Submarines became famous in naval warfare during the World War period. Steam-powered submarines were used for war in the popular American Revolution and the War of 1812 between the US and Britain.
Today, submarines are an important element of any country’s naval fleet. The top 10 submarines in the world are listed below. They are ranked according to their lengths.
1)Typhoon Class Russia/ Project 941 Akula Class
Soviet Russia built these nuclear giants in the 1960s and 1970s to face the US and its allies in the ongoing Cold War. They were bigger than three football fields and had exceptional features such as swimming pools, saunas, and golf courses. Typhoon-class submarines measured 566 feet lengthwise and 76 m breadthwise. They reached a height of 38 m and a displacement of more than 48,000 tonnes.
They were equipped with 20 large R-39 “Rif” intercontinental ballistic missiles. Also commonly known as SS-N-20 Sturgeon. These extremely powerful weapons were 53 feet long and 8 feet wide. Specified as the largest submarines ever built. They were also loaded with RSM-52 missiles. It is an efficient magneto hydrostatic drive system for launching a silent and powerful attack on their enemies.
2)Borei-Class Russia/ Project 955 Borei
The fourth-generation Borei was Russia’s first class of submarines constructed after the end of the Soviet Regime. They were signified to replace the old Delta III, IV, and Typhoon class submarines.Also they served the Russian naval forces.
The Rubin Marine Equipment Bureau designed eight submarines with a variety of hull configurations, and the Sevmash Shipyard built them to accommodate these designs. The program’s first ballistic missile submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, launched in 2008
However, they are smaller in size and volume than the Typhoon class, which has a 24,000-tonne displacement and a 107-member crew capacity. Borei-class submarines are 170 m long and width of 13 m. Along with a submerged speed of 25 knots.
3)Ohio-Class, United States
The third largest in the world, the Ohio class of submarines, was commissioned for the US Navy between 1977 and 1998. Every Ohio-class submarine has 24 Trident II missiles, ranging from about 12,000 kilometres. Hence, they have more missile-carrying capability than the Russian Typhoon and Borei class submarines. They have a displacement of approximately 18,750 tonnes. There are four decks with a space for accommodating 90 crew members. It also has a Lockheed Martin sonar processing system, a pressure water reactor, and two turbines.
All eighteen submarines have eight launchers, four 533-millimeter torpedo tubes. They have an Mk118 digital fire control system. They are equipped with more than 50% of the US thermonuclear weapons. The torpedo range is up to fifty kilometres, and the depth is 3000 feet.
These nuclear-powered vessels have a lifespan of almost 40 years. Later they will be replaced by the recently developed Columbia class by the end of this decade.
4)Delta Class, Russia
The Delta Class includes a series of ballistic missile submarines that developed the cornerstone of the Russian submarine fleet in the 1970s. It consisted of four subclasses: Delta I, II, III, and IV. These submarines were 167 m long and 12.5 m wide.
The Soviet Union’s Project 667B Murena, also known as the Delta I class, saw 18 submarines built and armed with 12 missiles each. These submarines patrolled the Norwegian and Barents Seas, relying on Tobol-B and Cyclone-B navigation systems for pinpoint accuracy.
However, all kinds of vessels of this class were decommissioned by 1998. They were later scrapped by 2005.
5)Oscar Class Russia/ Project 949 A Antey
Project 949 A Antey belongs to the Oscar class of cruise-type missile submarines that constitute Project 949 Granit. They belong to the Russian northern fleet undergoing modernization to increase their lifespan.
The submarines at Severodvinsk built eleven such submarines, measuring 154 meters lengthwise and 18 meters breadthwise, to accommodate advanced electronics systems and a noise cancellation system. They have a larger fin and seven-blade propellers than their predecessors.
6)Vanguard Class, UK
The Vanguard class includes four ballistic missile submarines made for the British Navy as part of the 1994 Trident nuclear program. Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering constructed these vessels between 1985 and 1999. Their main port is Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde. It is just forty kilometres from Glasgow, Scotland.
Each vessel can carry 192 warheads and 16 missile tubes. Along with Trident II D5 nuclear missiles with a target range of 5000 miles. Its finest sonar system detects ships over fifty miles away. However, the Dreadnought class will take over the Vanguard in the 2030s.
They have four torpedo tubes and 16 spearfish torpedoes with a mark range of up to 65 kilometres. They also have three periscopes decked with thermal imaging cameras and normal optics technology. A submarine command system was developed for this class of submarines.
7)Yasen/Graney Class, Russia
The Yasen, also known as the Graney class of submarines. The Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau designed these submarines, and Sevmash constructed them. They are the largest shipbuilder in Russia. The first vessel of this class is the Severodvinsk. They began operations in 2013. Two others, namely Kazan and Novosibirsk, joined the service in 2021. These most recent class of cruise missile submarines are based on more premature designs. Such as the Akula and Alfa class, but they have fine combat abilities.
8)Triomphant Class, France
The French naval fleet constructed four vessels, which were recently an active part of the fleet. The French Navy launched the first Triomphant class submarine in 1997, following the decommissioning of the Le Redoutable submarines in the 1990s. With their main port in Ile Lounge, Western Brittany. The vessels are 138 meters long and 12.5 m broad. They have a displacement of 14,335 tonnes. These submarines have an underwater speed of 25 knots. With an average speed of 17 knots at the surface. These vessels can stay submerged for nine weeks.
9)Sierra Class, Russia
The Sierra class consists of four attack submarines. Project 945 Barrakuda and Project 945 A Kondor constructed them during the Cold War, and they refurbished them in the 1990s. These submarines had a lightweight titanium hull, which enabled them to reach a top speed of 35 knots. Equipped with better weapons, they were 112 meters long and displaced 10,500 tonnes.
However, they were hard to construct and were very expensive. The vulnerable point of the Shark Gill sonar was its newness in Russia, and American submarines of the time had fitted more accurate sonars.
10)Akula Class, Russia
Ten submarines of the Akula class were launched by Russian government bodies in 1986. These attack submarines are double-hulled. Offering more lavish buoyancy than other Western subs. They have a distinctive wake detection system for detecting temperature changes. The attack ships can utilize Type 53 and Type 65 torpedos, armed with four launch pads on each side. Measuring around 110 meters. They have an underwater displacement capacity of 13,700 tonnes.
They are calmer than other Soviet submarines and have a secret rescue chamber capable of accommodating 90 people. Nine vessels are part of the Russian Northern and Pacific fleet.
