Early Soviet nuclear submarine history: How the Soviet Union developed underwater missiles

These Soviet intercontinental missiles couldn’t be raised on board. They were too heavy!

All Russian schoolchildren love playing "You Sunk My Battleship." Remember? But when NATO ships began appearing along the Georgian shore, Russians back at home started worrying -- even though Russia and the U.S. both share a strong fleet on and under the water.

Not long ago, a new nuclear Virginia-class submarine made its debut in the U.S. naval forces. The submarine was built within four and a half years. Russia's analogous missile cruisers, the "Yury Dolgorukiy" and "Severodvinsk," have been stalled on the production line for 15 years -- and it's still uncertain when they'll set to sea as their missiles aren't yet ready. The U.S. nuclear submarine fleet is already leaps and bounds ahead of Russia's. Can we catch up? KP correspondent and officer Viktor Baranets spoke with military analyst and candidate of military sciences, Colonel Mikhail Polezhaev to learn a bit about the history behind the world’s two strongest nuclear submarine fleets.

A Polish tailor's son was the mastermind of the U.S. nuclear fleet

KP: Mikhail Aleksandrovich, how did nuclear submarine fleets come into being?

Polezhaev: In 1945, the U.S. developed nuclear weapons. President Truman said: "Today, the U.S. is the most powerful country in the world, and we must use our this power responsibly to safeguard peace." In answer, Joseph Stalin strengthened his grip on the Socialist block and developed nuclear weapons of his own...

At the time, U.S. bombers were positioned at European military base. But the political situation was so unstable, they could have been asked to leave at any moment. As a result, the U.S. placed its emphasis on developing their navy. In December 1945, Moscow learned the U.S. was creating submarines with nuclear capability.

KP: How did the Soviet Union learn what the U.S. was doing? It certainly wasn't being written about in the papers...

Polezhaev: The same way information about the nuclear bomb had surfaced... Intelligence! It wasn't sensational news at all for the Soviet authorities when the world's first nuclear submarine, "Nautilus," set sail in Groton in 1954. The same goes for the submarine's parameters -- about 100 meters with a 4,000-ton water displacement.

KP: Who was the first person to come up with the idea to create nuclear submarines?

Polezhaev: The U.S. counterintelligence agent, Admiral George Hyman Rickover, who was the son of a Polish tailor who emigrated to the U.S.

Secret "Object 627"

KP: How did the Kremlin react to the event?

Polezhaev: Two years before the "Nautilus" set sail, on Sept. 9. 1952, Stalin signed a secret regulation "On Designing and Building ‘Object 627.'" On Aug. 9, 1957, “Object 627,” a submarine tagged with strategic number “K-3,” set sail! The submarine was named the “Lenin Komsomol.” The submarine traveled at 23.3 knots while running at 60 percent of its capacity! "Nautilus" only hit 20 knots at full speed!

KP: Who was the main engineer?

Polezhaev: The creator of the Soviet Union's first nuclear submarine was Vladimir Nikolaevich Peregudov. He is considered the “Tupolev” of Russian shipbuilding.

Submarine arsenal

KP: Were the U.S. submarines equipped with missiles straight off the bat?

Polezhaev: The summer trials of the Polaris-A1 missiles started in 1958. In November 1960, the arms were commissioned for use. Five George Washington submarines were equipped with 16 apiece. The Polaris A-1 was followed by the Poseidon and later the Trident.

KP: How did the Soviet Union arm its submarines?

Polezhaev: At the time, in the 1950s, our strategic operational officers understood that a nuclear strike could only be launched on the U.S. from the ocean. We didn't have aerodromes in Canada, for example. So we chose submarines as our weapons for such a strike. And this turned out to be a wise decision. First submarines, and then of course torpedoes!

In 1952 at Arzamas-16, nuclear warheads entered development for two different torpedoes: the T-5 at 533 millimeters and the T-15 at 1,550 millimeters. The lower-caliber torpedo was fixed on all the Soviet Union’s submarines. The monstrous high-caliber torpedo with a length of 24 meters was designed for the K-3 -- the “Whale,” or the “Lenin Komsomols” -- which had the NATO codename “November.”

The navy was enthused by the "small" T-5 nuclear torpedo project. The torpedo increased the operational capabilities of the submarines by 10 kilometers and 10 kilotons. The T-5 was completed with trials at Novaya Zemlya. In 1957, the torpedo was commissioned. However, the navy was against using the T-15. Submarine armed with these missiles were designated for executing one task -- striking naval bases. There were no bases with straight navigating channels and the T-15 couldn't be maneuvered. And if the torpedo hit port cities, there would undoubtedly be civilian causalities.

Academic Sakharov's idea didn't pass

KP: But there are documents in the Soviet archives that show even the most humane of individuals supported using the T-15 missiles like the renowned academic Sakharov!

Polezhaev: Yes, on Oct. 30, 1961, Sakharov’s superbomb underwent trials at 58 megatons. The projected capacity of the missile was in fact 100 megatons, but the bomb was tested at half-power. The bomb's length was 8 meters and weighed 27 tons. However, it turned out the Soviet Union didn’t have any planes or missiles that could actually carry the bomb. Quite a contradiction. Could they have made supertorpedoes to attack port cities based on the T-15? One of the first people with whom Sakharov spoke about the project was the counter agent and Admiral Fomin. He was shocked by the project's potential of taking so many civilian lives. Sakharov realized the navy was used to openly fighting armed opponents and the idea of such mass killings was revolting.

KP: What happened later? Did Sakharov refuse to develop his ideas further?

Polezhaev: Sakharov never discussed the project with anyone else again. Read his diaries. Life isn‘t easy...

Kerosene bombs

KP: How did ballistic missiles get on board our nuclear submarines?

Polezhaev: In early 1959, the R-11 FM missile was commissioned. It was a single-stage missile that ran on liquid fuel -- kerosene. The missile could travel about 150 kilometers with a radial probable error of 0.75 kilometers. The missiles could only be launched while on the surface of the water, with the silo hoods raised. The submarine and its crew would be doomed while preparing to strike their opponent for 15-20 minutes.

KP: How was this problem resolved?

Polezhaev: In mid-1963, there was a revolution in the history of the Soviet Union's submarine fleet. The R-21 missiles were commissioned, which could be deployed underwater! This was one of the most important moment's in the Soviet Union's nuclear history. Twenty-three submarines were built that were equipped with underwater launching capability. Now the U.S. faced a force to be reckoned with!

Viktor Baranets is waiting for your feedback on our site.

Читать русскую версию: Кто сильнее под водой: Россия или США?

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