American submarine fleet. The most modern US nuclear submarine of the USS Virginia class. Tonnage of sunk tankers, gt

When talking about the potential of our armed forces, we must proceed from how it correlates with the potential of a potential adversary. Otherwise, the conversation loses its meaning.
A special role here is played by the navy and nuclear submarines.

Not so long ago, US President Donald Trump said that the US submarine fleet could destroy Russia. Are submarines flying the Stars and Stripes such a formidable weapon, or is the head of the White House bluffing?

There are no equals

At the moment, the US Navy is the leader in both the number and combat capabilities of submarines and has 74 4-class submarines. Three classes of multi-purpose submarines - Virginia, Seawolf and Los Angeles - are responsible for detecting and destroying enemy ships, as well as supporting amphibious operations. Ohio-class submarines are classified as strategic deterrence weapons and are designed to carry out missile strikes against the enemy's most important military-industrial facilities.

The main striking force of the US submarine fleet are 15 Virginia-class boats - a more advanced and economical alternative to the Seawolf. They perform the same operational tasks as the Los Angeles-class boats, but have additional advantages, such as the ability to operate effectively in coastal waters, which is used for intelligence gathering and special operations. It is important to note that all American submarines have nuclear engines, which significantly increases their autonomy (almost half of the Russian Navy's submarines are diesel-electric).

Today, American submarines are capable of producing fresh water and oxygen on their own, and they usually have enough food supplies for 90-100 days of sailing. Commenting on the launch of the Hawaii (Virginia-class) submarine, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter noted that "the range, maneuverability and lethality, coupled with a highly professional and combat-ready crew, make this submarine the most powerful submarine in the underwater theater of war."

Out of competition

Approximately a third of American submarines are constantly at sea: either patrolling or conducting exercises. If necessary, all of them can begin to carry out a combat mission in any part of the world's oceans, which is certainly an advantage compared to competitors. Western military analysts believe that, unlike American submarines, most of the Russian submarines that are afloat will be deployed closer to their native shores.

American submarines have a higher nuclear potential than Russian ones: 24 Trident intercontinental missiles installed on the Ohio versus 16 Bulava ICBMs on the Borei. In addition, the range of the Trident is a couple of thousand kilometers further than that of the Bulava, while the power of the American missile is about 1.7 times higher than the Russian one. However, as the Deputy Director of the Center noted international security under the Atlantic Council Magnus Nordenman, recently the US and NATO submarine fleets have not been focusing on anti-submarine operations, which has noticeably worsened skills in this area. But if the advantage of American submarines over Russian ones is not so critical, then the Chinese submarine fleet cannot yet compete with the American one. Experts are sure that if the American command uses submarines, for example, in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, then the US advantage here will be more than obvious.

Tetsuo Kotani, chief researcher at the Japanese Institute of International Relations, notes that an American guided missile submarine could elude Chinese sonar and safely approach the shores of the Middle Kingdom. One 170-meter "Michigan" carrying 154 cruise missiles to destroy the runways of the nearest Chinese airfields. The Ideal Weapon The US defense industry is in the process of constantly re-equipping its submarine fleet.

In particular, the Pentagon is developing new technologies to track and destroy enemy submarines using unmanned underwater vehicles. Engineers plan to equip them with the most complex and sensitive sensor systems that have no analogues. The US Department of Defense intends to invest more than $8 billion in the modernization of submarines, primarily in the IV and V series of Virginia-class submarines, each of which is supposed to be armed with 40 Tomahawks, as well as equipped with modern electronics. The submarines under development will be provided with an atomic engine with a nuclear reactor, the service life of which is designed for 30 years. The new almost silent engine (the noise level is reduced due to the system of isolated chambers and the modern design of the power block with a “silencing” coating) will allow the boat to move even in relatively shallow water. The upgraded "Virginia", according to the concept of the Pentagon, should become ideal "spies" and "killers".

In the late 1930s, the world felt the approach of war. And this time, America, of course, could not stand aside. Therefore, we will consider all types of American submarines that the United States possessed on the eve and during the war.

Submarine R-6 (SS-83).

Type R and "Barracuda"(type R - 17 pcs.; type Barracuda - 3 pcs.: Barracuda, Bass, Bonita)

The two oldest and most unsuccessful types of American submarines, they were in combat formation until mid-1942. They were used to patrol the East Coast and guard the Panama Canal, and then reclassified as training units.

Launching of submarine S-5. Portsmouth Navy Yard 11/10/1919.

Type S(type S - 36 pcs.)

The S-class boats were the oldest American submarines to see direct action in World War II. They were called to the "first line" not from a good life, but because there were not enough combat boats to close all the areas where the boats were sent to patrol. In principle, these were minor areas - the Aleutian and Solomon Islands.

Structurally, the S type was a development of the R type during the First World War, a slightly enlarged analogue (900 tons, 5000 miles of range) of the German VIIA type submarine. The boats were designed for the Atlantic with an appropriate range.

American boat type "S" (S-20) in the Panama Canal. Photo from the 1920s.

Submarine S-1 with an onboard seaplane.

In the 1920s, naval theorists in many countries of the world thought about the advisability of deploying light reconnaissance aircraft on submarines. This wave did not pass the American submariners. In 1923 submarine S-1 (SS-105, built in 1918) was equipped with a cylindrical deck hangar. A special prefabricated Martin MS-1 biplane was based on the boat. The tests did not reveal any advantages of a submarine with a seaplane, further experiments in this direction were stopped.

Argonaut(Argonaut - 1 pc.)

In an effort to once again verify the correctness of the saying “The best is the enemy of the good,” the Americans decided to “cross” the descendant of the U-140 with the U-117 mine equipment. On the newly designed boat, two mine tubes with a capacity of 30 minutes each were installed in the stern. As a result, the first and last in the American submarine fleet was born minelayer SS-166 "Argonaut", delivered to the fleet in April 1928 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard.

Submarine Argonaut.

A special sample of the Mk-10 mod.II mine was developed for the boat, and two six-inch guns were placed on the deck. With an underwater displacement of 4164 tons, the boat remained the largest in the US Navy until the advent of nuclear submarines. Armament - 4 torpedo tubes in the bow and 16 torpedoes (for comparison: the last modification of the American ocean-class submarines, which managed to fight, "Tench" with an underwater displacement of 2428 tons carried 24 torpedoes or 40 mines).

The Argonaut was a development of the Baracuda class and was built specifically for operations in the Pacific. She was conceived as an ocean trade fighter and at the same time a reconnaissance aircraft with an aircraft on board and a large cruising radius. In theory, such a ship during a general battle was supposed to go ahead of the linear forces and at the same time could put a minefield on the enemy’s route during the battle. The result was something in between with the ability to dive under water. Under water, the boat was very difficult to control and could not withstand the planned speed. In general, the SS-166 turned out to be the slowest among all American submarines of the pre-war period - 14/8 knots (instead of the planned 21). To complete the underwater minzag, it can be noted that he completed an unsuccessful military campaign and returned to the base in January 1942 with a planned autonomy of 90 days. The boat did not lay a single mine in combat conditions, and after the first trip it was used in transport operations. Numerous changes in specialization were reflected in the change tail numbers: V-4, A-1, SM-1, APS-1. The most striking page in the biography of the failed minzag was the raid on Makin Atoll in August 1942.

A boat was lost in the Coral Sea on the approaches to Rabaul, sunk by the Japanese destroyers Akizuki, Hamakaze and Yukikaze from the guards of the convoy when it tried to attack the transports. Probably a disservice was rendered by the low speed and high noise level of the American minzag submarine cruiser. It happened on January 10, 1943.

Submarine "Argonaut", painted in light gray colors of peacetime (Standard Navy Gray). In the area of the bridge, the pre-war inscription V4 is barely visible.

