Russia’s ‘super submarine’ has both a swimming pool and a solarium

During the 1970s, the Soviet Union embarked on a nuclear weapons program (codename: Typhoon) to develop a new nuclear missile submarine. The submarine (codename: Akula) was designed to be 172m long, 23m wide and nearly 11m high.

The Typhoon-class submarines displace 23,200 tons and can hold 20 RSM-52 ballistic missiles. Although most submarines were equipped with relatively lavish amenities at the time, the Typhoon’s large size enabled engineers at St. Petersburg’s Rubin Design Bureau to devise unprecedented perks like room and room. sunbathing, swimming pool and sauna.

The first submarine in the Typhoon class, Dmitri Donskoy (TK-208), entered service in 1981. Russia has built a total of five Typhoons, but today, only Donskoy is in service. The submarine spent much of the post-Cold War period testing a new generation of Russian submarine missiles and technology, and was instrumental in testing the Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile.

Live images simulated by undersea warfare agency HI Sutton show that the Typhoon is larger than an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine or an entire US house. Although Typhoon-class submarines are only 5m longer than the Ohio, they are significantly wider and taller.

A Typhoon looks intimidating because its roof (also known as the conning tower) is located behind the missile silos instead of in front, meaning the missiles are always clearly visible.

Today, a newer generation of Russian missile submarines, the Borei class, is replacing the aging Delta and Typhoon class submarines of the Russian Navy. The Borei-class submarines can carry 16 Bulava missiles for a total explosive yield of 7,200 kilotons. The Bulava missile is considered to be much more accurate than its predecessors.

Boreis are smaller and more space-efficient than their seniors, so they may not have a swimming pool. Russia plans to build at least eight Borei submarines, divided between the Northern (Atlantic) and Pacific Fleets.

Devoted for 40 years, now the ship Dmitri Donskoy is nearing retirement age. Many experts believe that there will probably never be another class of submarines as large as the Typhoon again.