Key Points and Summary – Russia’s Project 941 Typhoon-class SSBNs were purpose-built for nuclear war under Arctic ice: dual parallel pressure hulls for survivability, 20 R-39 (RSM-52) SLBMs with up to ten MIRVs each, and the size to house unusual crew comforts like a sauna.
-The lead boat TK-208, later named Dmitry Donskoy, entered service in 1981 and was heavily refit as a Bulava test platform in the 2000s.
Russia’s Typhoon-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-The last Typhoon was decommissioned in 2023, after serving as a technology pathfinder for today’s Borei-class SSBNs.
-Big, quiet for their era, and thankfully never used in anger.
Biggest Ever: Russia’s Typhoon-class Subs Were Made for Nuclear War
What would the Russians do without a hot sauna and a cold swimming pool to relax or sweat off hangovers from vodka-fueled revelry?
What if I told you the Russian Typhoon-class submarine was so large that it had its own sauna and pool?
Subs are not known for having creature comforts. Moreover, stress, loneliness, and cramped conditions can hobble a sailor’s ability to do his or her job undersea.
Still, a sauna and pool are over the top even for naval brass that wants to alleviate homesickness to improve performance by the crew.
In 2023, Russia finally retired the last Typhoon-class boat. The Dmitry Donskoy was the largest submarine ever built. The Navy has nothing sailing right now that can match the size.
The vessel displaced 48,000 long tons submerged and was 574 feet long. There were 19 compartments.
The subs were wide with multiple pressure hulls for better survivability. The Typhoons could remain underwater for four months without a break on regular missions and even longer if war erupted.
Typhoon-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
What a monster it was, and the Donskoy came loaded with features.
Nuclear War? No Problem
First, this thing was designed for death and destruction in mind. It was meant for nuclear war and came equipped with 20 RSM-52 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, making it one fearsome “boomer.” These had 10 MIRVs (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles) each.
There were 160 officers and enlisted personnel on board. This was the Russian answer to the U.S. Ohio-class boats, which are the largest submarines ever built by the Americans.
The Donskoy Might Have Kept Serving Beyond 2023
Dmitry Donskoy retired much earlier than planned. The Russians previously wanted it to serve until 2026. In the latter days, it served as a weapons platform and technology demonstrator for newer submarines, such as the Yasen-class and Borei-class.
Officially, the Donskoy was initially named the TK-208. It entered service in 1981 with a refueling and extended maintenance period in 1990. The sub was rechristened the Dmitry Donskoy after re-entering the sub fleet in 2002.
The Donskoy was designed with nuclear firepower in mind from the very beginning. Initially outfitted with D-19 ICBMs, these were later replaced with the updated and even more powerful Bulava ICBM.
The Latest and Greatest in Nuclear-Powered Propulsion
The large boat was the oldest of the Typhoon-class and served the longest. The subs were propelled by OK-650 nuclear reactors, two 50,000-horsepower steam turbines, and four 3,200 KW turbogenerators. This achieved a speed of over 22 knots on the surface and 27 knots underwater.
Meanwhile, the Ohio-class had the edge in firepower with 24 Trident II D5 submarine-launched nuclear missiles with ranges of more than 6,500 miles.
These Submarines Loved the Arctic Area of Operations
The Typhoons were usually based in the Northern Fleet, which meant Arctic patrols in icy conditions. However, the Typhoons were well-suited for long voyages in this region and could also patrol outside the Baltic Sea. They were also known for deploying floating antenna buoys to track up to 10 to 12 enemy ships simultaneously.
Dmitry Donskoy was quieter than the Americans gave him credit for. The acoustic profile was quite stealthy, making the sub a swift and silent beast.
“To reduce the acoustic signature a two-spool system of rubber-cord pneumatic shock-absorption is employed as well as a block layout of gears and equipment, a new sound isolation and andri-hydroacoustic coating,” according to FAS.
The Dmitry Donskoy and the Typhoon-class were massive boats that had a critical mission. They provided the backbone of the Soviet and Russian nuclear triad at a time when both the Americans and Soviets thought they could win a nuclear exchange.
The sauna and pool were nice, but this did not make the Russians take their jobs for granted. Nuclear-powered boats were serious business and still pose frightening potential outcomes. The Typhoon-class could have snuck up on the United States undiscovered and let loose a mighty launch.
The Russians retired the Donskoy, but not before it was the inspiration for the Borei and Yasen-class. The Russian navy has struggled against Ukraine in the Black Sea, but its submarine force is one of the best in the world, second only to the U.S. Navy’s fleet of boats.
Dmitry Donskoy Lives Again
The name Dmitry Donskoy will not go away – it will be the moniker of a new Borei-class being built. Since the Russians suspended New START arms limitations, there are efforts to outfit as many new boomers with nuclear-tipped SLBMs as possible.
Arms control efforts with Russia have taken a back seat as the war in Ukraine rages with no let-up in sight.
The Typhoon-class and the Dmitry Donskoy will be remembered as Cold War and post-Cold War instruments of death that served as transitional submarines to newer models.
It’s a good thing its nuclear weapons were never used.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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