Type "Narwhal"(type Narwhal - 2 pcs.: Narwhal, Nautilus)

The idea of a cruising boat received its further continuation in the submarine SS-167 "Narwhal", which entered service on 05/15/1930. She lost mine tubes, but 2 TAs were added, her torpedo stock increased to 24 units, her speed increased by 3 knots. In total, the Americans had 9 submarines, and they all turned out to be unsuccessful, absolutely not justifying the hopes that were placed on them during construction. The two Narwhal-class boats were only marginally improved models compared to the previous 4 V-boats. Like the other V-boats, they were large, slow and difficult to control, although they also had slightly improved performance (17 knots) with a slightly increased displacement (2915t). Like their predecessors, their diesels never reached their advertised power, and the hulls exhausted the crews with constant leaks.

Submarine "Nautilus" (V-6) with an unconventional silhouette - a raised deck in the middle of the ship. With its displacement of about 3000 tons, the boat was the largest US submarine until the appearance of the nuclear boat of the same name in 1954.

During the war years, "Narwhal" and "Nauyilus" were used for a variety of tasks. The boats were re-equipped, they added 4 torpedo tubes each. Two additional devices were placed in the bow, and two - in the midship area (they were oriented backwards for firing at the stern).

Narwhal completed 5 combat patrols, sinking 6 enemy ships. SS-168 "Nautilus" sank 5 ships in 5 patrols. After that, the Nautilus, together with the S-166 Argonaut, transported the marines to Makin, and, together with the Narwhal, landed an amphibious party on Atta. After that, both boats were used exclusively in special transport operations for the transport of goods to the Filipino guerrillas. At the beginning of 1945. both boats were put into reserve. In total, during the war years, Narwhal made 15 military campaigns, Nautilus - 14.

Dolphin(Dolphin - 1 pc.)

Recognizing the apparent failure in the design of the last 6 submarines, the US Navy has attempted to fundamentally revise their design guidelines. Initially, the SS-159 "Dolphin" was designed as another type V (V7) boat, but as we moved away from the "parent" project, the boat index was changed to D1. With a displacement of 1560 tons, it was almost half the size of the Narwhal, but carried the same weapons at about the same speed performance. The smaller Dolphin was much more agile and easy to handle.

The idea of the project as a whole was productive, but, unfortunately, at the level of technology of the 1930s in the USA, it was impossible to build a medium-sized boat without sacrificing something significant in the project. When creating the Dolphin, the designers first of all almost halved the range (9000 miles), they had to slightly weaken the hull, which reduced the possible diving depth.

In the late 1930s, the Dolphin submarine was painted black. During the war years, the boat performed 3 combat patrols, and after that it was used as a training boat. At the end of the second military campaign to the shores of Japan, a serious solarium leak was discovered on the boat. During the return, her commander "Mash" Morton developed a plan to save the team when meeting with the enemy, and then blow up the boat along with the Japanese. This plan was called "deathtrap" (death trap), but, fortunately, it never came to fruition.

Being approximately the same size as the main boats of the Gato war years, the Dolphin did not show itself in combat, and after three unsuccessful campaigns it was transferred to training boats.

Submarine CI "Cachalot" (SS-170) in non-modernized form (as it was launched).

Type "Cachalot"(Cachalot type - 2 pcs.: Cachalot, Cuttlefish) Boats SS-170 "Cachalot" (V8, CI) and SS-171 "Cuttlefish" (V9, C2) became a further attempt to produce small light submarines for use in the Pacific Ocean. With 1170 tons of displacement, they turned out to be smaller than the Dolphin-class boats, and differed from their predecessor in many ways. The design features of the boats made them faster, however, due to the range. And in the end, in terms of combat parameters, the new boats turned out to be almost equivalent to the previous Dolphin class. Obviously, their range of 12,000 miles did not allow the boat to leave Pearl Harbor, patrol off the coast of Japan and return back.

A distinctive feature of type C was the widespread use of welding, especially in the construction of a pressure hull and fuel tanks. Leaks, especially from fuel tanks, were significantly higher than previous types of boats. (For example, during 30 days of training trips in 1941, the Narwhal lost a total of 20,000 gallons of fuel due to leaks). Moreover, which was even worse than the losses, a noticeable trace of an oil film stretched behind the boat, which made it easy to detect a submarine of anti-submarine aviation. Although, in general, the use of welding on type C can be considered quite appropriate: it made it possible to significantly reduce weight while increasing strength. And the problem with sealing eventually managed to be solved.

Training submarine SS-171 "Cuttlefish". Photo 11/15/1943.

Training submarine SS-170 "Cachalot". Photo 05/31/1944. When upgrading, holes were added to the sides to increase the sinking speed.

The second important innovation was the installation of TDC (Torpedo Data Computer) on boats. It was a mechanical analog controller that automatically set the target angle, lead and depth of torpedoes from data transmitted from the bridge to the torpedo gyroscopes. In these two innovations, the American navy was several years ahead of all other navies in the world.

Type C boats turned out to be small for actual use in the Pacific. Having made three almost inconclusive military campaigns (one damaged tanker), submarines C were transferred to training.

Type R(type P - 10 pcs.: Perch, Permit, Pickerel, Pike, Plunger, Pollack, Pompano, Porpoise, Shark, Tarpon) P-type boats, the American submarine fleet began the development of a new line of submarines, which, improving from series to series (if you do not take into account two small M boats), first led to the Gato military series and ended in 1951. boats of the Tang type. Compared to type C, the increase in displacement was 140t, which ultimately led to a displacement of 1310t. They were 8m longer, which was 92m long. Speed increased to 19 knots with a radius of 10,000 miles.

Submarines of this type were used throughout the war. From Pearl Harbor to early 1944 they were sent to combat operations. Four out of ten P boats were lost during the fighting. All boats that survived the war made about 8 combat campaigns each, and only SS-178 "Permit" went on combat patrol 14 times.

Submarine SS-172 "Porpoise". Photo 07/20/1944.

Boat "Stingray" is a typical modification of the boats "Salmon" / "Sargo" in 1942. External differences: a platform on the wheelhouse was cut out, an SD or S J radar was added, two additional torpedo tubes on the bow.

Salmon/Sargo type(Salmon type x4: Salmon, Seal, Snapper, Stingray; Sargo type x10: Sargo, Saury, Sculp in, Seadragon, Sealion, Searaven, Seawolf, Spearfish, Squalus/Sailfish, Sturgeon)

After the quite successful type P, the American fleet decided to correct the shipbuilding program in the conditions of the crisis. In addition to the 6 boats of the Salmon type, 10 boats of the Sargo type were immediately ordered. The Salmon class was an improved version of the R class boats. The new boats were longer (94m) and larger (1450t). At the same time, the designers managed to increase their speed by 1 knot both on the surface and under water (20/9 knots). The double battery capacity doubled the underwater range to 85 miles. To increase the offensive power of the Salmon boats, they were equipped with a pair of additional torpedo tubes (on the parent type P, two torpedo tubes were also subsequently installed outside the pressure hull). The stock of torpedoes was 24 torpedoes. During the upgrade, the SS-186 "Stingray" installed 2 external torpedo tubes, bringing the total number of tubes to 10 - the number that Lockwood and his supporters considered the minimum necessary for a modern submarine.

Completely successful in many respects, the Salmon type, however, suffered from one fatal design flaw. The ventilation hatch, through which air was supplied to the working diesel engines, did not close securely enough. Incidents with this automation happened on the SS-185 "Snapper" and SS-187 "Sturgeon", but the indication on the central post worked properly. But the Squalus sank (his story is described above), 23 people died. This defect was, in principle, easily eliminated, but the reputation of the Salmon-class submarines was undermined. Despite their unpopularity among sailors, boats of this type were actively used during the war years. Like P-type boats, most of them made no more than 8 combat campaigns. The exception is the Stingray boat, which has completed 16 military campaigns - the leader among US submarines.

Submarine "Sculpin", which was already mentioned in the story of the death of the boat "Squalus". The photo was taken on May 1, 1943. There are still 6.5 months before the sinking of the boat.

