![]() Akula-class SSN profile
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Class overview | |
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Name | Akula class |
Builders | |
Operators | |
Preceded by | Victor class, Sierra class |
Succeeded by | Yasen class |
Cost | est. $1.55 billion (1995 dollars) |
Built | 1983–1999 |
In commission | 1984–present |
Planned | 20 |
Completed | 15 |
Cancelled | 4 (1 Iribis suspended 42% complete since 1996) |
Active | 4 (4 active +6 on modernization in Russia) |
Retired | 4 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Nuclear attack submarine |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam | 13.6 m (45 ft) |
Draught | 9.7 m (32 ft) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Endurance | 100 days[4] |
Test depth |
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Complement | 73 for Akula I & Improved,[2] 62 (31 officers) for Akula II & III.[3] |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Electronic warfare & decoys | |
Armament | |
Notes |
The Akula class, Soviet designation Project 971 Shchuka-B (Russian: Щука-Б, lit. 'Pike-B', NATO reporting name Akula) is a series of fourth generation nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) first deployed by the Soviet Navy in 1986. There are four sub-classes or flights of Shchuka-B, consisting of the original seven Project 971 boats (codenamed Akula I), commissioned between 1984 and 1990; six Project 971Is (Improved Akulas), commissioned between 1991 and 2009; one Project 971U (Akula II), commissioned in 1995; and one Project 971M (Akula III), commissioned in 2001. The Russians call all of the submarines Shchuka-B, regardless of modifications.[7]
Some confusion may exist as the name Akula (Russian: Акула, meaning "shark" in Russian) was used by the Soviets for a different class of submarines, the Project 941, which is known in the West as the Typhoon class. The Project 971 was named Shchuka-B by the Soviets but given the designation Akula by the West after the name of the lead ship, K-284.
According to defense analyst Norman Polmar, the launch of the first submarine in 1985, "shook everyone [in the West] up", as Western intelligence agencies had not expected the Soviet Union to produce such a boat for another ten years.[8]
Podvodnye Lodki 2003
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).