The World’s Largest Submarine Ever Built, How big is the submarine?

Due to the decline in the Russian economy and defense sector after the Soviet Union, the Russian Navy heavily relies on Soviet-built ships for long-endurance missions. All of its largest combat vessels are of Soviet origin.

This applies not only to the surface fleet, where post-Soviet Russia has yet to construct a single destroyer or cruiser for its navy but also to a lesser extent, to the submarine fleet. The formidable firepower of the gargantuan Soviet Typhoon-class submarines remains unmatched.

The Typhoon class, which entered service in 1981, holds the distinction of being the largest submarine ever deployed worldwide. Six submarines were completed, with the seventh being canceled after the end of the Cold War.

With a submerged displacement of 48,000 tons, the Typhoon class is twice the size of the Bore-class submarines, which are also of Russian origin, and over two and a half times the size of the largest Western submarine, the Ohio Class.

To provide some perspective, the largest aircraft carrier in Continental Europe, the Charles de Gaulle, displaces just 42,000 tons, while the Typhoon class submarines, more widely used and built in larger numbers, surpass that size.

In contrast, the Kilo class submarines displace approximately 3,000 tons, making the Typhoon submarines over 15 times larger.

Measuring 175 meters in length, the Typhoon class features an unusual pinched oval hull shape, flatter than most submarines.

The submarine has a single exterior pressure hull with three circular interior ones, providing ample space for 160 crew members and reportedly accommodating amenities such as a swimming pool and sauna.

The use of multiple separate hull compartments significantly enhances the Typhoon class’s survivability against attacks. Each compartment can submerge for up to 120 days at depths of up to 400 meters.

The primary armament of the submarine consists of 20 R39 RIF-M missiles, the largest submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles ever created at the time. The Typhoon class was the only warship large enough to effectively deploy these missiles.

Each missile weighed 84 tons, carried 10 warheads, and had a range of over 8,000 kilometers, enabling them to strike the mainland United States from a relatively safe distance.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia could not afford to keep its fleet of six Typhoon-class ships in service and has operated only a single vessel for years.

Two of the remaining five submarines have been preserved and could potentially be restored to service in the event of a war.

Proposals have been made to repurpose these ships for transportation purposes, particularly for their ability to navigate under sea ice. However, the cost-effectiveness of such a proposal is highly questionable.