Submarine SS-182 "Salmon". Photo 1938

Tambor type(Tambor type - 12 pcs.: Gar, Grampus, Grayback, Grayling, Grenadier, Gudgeon, Tambor, Toutog, Thresher, Triton, Trout, Tuna)

The T-class was the next logical step in the evolution of American submarines. 12 Tambor-class boats had an increased strike force (10 torpedo tubes), although they retained the design features of the Salmon-class boats. Thus, they represented the long-awaited boats of the fleet. The submarines were long-range enough to reach the coast of Japan, and strong enough to inflict significant damage on the enemy at such a distance. Equipped with TDC, these boats could successfully interact with surface forces. But ... Taking these boats into service, the leadership of the submarine forces was forced to agree to the production of two obviously unsuccessful, small submarines M that did not fit into the strategic concept of use. was clearly not enough.

Submarine "Gar" leaves Pearl Harbor 05/31/1944. in his 12th combat patrol. The boat is armed with a 5"/25ca1 gun.

Submarine SS-201 "Triton" photographed at the exit from Dutch Harbor in May 1942.

The Tambor were the last submarines to enter service before the start of the war. With the outbreak of hostilities, they represented the main striking force, until the end of 1942. they were not pressed by new Gato-class submarines. Nevertheless, the T boats continued to serve in the first line until the end of 1944, after which they were transferred to training centers and to secondary directions. Of the 12 T-type boats, 7 were lost. The SS-199 "Toutog" boat is the leader in the number of ships and vessels sunk.

Type M(type M - 2 pcs.: Mackerel, Martin) D. Inright's famous book says: “Sea training was carried out on board American submarines - Mackerel (SS-204) or Marlin (SS-205). These were new US Navy small submarines with state-of-the-art equipment. Their range did not allow the use of boats in military campaigns in the Pacific Ocean, but they were quite suitable for training and training. The exercises were conducted in the Long Island Sound. Destroyers based at Newport served as "targets".

Types "Gato", "Balao" and "Tanch"(Gato type - 54 pieces: Albacore, Amberjack, Angler, Barb, Bashaw, Blackfish, Bluefish, Bluegill, Bonefish, Bream, Cavalla, Cero, Cobia, Cock, Cod, Corvina, Croaker, Dace, Dorado, Drum, Finback, Flasher, Flier, Flounder, Flying Fish, Gabilan, Gato, Greenling, Grouper, Growler, Grunion, Guardfish, Gunnel, Gurnard, Haddo, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Harder, Herring, Hoe, Jack, Kingfish, Lapon, Mingo, Muskallunge , Paddle, Pargo, Peto, Pogy, Pompon, Puffer, Rasher, Raton, Ray, Redfin, Robalo, Rock, Runner, Sawfish, Scamp, Scorpion, Shad, Silversides, Snook, Steelhead, Sunfish, Tinosa, Trigger, Tullibee, Tunny , Wahoo, Whale

Balao type - 120 pcs.: Archerfish, Aspro, Atule, Balao, Bang, Barbero, Batfish, Baya, Becuna, Bergall, Besugo, Billfish, Blackfin, Blenny, Blower, Blueback, Boardfish, Bowfin, Brill, Bugara, Bumper, Burrfisli , Caberon, Cabrilla, Caiman, Capelin, Capitaine, Carbonero, Carp, Catfish, Charr, Chivo, Chopper, Chub, Clamagore, Cobbler, Cochino, Corporal, Crevalle, Cubera, Cusk, Dentuda, Devilfish, Diodon, Dogfish, Dragonet, Entemedor , Greenfislt, Guavina, Guitarro, Hackleback, Halfbeak, Hammerhead, Hardhead, Hawkbill, Icefish, Jallao, Kraken, Lamprey, Lancetfish, Ling, Lionfish, Lizardfish, Loggerfish, Macabi, Manta, Mapiro, Menhaden, Mero, Moray, Pampanito, Parche , Perch, Picuda, Pintado, Pipefish, Piper, Piranha, Plaice, Pomfret, Queenfish, Quillback, Redfish, Roncador, Rouquil, Rozorback, Sabolo, Sablefish, Sandlance, Scabbardfish, Seacat, Seadevil, Seadog, Seafox, Seahorse, Sealion, Sea Owl, Sea Peacher, Sea Robin, Segundo, Sennet, Skate, Spadefisli, Cutlass, Diablo, Irex, Medregal, Odax, Pomodon, Quillback, requin, Runner, Sea Leopard, Sirago, Spinax, Tench, Thornback, Tirante, Togo, Torsk, Trutta)

Submarine SS-212 "Gato", which gave the name to the whole type. Photo 11/29/1944.

Submarine "Barb" June 20, 1942. The boats built by the Electric Boat Co. differed in the shape and arrangement of the holes in the lightweight hull.

Submarine "Scabbardfish" is a typical boat of the "Gato" type of late production series. Exit to the first military campaign 05/30/1944.

Boat SS-249 "Flasher", the leader in the sunk tonnage in the American submarine fleet. Photo 4.11.1943.

The first Gato-class boat was the SS-228 Drum, commissioned into the Navy on November 1, 1941, but at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, only the Gato was considered combat-ready. She was the first of 73 submarines of this type ordered in 1940. and became the main US boats in the outbreak of war. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, another 132 boats of the close Balao class were ordered.

"Gato" became an enlarged version of the penultimate Tambor series. These boats were 350t more (1825t) and 1.2m longer (92m). Much of the excess weight came from improved diesels and batteries. The rest of the changes touched on habitability issues (for example, fresh water tanks were increased).

The Balao type was very close to the Gato and was sometimes not considered a separate type. There were two main differences: firstly, a number of hull elements were made more technologically advanced for mass production, and secondly, the power elements of the hull were redesigned for more significant pressure, which allowed the boat to dive 100 feet deeper, totaling 400 feet. These boats were very popular and proved their high survivability more than once.

"Gato" bore the brunt of the war since 1942. and to its end. Of the 73 boats accepted into the Navy, one (SS-248 "Dorado") was sunk in the Caribbean by an American aircraft on the way to the Panama Canal and 18 were lost in the Pacific Ocean as a result of enemy opposition. The most famous boats whose names became famous during the war years were the Gato-class submarines - SS-249 Flasher (leading boat in terms of sunk tonnage), SS-220 Barb, SS-215 Growler, SS-236 "Silversides", SS-237 "Trigger", SS-238 "Wahoo" and many others who were just a little short of getting into the group of leaders.

In the photo above: The Growler submarine collided with Japanese transport in February 1943. In the photo 05/05/1943, the boat is going for testing after restoration repairs.

Three of the 22 Marine pilots rescued by the Tang on their second patrol. Rescue operation in the area of Truk Island, April 1944.

Of the 132 ordered boats "Balao" for the last 10 units, the order was canceled due to the end of the war, 21 boats were in the stage of combat training and did not take part in the hostilities. All the remaining 101 submarines took part in the battles with Japan. Most of them entered service too late to have time to make many military campaigns and achieve significant results. In this regard, the SS-304 "Seahorse" and SS-306 "Tang" became an exception. 10 Balao-class boats were lost.

At the end of the war, 134 Tench-class boats were ordered. But before the end of hostilities, only 30 were launched, of which 11 managed to complete combat training and go on military campaigns. Not a single Tench-class boat was lost.

Characteristics of American submarines of World War II

Cabin of the boat "Dolphin" (type N). This cabin is a light grey-blue color typical of the pre-war coloring of American submarines. Two radio antennas are clearly visible on the sides of the cabin.

Three photographs (1 above and 2 below) show from different sides the cabin of the submarine "Bashaw", moored to her mother ship, Brisbane, on August 9, 1944. Pay attention to the hatch for servicing the deck gun in the forward part of the wheelhouse and TVT, mounted in a box-shaped sponson on the side of the wheelhouse (instead of the bow or stern ends, as was usually practiced). Bashaw is painted in one of two grey/black camouflage schemes adopted in June 1944. This is probably a light Measure 32/3SS-B scheme.

Rating of nuclear submarines of Russia and the USA. Who is stronger?
The Americans say that in the event of even a non-nuclear war, Russian submarines will be destroyed in 12-15 days. Like, they are all noisy, they are easy to detect and sink even with ordinary torpedoes or bombs. Is it a bluff?

