Cold War under water: 6 memorable American and Soviet submarines

During the Cold War, both superpowers tried not only to increase their own potential, but also to study it from enemy in order to understand where his strengths and weaknesses are, and at the same time strengthen himself where the ideological enemy stronger. Therefore, the intelligence services of both countries were actively working to obtain information about each other's technology, and submarines were no exception in this regard. And when information about them appeared in the public domain, they became real symbols of the Cold War, which also went on in the ocean depths.

1. Project 705 "Lira" (USSR)

A Soviet submarine that turned out to be too complex even for its creators. /Photo: topwar.ru

In the NATO classification, the submarines of this project were called "Alpha", which directly indicated their superiority among the analogues existing at that time. After all, this submarine was then practically invulnerable to weapons. Created in the late 1950s, she had a phenomenal speed of 40 knots, and also boasted the first world installed integrated automated control system, so the crew consisted of only 24 people and six midshipmen.

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Another feature of the submarine, but project 705 was the power plant, represented by a fast reactor neutrons with a liquid metal coolant (LMC), which allowed it to be safer and at the same time very powerful. Even the fact that the submarines made a lot of noise at full speed did not make them more vulnerable - the Americans were also subjected to psychological pressure when they realized what kind of car it was. However, operational difficulties eventually led to the withdrawal of all six Project 705 submarines from the fleet, and their disposal continues today.

2. SSN-571 "Nautilus" (USA)

Perhaps the most famous American submarine of the Cold War. /Photo: defesanet.com.br

This nuclear submarine was launched in 1954 and was the first of its kind. This favorably distinguished it from the diesel-electric machines that existed then. The Nautilus also had another record: it is the first submarine to reach the North Pole. However, these regalia did not give her either great military glory or mass production: the only submarine of this type was withdrawn from the fleet in 1980, and a few years later became part of the exposition of the US Submarine Museum.

3. K-278 "Komsomolets" (USSR)

The submarine, which is better known for the end of its journey / Photo: moreman.su

The Soviet nuclear submarine first sank into the water in 1983 and was the only Project 685 Plavnik submarine to hold the world record for diving to a maximum depth of 1027 m. Such abilities made her practically invulnerable to any anti-submarine weapons and invisible to hydroacoustic means detection. However, this did not give her a long life: on April 7, 1989, the submarine sank as a result of a fire.

4. Project 613 (USSR)

The most massive Soviet submarine. /Photo: livejournal.com

Soviet diesel-electric medium submarines of project 613 are known, first of all, as the most massive in post-war history - 215 units were built. In addition, it became the basis for 21 modifications of other submarines. Project 613 submarines were also very famous because more than 40 units were sold to other countries, including China. They were in service with the USSR until 1990.

5. Project 949A "Antey" (USSR)

Nuclear submarine created at the end of the Soviet Union. /Photo: defendingrussia.ru

For the first time, these Soviet submarines were launched into the water in 1985 and quickly acquired a speaking nickname - “aircraft carrier killers”. And all because 24 cruise missiles of the Granit anti-ship complex are placed on board these giants. There were 11 submarines of the Antey project in total, but the whole world has known one for more than twenty years: this is the K-141 Kursk, which sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000.

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6. SSBN-598 "George Washington" (USA)

Another US submarine from the Cold War. / Photo: wikipedia.org

This American submarine was the first nuclear-powered missile carrier, as well as the lead ship of its type of strategic missile submarines. She carried 16 UGM-27 Polaris two-stage ballistic missiles on board and was capable of launching them from a depth of up to 25 meters. A total of 5 submarines of this type were built, the first of which was launched in 1959. The decommissioning of the series was completed in 1985.