Always being improved and developed, it is proof that submarines are an indispensable part of the navies of countries.
Submarines played an important role during World War II and the Cold War . Currently, they also play a large role in the navies of countries. Below is a list of the most powerful submarines according to military-today.com.
5. Russian ship Sierra
This is a project of the Soviet Union in the late 70s of the 20th century, belonging to the generation of multi-purpose submarines. The ship was developed with an emphasis on the ability to search for enemy ships, track and destroy if ordered. Thanks to the use of high-strength titanium alloy, the diving depth and magnetic field of the vessel have been optimized.
Along with the lightweight, dual-hull design, the vessel has a total of six interconnected compartments under the main hull. The crew rescue system is also taken into account - there is an escape vessel designed for the entire crew at once. In addition, the main power supply system is a pressurized water reactor with a capacity of 43,000 horsepower with four steam generators.
Sierra's weapons complex allows it to fire at any depth with an arsenal of 40 torpedoes and missiles, even nuclear warheads are allowed.
4. Russian Yasen ship
Unlike many other projects, the design of this vessel is called a one-and-a-half hull. The forward and aft parts of the ship are designed to be lightweight, while the conning tower area and superstructure are extremely well protected.
The onboard torpedoes are also not mounted on the bow like most combat submarines, but are mounted on the sides. The body is made of low-magnetic steel, covered with a special rubber layer that reduces noise and reflections of sound waves from navigation devices.
This ship uses a nuclear reactor capable of operating without recharging for 30 years, equivalent to the life of the ship. The main coolant is located within the reactor itself, helping to prevent radiation exposure of the crew and reduce the likelihood of a hazard occurring.
3. UK ship Astute
In third place is a large submarine of the Royal Navy. Astute, with development beginning in 1991.
With a single-body design and a pump-type motor shaft, the Astute train makes no noise during operation. Outside, this submarine is covered with a special anti-sound layer consisting of 39,000 plates of special materials that absorb sound waves. Compared to previous versions, this version of Astute is suitable for operation in coastal waters and even in shallow water. This also helps the ship to accurately shoot targets deep inland.
A water-saving nuclear reactor can operate for 25 years without recharging, and two steam turbines are used to power the ship. With this power source, the Astute submarine can make up to 40 trips around the world during its service life.
In addition, a system to generate oxygen from seawater has been installed to increase the ship's autonomy. In terms of weapons, there are six torpedo tubes with a maximum missile range of 1,600km and a warhead weighing 454kg that is always ready to be mounted on the ship.
2. Ship Virginia, USA
America's fourth generation submarines are designed to operate in both deep and coastal locations. In addition to the standard armament, the Virginia submarine is also equipped with unmanned reconnaissance vehicles, an ultralight diver support kit, and a rack for mounting additional tanks or small submarines.
This ship was started to develop in 1980 but was not launched until 2004. It was quite noisy in use at first, so a layer of insulation and vibration reduction was later added.
This is the first submarine in the world without a traditional periscope. Instead, a camera transmits the signal to a display in the command room via fiber optic cable. It also has communication antennas and electronic reconnaissance equipment and a sensor for observation in infrared mode. To detect underwater minefields, automated vehicles are used that can operate for up to 18 hours.
1. America's Seawolf Ship
Initially, this ship was developed to compete with the Shchuka-B class submarines of Soviet military engineers. This submarine has been in development for 10 years. The first model was built in the fall of 1989 and launched in the summer of 1995.
It was one of the first submarines designed and developed using computer technology. In the development of the project, special attention was paid to the significant reduction of noise when traveling at low speed and the use of materials that are reasonable in this regard.
This ship is equipped with up to 8 torpedo tubes with the number of launching up to 50 at the same time. Missiles and torpedoes are capable of hitting targets underwater, on water and on the ground at considerable distances. Besides, the Seawolf can also launch nuclear warheads if necessary.