We invited readers to dive into the depths of the oceans. And see who is stronger under water - American submarines or Russian submarines. And who has more powerful weapons. Today, military expert Colonel Mikhail POLEZHAEV and KP columnist Colonel Viktor BARANETS continue to compare the submarine forces of the two superpowers.

Who makes the loudest noise?

Mikhail Alexandrovich, how many nuclear submarines do Russia and the USA have now?

We only count ballistic missile submarines, right? Russia has only 12 of these in service, and the average "age" is 26 years. There are no boats carrying more than 16 missiles. The basis of the Russian fleet is only 6 submarine missile carriers of the Delfin project (according to the NATO classification Delta-IV). The United States has 18 Ohio-class submarines, 4 of which are undergoing medium repairs and modernization. Each boat carries 24 missiles.

The Americans say that in the event of even a non-nuclear war, Russian submarines will be destroyed in 12-15 days. Like, they are all noisy, they are easy to detect and sink even with ordinary torpedoes or bombs. Is it a bluff?

The most vulnerable submarine is its noise. Everything is noisy: mechanisms, devices, propellers and water flowing around the boat. Noise is different for every type of boat. Who first heard, discovered, he won. And the first one to find out who has a lower noise level and more sensitive acoustics. Therefore, one of the main tasks in submarine shipbuilding is to reduce noise. The development programs of US nuclear submarines are subordinated precisely to achieving superiority in detection range and less noise. And in this the Americans have succeeded.

But the debate about "who is stronger, who is weaker" is theoretical. The correctness of one side or the other can be proved only by practice, that is, war (pah-pah!). Now, in peaceful conditions, submarines are closely watching each other and determine the characteristics of "opponents". For example, the American Los Angeles-class submarine and the Russian Pike (according to the American Victor-III classification) are approximately equivalent ships. The Americans believe that "Pike" detects "Los Angeles" in deep water at a distance of 125 miles, and "Los Angeles" - "Pike" at a distance of almost 500 miles.

When you talk with Russian submariners, they often tell stories about how their periscopes almost scratch the sides of American ships, and they do not suspect anything ...

Do you want a true story? In the winter of 1996, the Russian embassy in London turned to the command of the British Navy with a request to provide assistance to a sailor who had undergone an operation on board the Pike. He developed peritonitis, the treatment of which is possible only in a hospital. The Pike surfaced, the destroyer Glasgow approached, his helicopter took the patient and brought him ashore. The British media unanimously expressed bewilderment: at the time when negotiations were underway in London to evacuate the patient, in the North Atlantic, just in the area where the Pike was located, NATO anti-submarine maneuvers were taking place. However, the submarine was detected only when it itself surfaced to the surface in order to transfer the unfortunate sailor to the helicopter ...

And how do you assess the technical capabilities of those US and Russian nuclear submarines that are now in service?

The same "Pike" has a completely modern "cub" - "Pike-B". The level of its noise is 4 - 4.5 times lower than the noise of the "mother". Here Russia even overtook the Americans. The detection range of the Skat-3 sonar complex has tripled and is practically equal to the American AN / BQQ-5.

In addition, the new "Pikes" have a unique system for detecting submarines and enemy ships in the wake many hours after they have passed, which has no analogues in the world.

The Pike has a unique tracking system that allows you to read the tracks of enemy boats. On the water!

Boat for a billion

What's ahead?

The basis of the Russian submarine fleet at least until 2015 will be Kalmars (which will be replaced by cruisers of the Yuri Dolgoruky type) and Dolphins.

What does it cost nuclear fleet? Can you name the numbers?

The treasury has already spent about a billion dollars on the construction of Dolgoruky. With completion, this figure will grow by several tens of millions. Each "Mace" is also several tens of millions. That is, up to 1.5 billion dollars, the cost of the finished Dolgoruky will certainly increase.

We count further. At the end of last year, 12 nuclear submarine missile cruisers remained in service in the Northern and Pacific Fleets. There is also "Dmitry Donskoy" project 941 ("Shark"). The price of each such ship is about a billion dollars.

What does the US nuclear fleet teach Russia?

The United States, as the main superpower in military construction, gave preference to the naval forces and, above all, their nuclear missile component, concentrating up to 65-70% of the nuclear potential on nuclear missile submarines. It's not just like that, is it? This is another challenge. And it will have to be answered. Wouldn't be late...

"Mace" flew successfully

September 18 underwater missile cruiser strategic purpose "Dmitry Donskoy" conducted another test launch of the ballistic missile "Bulava". According to official sources, the flight was successful. According to Igor Dygalo, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, the launch was made from a submerged position in the White Sea.

The trajectory parameters have been worked out in the normal mode, - said Dygalo. - The training units reached the Kura test site, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula, 380 km north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

However, the successful launch of Bulava does not open the long-awaited road to new submarines in the near future. At the Main Headquarters of the Navy, the KP correspondent was told that the missile would be put into service only in 2009.

Current page: 3 (total book has 7 pages)

In the photo above: The Growler submarine collided with Japanese transport in February 1943. In the photo 05/05/1943, the boat is going for testing after restoration repairs.

Three of the 22 Marine pilots rescued by the Tang on their second patrol. Rescue operation in the area of Truk Island, April 1944.

Characteristics of American submarines of World War II

Cabin of the boat "Dolphin" (type N). This cabin is a light grey-blue color typical of the pre-war coloring of American submarines. Two radio antennas are clearly visible on the sides of the cabin.

Submarine.
Device and armament

The internal structure of American boats differed little from similar ships in other countries. Although the post-war comparison with captured Japanese, German and Italian boats indicates better living conditions, habitability of American submarines (we are not talking here, of course, about German boats of the latest series).

Submarine SS-213 "Greenling", 1943

In the photo above: The commander of the boat is watching the target through the artillery periscope. In the foreground - according to his reports, the navigator makes calculations on a circular slide rule, in the background - the operator enters data into the torpedo firing machine.

In the photo above: Aft two-tier racks of spare torpedoes.

BUT TVT device (Target Bearing Transmitter).

In the photo below: The living space for the crew was located on the boats in the bow between the torpedo room and the battery compartment. The situation was very Spartan, but even such compartments aroused the envy of submariners from other countries.

In the photo on the right below: The central post of the submarine. Most of it is occupied by the navigation table with maps. There are instruments for laying the course around.

Pictured above: Two mechanics in the diesel bay at the prop/charge switches.

In the photo on the left: Photo of the bridge of the Tinosa submarine. In the frame: TVT (Target Bearing Transmitter - "a device for determining the angle of the target"), a compass repeater and an intercom ("squawk box").

An American submariner controls the "Christmas tree" (panel for indicating the status of outboard openings). Green lights indicated that the valve was closed, and red lights indicated that it was open.

Central post. Operators of control of depth rudders and filling of ballast tanks.

On the bridge of the Spadefish submarine. The commander examines the horizon through binoculars, next to the TVT device and the dog "Shakey" - the mascot of the submarine.

Before each combat campaign, the noise of submarines was checked (if it exceeded the norms, its causes were eliminated, although the Japanese noise direction finders were ineffective), and the hulls were demagnetized (after the war it turned out that the Japanese did not set magnetic mines).

The two photos above show a General Motors Model 16-278A diesel.

Power plant

The boats "Gato" and "Balao" were distinguished by their power plant. First of all, for the first time since the First World War, American submarines had the rating power of four 8-cylinder diesel engines (each 1535hp) of General Motors or Fairbanks-Morse corresponded to their real impact. Diesels could drive 1100kW generators. The watch of the central post regulated the power of the generators and could use it to set in motion either of the two propeller shafts. If necessary, the power of the generators could be used to charge 252 elements of the bow and stern battery groups.

Appearance and device of the Mk-14 torpedo.

Torpedo machine

A significant novelty capable of increasing the efficiency of using submarines was the torpedo firing machine (TDC) on American boats, which appeared on submarines starting from the C series.

The data from the chart room was received by the lieutenant at TDC. The indicators were compared and averaged data was obtained, necessary for controlling torpedo fire. The torpedo firing machine, using an arrow on the screen showing the lead angle during a torpedo attack, provided a schematic diagram of the relative position of the “pursuer” and “target”.

