow shafts for launching Tomahawks have been replaced with two 6-charge shafts of a new type (8 submarines are planned).
The rest of the Virgins will be completed with even more significant design changes - for example, Block 5 includes the installation of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) - an insert of a new 10-meter section in the middle of the hull, with vertical launchers designed for 40 Tomahawks. Of course, by that time the SAC and the ship's combat information system were evolving. In fact, this modification can be considered a separate project.
As a result, we managed to count 17 independent projects of multipurpose submarines *, adopted by the overseas fleet - without taking into account their intermediate modifications (VLS, "Block-1, 2, 3 …", "long-hull", etc.).
The situation with strategic submarine missile carriers is no less curious. Their story began on November 15, 1960, when the nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles (SSBN) "George Washington" went on combat patrol from a base in Scotland. The Western press immediately dubbed him "The killer of cities" - aboard 16 solid-fuel "Polaris", capable of destroying life throughout the northwestern part of the USSR. "Washington" became a formidable harbinger of a new round of the arms race, defining the appearance and layout of all subsequent SSBNs (SSBNs) on both sides of the ocean. Modern "Boreas" and "Ohio" carry a particle of the legacy of "Washington", continuing to use a similar arrangement of ammunition.
The first SSBN was impromptu on the basis of the multipurpose submarine "Skipjack" and was originally named after the deceased "Scorpion". Over the next decade, the Yankees created 4 more SSBN projects - each of them was a further step in the evolution of "Washington". It is curious that all the boats used the same type of reactor (S5W), but differed in size (each subsequent type in a larger direction), the material of the hull and the shape of its contours, the level of its own noise and weapons. The missiles Polaris A-1, Polaris A-3, Poseidon S-3 were continuously improved; some of the missile carriers received the Trident-1 S4 at the end of their career.
So the squadron "41 on guard of Freedom" was born. All missile carriers bore the names of prominent American figures of the past.
- "George Washington" - 5 units;
- "Eten Allen" - 5 units;
- Lafayette - 9 units;
- "James Madison" - 6 units (had little difference from the previous project, in the reference books of the USSR Navy passed as "Lafaite, second sub-series");
- Benjamin Franklin - 12 units.
USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658). Benjamin Franklin-class missile carrier
A real headache for Soviet commanders. It was these missile carriers that posed the main military threat to the existence of our state - due to their secrecy and large numbers, it was difficult and essentially unrealistic to defend against them (however, the same applied to our SSBNs). The "Freedom Defenders" served faithfully and for a long time, demonstrating amazing combat effectiveness: piloted by two shift crews - "blue" and "gold" - they spent up to 80% of their time at sea, aiming missiles at the industrial and military centers of the USSR.
Beginning in the 1980s, the "Washington" and "Madison" began to transfer the watch to a new generation of SSBNs - "Ohio". The new boats were 2-3 times larger and much more perfect than their ancestors. Armament - 24 solid-propellant SLBMs "Trident-1" (later they were rearmed on the heavy "Trident-2 D-2" long-range).
In total, 18 missile carriers of this type were built. Today, within the framework of the signed agreements on the limitation of strategic offensive arms, four Ohio have been converted into attack boats with Tomahawk cruise missiles (up to 154 cruise missiles on board + two diving cameras).
Since the beginning of the era of the nuclear submarine fleet, the US Navy has had 59 strategic SSBNs built according to 5 different projects (if we count Lafayette and Madison as one type). Plus - special operations boats based on "Ohio" (SSGN), which can be safely identified in a separate project.
Total - six SSBN projects and derivatives based on them. Without taking into account the endless upgrades, rearmament to new types of missiles and the creation of unexpected impromptu (for example, one of the "Franklins" - USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642) was converted into a boat for the delivery of combat swimmers and remained in this form in service until 2002) …
Underwater zoo
6 projects of nuclear submarine missile carriers and SSGNs. 17 projects of multipurpose submarines. Agree, a lot. Facts show that the Yankees, like their Soviet counterparts, built ships at random. All plans, plans and concepts for the use of the fleet were rewritten several times.
And after that, someone dares to say that the submarine component of the Soviet Navy was a disorderly collection of boats of different types? Many domestic sources still claim that the Russian Mongols built their fleet at random - they built a bunch of different types of rubbish - and then they themselves did not know how to service it. The number of projects was almost 10 times higher than the number of US submarine projects.
In reality, nothing like this was observed: in the period from 1958 to 2013, 247 nuclear submarines, built according to 32 different projects, were adopted by the USSR / Russian Navy, including:
- 11 projects of multipurpose submarines;
- 11 projects of nuclear submarines with cruise missiles (SSGN);
- 10 projects of strategic missile submarine cruisers (SSBNs).
Of course, a knowledgeable reader will certainly remember about special-purpose atomarines: relay boats, experimental, deep-sea and other "Loshariks" - as many as 9 projects! But it should be understood that most of them are test benches, converted from submarines that have served their time. The rest are ultra-small submarines and their carriers.
But if so, then it is worth taking into account ALL American impromptu - "Kamehameha" with combat swimmers, intermediate versions of "Los Angeles" with VLS, modifications of "Virginia" Block-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Then, do not forget to take into account the atomic deep-sea bathyscaphe NR-1 - and the scale indicator will rapidly shift towards the US Navy.
32 domestic projects of combat nuclear submarines against 23 American ones. The difference is not big enough to sound the alarm about the mental abilities of Russian engineers and the military.
A slightly larger number of projects is explained by a different concept of the use of the Navy. For example, the Yankees never had analogues of the domestic "Skatov" and "Anteyevs" - specialized boats equipped with long-range anti-ship missiles (in return, their absence was compensated for by a motley family of aircraft carriers - the main strike force of the US Navy at sea).
Finally, do not forget that domestic boats of many types were distinguished by relative simplicity and low cost of construction - comparing any "George Washington" with the K-19 (pr. 658) is simply offensive to both of them. Therefore, the presence of two types of SSBNs instead of one SSBN is not good, but also not as problematic as they are trying to present in our time.
Reproaches about the construction of super-expensive titanium boats and submarines equipped with reactors with liquid metal fuel are just as groundless - many of which have remained in a single copy. Overseas, no less than we were "sinned" by creating controversial structures - as a result, the US Navy had a significant number of "white elephants". The same two-reactor "Triton", in the creation of which there was no need. All this "mess" is called technical search - engineers experienced trial and error searched for the most efficient and balanced design.
Along the way, all of the above will debunk another myth - about the distorted path of development of the domestic fleet, which, allegedly, was too much interested in submarines. The Yankees also knew very well about the high combat qualities of nuclear submarines - and they built them no less than we did. As a result, the fleets of both superpowers were equipped with the latest technology - with an equally well-developed surface and submarine component.
Transfer of cargo from a helicopter to a submarine "Triton"
Tomahawks instead of Tridents
Two launch silos aboard the converted Ohio converted into airlock for divers to escape
As you know, the Yankees built their last diesel-electric boat in 1959. But the cessation of construction did not mean a complete rejection of diesel-electric submarines - modernized according to the GUPPY project, many "diesel engines" of the WWII and early post-war years remained in service until the end of the 1970s. The GUPPY project itself represented dozens of modernization options - as a result, a whole "zoo" of diesel-electric submarines of various types was born. In the photo - a typical American base, a pier with diesel-electric submarines, 1960s
Cabin SSBN "J. Washington"
"Sea Wolf"! (USS Seawolf)
Bridge of the submarine "Toledo" (type "Los Angeles")