The readiness light signal warned when the optimal moment for launching torpedoes was reached. In the ideal case, torpedoes should have been fired at the side of the target from a distance of 920 to 1850 meters. Here, on a torpedo firing machine, the installation angle of the gyroscope was calculated to control the torpedo. These data were transmitted to the torpedo compartments, where they were marked on the card with the movement of the arrow. And the second moving arrow on the other card indicated the gyroscopic angle, which was automatically set on the torpedo's gyroscope. This was achieved by using a steel rod, which somewhat resembled a wrench, passing through the torpedo tube to a female threaded socket in the torpedo. The rod was automatically retracted when fired.

In the bow and stern torpedo compartments near the vehicles at combat posts were foremen-torpedoists of the 2nd class. Each of them controlled both arrows of the pointer. If they did not match, the foreman manually set the torpedo gyroscopes in the torpedo tubes according to one of the indicators.

Failed torpedoes

The TDC torpedo machine was good, but the American Mk-14 torpedo with a proximity fuse quite often failed. There is nothing incredible in identifying defects in American torpedoes, especially given the complexity of the technology and its high cost. The Mk-14 torpedo cost over 10,000 rubles. dollars, and even such a rich organization as the US Naval Ordnance Department could not afford a large number of tests in conditions close to combat.

For a long time, the Main Artillery Directorate left numerous complaints of submariners unanswered. The scandal was ripe after in 1943. the submarine SS-283 "Tinosa" fired 10 torpedoes at the damaged Japanese tanker "Topap Magi III" that was idle, American acoustics detected 8 hits on the side of the target, but not a single explosion followed. Began epic dodelok and improvements. They changed parts, tested the technology - everything is useless.

On June 24, 1943, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Nimitz, lost patience. He ordered the proximity fuses to be removed from the torpedoes and replaced with improved contact fuses. The Main Artillery Directorate expressed bewilderment about this, but Nimitz remained adamant. However, the proximity fuse was removed from the armament of all American submarines only in March 1944, when attempts to bring it failed.

At the end of 1944 in Pearl Harbor, a new American acoustic torpedo based on the German T4 Zaunkonig was accepted for testing. During testing, it turned out that the torpedo, named Cutie, contains a lot of birth defects. And most importantly, she is not able to hit targets moving faster than 8.5 knots. A series of experiments convinced the military that using the Cutie from submarines was not practical. More successfully, it was used as an aviation anti-submarine torpedo in the Atlantic.

Another important drawback of the main American torpedoes Mk-14 (MkXIV) and Mk-18 (MkXVIII) was the low weight of the warhead. The 500 pounds (226.8 kg) of explosives placed in US torpedoes were smaller than the warheads of other warring countries. Such an amount of explosives was not enough both from the point of view of causing serious damage to enemy warships, and from the point of view of destroying tankers, which have become the main target of American submarines since 1943.

On two photos (top and bottom): the process of loading torpedoes into a submarine.

In the photo below: Sailors on the Spadefish boat (in the foreground) meet the Tinosa submarine returning to Pearl Harbor from another trip.

Artillery

The artillery armament of American submarines underwent significant changes during the Second World War. At the same time, two main goals are traced - the protection of a boat forced to be on the surface from enemy aircraft and artillery weapons for attacks on unprotected transports.

The first task at the beginning of the war was to be solved using a 0.5-inch (12.7-mm) water-cooled machine gun mounted on the cutting site. Doubting the effectiveness of such systems, submarines began to equip 20-mm Oerlikon and 40-mm Bofors machine guns. Firepower certainly increased, but the hopes of fighting off several aircraft from such anti-aircraft guns looked too optimistic, although the aircraft at the end of the war, the Japanese were no longer the same as at the beginning. By 1945, 12.7-mm machine guns again came into fashion, however, now they are “land” - air-cooled, retractable inside the hull when immersed.

Training firing from 3 "guns (in a combat situation, the entire crew of the gun wore helmets).

5"/25ca1 gun.

20mm Oerlikon.

4"/50cal gun.

40mm Bofors.

12.7mm water-cooled machine gun on the Silverside submarine. Photo taken in 1942.

12.7mm air-cooled machine gun. When diving, the machine guns were removed and retracted inside the boat.

Artillery weapons have proven themselves well on German submarines in the First World War. The guns of American submarines at the beginning of World War II had a clearly insufficient caliber - 3 inches. When shooting transports, the boat had to stay on the surface for a long time and spend a lot of shells. Gradually, 3 inches changed to 4, then to 5.

The boats "Gato" and "Balao" ended the war armed with a 5 "gun in the bow of the deck, a 20 mm Oerlikon on the balcony, a 40 mm Bofors in the stern and a pair of portable 12.7 mm machine guns. Although there were several options for placing weapons …

Mines

Mines that could be placed from torpedo tubes appeared in Germany in 1916. Assessing the significance of such an idea as early as 1921, the US Navy began developing a 21-inch torpedo-caliber anchor contact mine. The created sample was named Mk-10. The fuse is galvanic shock. The mine was in service until the mid-1950s. Produced models for staging from the air, with torpedo boats, model 3 had a magnetic fuse, etc. The main advantage of mines is a very long service life, but the depth of setting was limited by the length of the minrep.

Somewhat later, the development of a bottom non-contact mine (magnetic) based on the German type S mine with a charge of 1000 pounds of trinitrotoluene began. The mine was carried out in a cylindrical aluminum case and was simply fired from a torpedo tube. The weapon was named Mk-12. Successfully designed sample only in 1957 was declared obsolete and withdrawn from service. In this model, the weakest point was the warranty period of battery life - 90 days. True, this period strongly depended on local conditions and could change upwards. There is a known case of a possible explosion on a Mk-12 mine 23 months after setting. Although, of course, a relatively short period of operation of electrical equipment reduced the combat value. To finish the boat mines, it should be noted that in 1945 they adopted a new model with urgency and multiplicity devices, a proximity fuse, etc. The weight of explosives in the Mk-17 mine increased to 1375 pounds (623.7 kg), but apply they didn’t manage to do it in combat conditions.

Radars

While other navies experimented with aircraft to increase limited visibility from submarines, US NAVY set the developers the opposite task. In the early 1930s, the design institute NRL (Naval Research Laboratory), collaborating with other design and production departments of the Navy, developed technical device for directional radiation of radio waves and reception of signals reflected from the target. This device was called "Radio Detecting and Ranging", soon shortened to Radar. At the end of 1938, the first prototype was mounted on battleship New York. The radar turned out to be bulky and very unreliable, but efficient. The process of phased improvement of the design began. From May 1940 new, more compact and reliable models began to be installed on ships of the main classes.

Submarines in this list were far from being in the forefront. However, at the end of 1941. search anti-aircraft locators have decreased to such a size that their placement has become possible on submarines. The first type of "boat" radar was the SD, a non-directional radiation locator with a 6-10 mile radius. Its sufficiently powerful radiation could be received by enemy radio direction finders. Nevertheless, it was a huge help in detecting aircraft - the main opponents of submarines. Submarine SS-179 "Plunger", which left Pearl Harbor on 12/13/1941, having one of the first radar installations on board, became the first American submarine to test its radar in a combat campaign. Soon, as far as possible, other submarines began to be equipped with SD locators.

Only a very small number of submarines received a complete set of radar antennas, as shown in the photo "Mingo", 06/17/1945. The SS anti-aircraft radar of the last years of production replaced the SD rectangular antenna with the large oval one shown in the picture. The lifting antenna was now used for long distance communications and replaced the whip antenna previously used for SD duplication.

Early SD variant

Late SD variant

Early S.J.

Late S.J.

The submarine "Searaven" is equipped with an antenna system typical of the middle of the war. The boat has a late oval SJ radar antenna, with thin SD antennas visible in the background. Also visible are the 3 permanently raised whip antennas. The one in front is for SPR-1, the middle one is for VHF and the stern one is for IFF. Photo taken February 6, 1945.

Radio antenna

Hydrophone JP

In July 1942, the SS-231 "Haddock" received the next generation of radar - SJ, a surface detection installation. This made it possible to simultaneously determine the azimuth (direction) and distance to the target on the surface of the water with an accuracy that allows firing torpedoes according to SJ data with a good chance of success. As the first samples were tested and calibrated, and radar operators trained accordingly, submarine commanders really believed that with the help of radar they could navigate in environments beyond human vision.

In September 1943, the SS-279 "Snook" was the first to be equipped with a new type of radar with a circular indicator with a radial sweep. It displayed the situation with azimuths and distances in an easily accessible form. This new screen, called the PPI (Plan Position Indicator), replaced the previous indicators that displayed target information as a pulse mark on a horizontal scale. PPI screens made radar results available to everyone.

During the war, radars were constantly improved. The SD model introduced at the beginning was gradually replaced by the SS type. The radar turned American boats into a formidable weapon capable of seeing in the dark and in bad weather, saving many lives of American submariners.

sonar

Against the backdrop of the success of radar, the achievements of sonar were somehow "lost". But sonar also improved, and the FM model of the end of the war could almost safely guide American boats through minefields.

Sonars could detect anchor mines at distances up to 3.5 cab. According to American experts, their sonar worked more covertly than the English Asdic, and made it possible to accurately distinguish anchor mines from other underwater objects.

There was a case of the Americans using submarines for reconnaissance of minefields on the approaches to the coast of Japan in order to ensure the safe maneuvering of their surface ships in this area. With its help, on March 13-14, 1945, SS-282 "Tunny" discovered 222 Japanese anchor mines in the East China Sea. Despite this, several U.S. submarines were killed by Japanese mines.

08/13/1944 the American boat SS-250 "Flier", following on the surface, hit a mine and sank in the Balabak Strait. 13 officers and sailors managed to escape. This example of detonation has little to do with sonar, but the next one is directly on the topic of this chapter. On 11/7/1944, a Japanese patrol ship noted an underwater explosion within a minefield near Hokkaido in the patrol area of the SS-218 Albacore submarine. This boat is missing. She probably hit a mine and sank.

American submarines that achieved the greatest success during the Second World War

Submarine sunk. ships tonnage

SS-222 Bluefisli 12 50.839

SS-291 Crevalle 9 51.814

SS-260 Lapon 1 1 53.443

SS-257 Harder 16 54.002

SS-239 Whale 9 57.716

SS-254 Gurnard 10 57.866

SS-229 Flying Fish 15 58.306

SS-213 Greenling 15 59.234

SS-230 Finback 13 59.383

SS-281 Sunfish 16 59.815

SS-311 Archerfish 2 59.800

SS-238 Wahoo 20 60.038

SS-223 Bonefish 12 61.345

SS-208 Gray back 13 61.655

SS-266 Pogy 16 62.633

SS-283 Tinosa 16 64.655

SS-200 Tresher 17 66.172

SS-287 Bowfin 16 67.882

SS-19S Sealion 1 1 68.297

SS-211 Gudgeon 12 71.047

SS-304 Seahorse 19 71.564

SS-197 Seawolf 18 71.609

SS-199 Tautog 25 71.641

SS-217 Gardfish 19 72.424

SS-279 Snook 17 75.473

SS-259 Jack 15 76.687

SS-228 Drum 15 80.580

SS-237 Trigger 18 86.552

SS-411 Spadefish 21 88.091 + 17.05.45 "Transbalt"

SS-236 Silversides 23 90.080

SS-306 Tang 24 93.824

SS-220 Barb 17 96.628

SS-269 Rasher 18 99.901

SS-249 Flasher 21 100.231

American submarines during World War II
Management organization

The US submarines in the Pacific were brought together in two formations: the submarine forces of the Pacific Fleet and the submarine forces of the Asian Fleet - with the corresponding commanders and headquarters. At the beginning of 1942 the submarine forces of the Asiatic Fleet were subordinated to the commander of the submarine forces of the Pacific Ocean. In the Atlantic theater of operations, US submarines were consolidated into the submarine forces of the Atlantic Fleet.

The headquarters of the submarine forces included departments of operational planning, intelligence, combat training and personnel. The headquarters included research groups that developed recommendations on choosing the most advantageous salvo distances, the angles of dissolution of torpedoes in a salvo, and submarine tactics that lead to the greatest losses of the enemy. These recommendations were published at least once a month in the Submariner's Bulletin.

Submarines "Grouper" and "Sego" represent 2 variants of typical boats of the "Gato" class of 1945.

Pictured above: Veteran boat Grouper (11 patrols) has a 5-inch gun in front of the cabin, 40-mm Bofors machine guns on the "balcony" and on the bridge.

In the photo below: The Sego boat in 1945. 5" gun behind the wheelhouse, 40mm machine gun on the "balcony". SS and SJ radar antennas are visible.

Three American boats in Oakland harbor in 1945. From left to right: "Cabrilla", "Bluefish" and "Cod".

Communication with boats at sea was carried out by command posts. They had maps with plotted places and routes of submarines, as well as situational data received by radio from submarines and other forces. From the command posts, by radio, data on the situation, orders from the commander, and information about rewards for those who distinguished themselves were transmitted to the boats. But for reports from submarines, command posts often failed to give receipts for receiving their radiograms in a timely manner (delays reached 1 hour or more), which forced the boats to stay above the water for a long time. The Americans did not have effective aerial reconnaissance.

To ensure interaction between submarines, surface ships and aircraft, the Americans created a zonal system. Zones have been defined:

1st - for non-combat activities of submarines and 2nd - submarine security corridors (it was forbidden to attack submarines in these zones, except in cases of unequivocal identification of the enemy);

3rd - for the combat activities of submarines (entry into the zone was prohibited for surface ships);

4th - air-surface - for the actions of surface ships and aircraft (submarines did not have the right to enter it without permission);

5th - combined - for the simultaneous actions of submarines, surface ships and aircraft, which, while in it, were guided by the rules of mutual security;

6th - unlimited bombing - for the operation of aircraft (boats were forbidden to enter the zone).

However, despite the presence of this system, there were cases of combat contacts and collisions of American submarines with each other and their ships. On January 24, 1945, SS-217 "Guardfish" sank the rescue vessel (tug) "Extractor", which accidentally ended up in the 3rd zone, mistaking it for an enemy submarine.

The identification of the Americans was worked out poorly. The supply of identification signals from submarines was often regarded on surface ships and aircraft as a trick of the enemy. Until the end of the war, the American command was not able to organize notification of the location of its submarines when aircraft or surface ships approached them, as a result of which their own aircraft and surface ships posed a very great danger to submariners. Let's take a concrete example.

On October 3, 1944, the Japanese submarine Ro-41 attacked an American formation of escort aircraft carriers CVE-63 “St. Lo" (until 15.9.1944 - "Midway"), CVE-70 "Fanshaw Bay" and four escort destroyers ("Shelton", "Richard M. Rowell", "Eversole", "Edmonds") to the northeast from the island of Morotai. The torpedoes hit the escort destroyer Shelton, which sank fourteen hours later while being towed (02°33"N, 129°18"E). Escort destroyer "Richard M. Rowell" attacked the submarine with depth charges, but Ro-41 got away from him and soon returned to Kure.

But the search for the Japanese submarine continued. Approximately 3 hours after the Shelton was attacked, the aircraft carrier St. Lo" discovered the submarine. After some time, she was attacked and sunk by the destroyer Richard M. Rowell. As a result, the United States Navy lost the SS-197 Seawolf submarine. All this happened in the "security corridor" (2nd zone) ...

Submarine "Trout" in December 1943. The boat will be sunk by a Japanese destroyer on 02/25/1944. when attacking a convoy.

Submarine S-20 during acceptance tests in New London in 1920.

Submarine "Pike" leaves the base Mare Island. On the boat, weapons and cabins from the period of the beginning of the war. With the installation of radars, the silhouette of the submarines has changed a lot.

During the war, 28 submarines were attacked by their aircraft, 5 by surface ships; two were sunk, nine damaged returned to bases for repairs.

Submarines dictate the rules in naval warfare and force everyone to meekly follow the established order.

Those stubborn ones who dare to neglect the rules of the game will face a quick and painful death in cold water, among floating debris and oil slicks. Boats, regardless of the flag, remain the most dangerous fighting vehicles capable of crushing any enemy.

I bring to your attention a short story about the seven most successful submarine projects of the war years.

Boats type T (Triton-class), UK
The number of submarines built is 53.
Surface displacement - 1290 tons; underwater - 1560 tons.
Crew - 59 ... 61 people.
Operating immersion depth - 90 m (riveted hull), 106 m (welded hull).
Full speed on the surface - 15.5 knots; in the underwater - 9 knots.
A fuel reserve of 131 tons ensured a surface cruising range of 8,000 miles.
Armament:
- 11 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm (on boats of sub-series II and III), ammunition load - 17 torpedoes;
- 1 x 102 mm universal gun, 1 x 20 mm anti-aircraft "Oerlikon".

HMS Traveler

A British submarine Terminator capable of knocking the crap out of the head of any enemy with a bow-mounted 8-torpedo salvo. The T-type boats had no equal in destructive power among all submarines of the WWII period - this explains their ferocious appearance with a bizarre bow superstructure, which housed additional torpedo tubes.

The notorious British conservatism is a thing of the past - the British were among the first to equip their boats with ASDIC sonar. Alas, despite its powerful weapons and modern facilities discovery, the T-type high-seas boats were not the most effective of the British submarines of World War II. Nevertheless, they went through an exciting battle path and achieved a number of remarkable victories. "Tritons" were actively used in the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, smashed Japanese communications in the Pacific Ocean, and were noted several times in the cold waters of the Arctic.

In August 1941, the Taigris and Trident submarines arrived in Murmansk. British submariners demonstrated a master class to their Soviet colleagues: 4 enemy ships were sunk in two campaigns, incl. "Baia Laura" and "Donau II" with thousands of soldiers of the 6th Mountain Division. Thus, the sailors prevented the third German attack on Murmansk.

Other famous T-type boat trophies include the German light cruiser Karlsruhe and the Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara. The samurai were “lucky” to get acquainted with the full 8-torpedo salvo of the Trenchent submarine - having received 4 torpedoes on board (+ one more from the stern TA), the cruiser quickly capsized and sank.

After the war, the powerful and perfect Tritons were in service with the Royal Navy for another quarter of a century.
It is noteworthy that Israel acquired three boats of this type in the late 1960s - one of them, INS Dakar (formerly HMS Totem), died in 1968 in the Mediterranean Sea under unclear circumstances.

Boats of the "Cruising" type of the XIV series, the Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 11.
Surface displacement - 1500 tons; underwater - 2100 tons.
Crew - 62 ... 65 people.

Full speed on the surface - 22.5 knots; in the underwater - 10 knots.
Surface cruising range 16,500 miles (9 knots)
Submerged cruising range - 175 miles (3 knots)
Armament:

- 2 x 100 mm universal guns, 2 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic;
- up to 20 minutes of barriers.

... On December 3, 1941, German hunters UJ-1708, UJ-1416 and UJ-1403 bombarded a Soviet boat that tried to attack a convoy near Bustad Sund.

Hans, do you hear that creature?
- Nine. After a series of explosions, the Russians sank to the bottom - I detected three hits on the ground ...
- Can you tell where they are now?
- Donnerwetter! They are blown. Surely they decided to surface and surrender.

The German sailors were wrong. From the depths of the sea, a MONSTER rose to the surface - a cruising submarine K-3 of the XIV series, which unleashed a barrage of artillery fire on the enemy. From the fifth salvo, the Soviet sailors managed to sink U-1708. The second hunter, having received two direct hits, smoked and turned aside - his 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could not compete with the “hundreds” of a secular submarine cruiser. Having scattered the Germans like puppies, K-3 quickly disappeared over the horizon at 20 knots.

The Soviet Katyusha was a phenomenal boat for its time. Welded hull, powerful artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, powerful diesel engines (2 x 4200 hp!), high surface speed of 22-23 knots. Huge autonomy in terms of fuel reserves. Remote control ballast tank valves. A radio station capable of transmitting signals from the Baltic to Far East. An exceptional level of comfort: shower cabins, refrigerated tanks, two seawater desalters, an electric galley ... Two boats (K-3 and K-22) were equipped with Lend-Lease ASDIC sonars.

But, oddly enough, neither the high performance nor the most powerful weapons made the Katyusha effective - in addition to the dark one with the K-21 attack on the Tirpitz, during the war years, only 5 successful torpedo attacks and 27 thousand br. reg. tons of sunk tonnage. Most of the victories were won with the help of exposed mines. Moreover, their own losses amounted to five cruiser boats.

K-21, Severomorsk, today

The reasons for the failures lie in the tactics of using the Katyushas - the mighty submarine cruisers, created for the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, had to "stomp" in the shallow Baltic "puddle". When operating at depths of 30-40 meters, a huge 97-meter boat could hit the ground with its bow, while its stern was still sticking out on the surface. Severomorsk sailors had a little easier time - as practice has shown, the effectiveness of the combat use of the Katyushas was complicated by the poor training of personnel and the lack of initiative of the command.

It's a pity. These boats were counting on more.

"Baby", Soviet Union
Series VI and VI bis - 50 built.
Series XII - 46 built.
Series XV - 57 built (4 took part in the fighting).

TTX boat type M series XII:
Surface displacement - 206 tons; underwater - 258 tons.
Autonomy - 10 days.
Working depth of immersion - 50 m, limit - 60 m.
Full speed on the surface - 14 knots; in the underwater - 8 knots.
Cruising range on the surface - 3380 miles (8.6 knots).
Submerged cruising range - 108 miles (3 knots).
Armament:
- 2 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 2 torpedoes;
- 1 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic.

Baby!

The project of mini-submarines for the rapid strengthening of the Pacific Fleet - the main feature of the M-type boats was the ability to be transported by rail in a fully assembled form.

In pursuit of compactness, many had to be sacrificed - service on the "Baby" turned into a grueling and dangerous event. Difficult living conditions, strong "chatter" - the waves ruthlessly threw a 200-ton "float", risking breaking it into pieces. Shallow diving depth and weak weapons. But the main concern of the sailors was the reliability of the submarine - one shaft, one diesel engine, one electric motor - the tiny "Baby" left no chance for the careless crew, the slightest malfunction on board threatened the submarine with death.

The kids quickly evolved - the performance characteristics of each new series differed several times from the previous project: contours were improved, electrical equipment and detection tools were updated, diving time was reduced, autonomy was growing. The "babies" of the XV series no longer resembled their predecessors of the VI and XII series: one and a half hull design - the ballast tanks were moved outside the pressure hull; The power plant received a standard twin-shaft layout with two diesel engines and electric motors for underwater travel. The number of torpedo tubes increased to four. Alas, the XV series appeared too late - the brunt of the war was borne by the "Babies" of the VI and XII series.

Despite their modest size and only 2 torpedoes on board, the tiny fish were distinguished by simply terrifying "gluttony": in just the years of World War II, Soviet M-type submarines sank 61 enemy ships with a total tonnage of 135.5 thousand gross tons, destroyed 10 warships, and also damaged 8 transports.

The little ones, originally intended only for operations in the coastal zone, have learned to fight effectively in open sea areas. They, along with larger boats, cut enemy communications, patrolled at the exits of enemy bases and fjords, deftly overcame anti-submarine barriers and undermined transports right at the piers inside protected enemy harbors. It's just amazing how the Red Navy could fight on these flimsy boats! But they fought. And they won!

Boats of the "Medium" type of the IX-bis series, the Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 41.
Surface displacement - 840 tons; underwater - 1070 tons.
Crew - 36 ... 46 people.
Working depth of immersion - 80 m, limit - 100 m.
Full speed on the surface - 19.5 knots; submerged - 8.8 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 148 miles (3 knots).

“Six torpedo tubes and the same number of spare torpedoes on racks convenient for reloading. Two cannons with a large ammunition load, machine guns, explosive equipment ... In a word, there is something to fight. And 20-knot surface speed! It allows you to overtake almost any convoy and attack it again. Technique is good…”
- opinion of the S-56 commander, Hero of the Soviet Union G.I. Shchedrin

The Eskis were distinguished by their rational layout and balanced design, powerful armament, and excellent running and seaworthiness. Initially german project Deshimag firm, modified to meet Soviet requirements. But do not rush to clap your hands and remember the Mistral. After the start of serial construction of the IX series at Soviet shipyards, the German project was revised with the aim of a complete transition to Soviet equipment: 1D diesel engines, weapons, radio stations, a noise direction finder, a gyrocompass ... - there was not a single boat that received the designation "IX-bis series". bolts of foreign production!

The problems of the combat use of boats of the "Middle" type, in general, were similar to the cruising boats of the K type - locked in mine-infested shallow water, they could not realize their high combat qualities. Things were much better in the Northern Fleet - during the war years, the S-56 boat under the command of G.I. Shchedrina made the transition across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, moving from Vladivostok to the Polar, subsequently becoming the most productive boat of the Soviet Navy.

An equally fantastic story is connected with the S-101 “bomb catcher” - over the years of the war, over 1000 depth charges were dropped on the boat by the Germans and the Allies, but each time the S-101 returned safely to Polyarny.

Finally, it was on the S-13 that Alexander Marinesko achieved his famous victories.

Torpedo compartment S-56

“The brutal alterations that the ship got into, bombing and explosions, depths far exceeding the official limit. The boat protected us from everything ... "

- from the memoirs of G.I. Shchedrin

Boats like Gato, USA
The number of submarines built is 77.
Surface displacement - 1525 tons; underwater - 2420 tons.
Crew - 60 people.
Working depth of immersion - 90 m.
Full speed on the surface - 21 knots; in a submerged position - 9 knots.
Surface cruising range 11,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 96 miles (2 knots).
Armament:
- 10 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 24 torpedoes;
- 1 x 76 mm universal gun, 1 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun, 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon;
- one of the boats - USS Barb was equipped with a multiple launch rocket system for shelling the coast.

The ocean-going submarines of the Getow type appeared at the height of the Pacific War and became one of the most effective tools of the US Navy. They tightly blocked all strategic straits and approaches to the atolls, cut off all supply lines, leaving the Japanese garrisons without reinforcements, and Japanese industry without raw materials and oil. In the skirmishes with the Gatow, the Imperial Navy lost two heavy aircraft carriers, lost four cruisers and a damn dozen destroyers.

High speed, lethal torpedo weapons, the most modern electronic means of detecting the enemy - radar, direction finder, sonar. The cruising range that provides combat patrols off the coast of Japan when operating from a base in Hawaii. Increased comfort on board. But the main thing is the excellent training of the crews and the weakness of Japanese anti-submarine weapons. As a result, the Gatow ruthlessly destroyed everything in a row - it was they who brought victory in the Pacific Ocean from the blue depths of the sea.

... One of the main achievements of the Getow boats, which changed the whole world, is the event of September 2, 1944. On that day, the Finback submarine detected a distress signal from a falling plane and, after many hours of searching, found a frightened pilot in the ocean, and there was already a desperate pilot . The one who was saved was George Herbert Bush.

The cabin of the submarine "Flasher", a memorial in the city of Groton.

The list of Flasher trophies sounds like a fleet joke: 9 tankers, 10 transports, 2 patrol ships with a total tonnage of 100,231 gross tons! And for a snack, the boat grabbed a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer. Lucky damn!

Type XXI electric robots, Germany

By April 1945, the Germans managed to launch 118 submarines of the XXI series. However, only two of them were able to achieve operational readiness and go to sea in the last days of the war.

Surface displacement - 1620 tons; underwater - 1820 tons.
Crew - 57 people.
Working depth of immersion - 135 m, maximum - 200+ meters.
Full speed on the surface - 15.6 knots, in the submerged position - 17 knots.
Surface cruising range 15,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 340 miles (5 knots).
Armament:
- 6 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 17 torpedoes;
- 2 anti-aircraft guns "Flak" caliber 20 mm.

U-2540 "Wilhelm Bauer" at the eternal parking lot in Bremerhaven, today

Our allies were very lucky that all the forces of Germany were thrown to the Eastern Front - the Fritz did not have enough resources to release a flock of fantastic "Electric boats" into the sea. If they appeared a year earlier - and that's it, kaput! Another turning point in the battle for the Atlantic.

The Germans were the first to guess: everything that shipbuilders of other countries are proud of - a large ammunition load, powerful artillery, high surface speed of 20+ knots - is of little importance. The key parameters that determine the combat effectiveness of a submarine are its speed and power reserve in a submerged position.

Unlike its peers, "Eletrobot" was focused on being constantly under water: the most streamlined body without heavy artillery, fences and platforms - all for the sake of minimizing underwater resistance. Snorkel, six groups of batteries (3 times more than on conventional boats!), powerful el. full speed engines, quiet and economical el. creep engines.

Aft part of U-2511, flooded at a depth of 68 meters

The Germans calculated everything - the entire campaign "Electrobot" moved at periscope depth under the RDP, remaining difficult to detect for enemy anti-submarine weapons. At great depths, its advantage became even more shocking: 2-3 times the range, at twice the speed, than any of the submarines of the war years! High stealth and impressive underwater skills, homing torpedoes, a set of the most advanced detection tools ... "Electrobots" opened a new milestone in the history of the submarine fleet, determining the vector of development of submarines in the post-war years.

The Allies were not ready to face such a threat - as post-war tests showed, the Electrobots were several times superior in terms of mutual sonar detection range to the American and British destroyers guarding the convoys.

Type VII boats, Germany
The number of submarines built is 703.
Surface displacement - 769 tons; underwater - 871 tons.
Crew - 45 people.
Working depth of immersion - 100 m, limit - 220 meters
Full speed on the surface - 17.7 knots; in a submerged position - 7.6 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 80 miles (4 knots).
Armament:
- 5 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 14 torpedoes;
- 1 x 88 mm universal gun (until 1942), eight options for add-ons with 20 and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns.

* the given performance characteristics correspond to boats of the VIIC sub-series

The most effective warships of all that have ever plied the oceans.
A relatively simple, cheap, massive, but at the same time well-armed and deadly means for total underwater terror.

703 submarines. 10 MILLION tons of sunk tonnage! Battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, enemy corvettes and submarines, oil tankers, transports with aircraft, tanks, cars, rubber, ore, machine tools, ammunition, uniforms and food ... The damage from the actions of German submariners exceeded all reasonable limits - if not the inexhaustible industrial potential of the United States, capable of compensating for any losses of the allies, the German U-bots had every chance to “strangle” Great Britain and change the course of world history.

U-995. Graceful underwater killer

Often the successes of the "sevens" are associated with the "prosperous time" of 1939-41. - allegedly when the Allies had the escort system and Asdik sonars, the successes of the German submariners ended. A completely populist claim based on a misinterpretation of "prosperous times".

The alignment was simple: at the beginning of the war, when there was one Allied anti-submarine ship for each German boat, the “sevens” felt like invulnerable masters of the Atlantic. It was then that the legendary aces appeared, sinking 40 enemy ships each. The Germans were already holding victory in their hands when the Allies suddenly put up 10 anti-submarine ships and 10 aircraft per Kriegsmarine boat in operation!

Beginning in the spring of 1943, the Yankees and the British began methodically bombarding the Kriegsmarine with anti-submarine warfare and soon achieved an excellent loss ratio of 1:1. So they fought until the end of the war. The Germans ran out of ships faster than their opponents.

The whole history of the German "sevens" is a formidable warning from the past: what kind of threat does the submarine pose and how high are the costs of creating an effective system to counter the underwater threat.

Funky American poster of those years. "Hit the pain points! Come serve in the submarine fleet - we account for 77% of the sunk tonnage!" Comments, as they say, are unnecessary

The article uses materials from the book "Soviet submarine shipbuilding", V. I. Dmitriev, Military Publishing, 1990.

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