When the last Typhoon-class submarine, Dmitry Donskoy, was finally decommissioned, it marked the silent end of one of the most amazing chapters in naval history. For a very long time, these massive underwater giants not only attracted the people’s imagination but also gained the acknowledgment and respect, not only because of their giant size, but also due to their significance during the tense period of the Cold War. The Typhoon was just not a mere human engineering feat; it was a covenant, a way of telling that the Soviet Union was not only able to keep up, but it might even surpass the United States in the nuclear arms race.
The need for the Typhoon came from the increase in the power of the U.S. submarine forces. With the start of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, the Soviet Navy required its own reply ship that could assure second-strike nuclear capability in a dependable way. The project 941 Akula was the result of which NATO called the Typhoon class.
Under the leadership of Sergey N. Kovalev, the Rubin Design Bureau took on the challenge to construct the first Typhoon, which was completed in 1976. These submarines were not only the justice seekers-balance of power in the Cold War; they were also proof for the world that the USSR was able to design something bigger, longer-lasting, and more terrifying than any other ship afloat at that time.
The magnitude of the Typhoon was awe-inspiring. Being approximately 170 to 175 meters long and having a displacement of 48,000 tons when submerged, a Typhoon was a giant compared to most surface warships from the Second World War. However, size was only part of the narrative. Its design consisted of two parallel main pressure hulls and three smaller ones for control and living quarters, all wrapped within a huge outer shell. Due to this layout, the Sick was extraordinary in its resistance-the damage that would have devastatingly affected other submarines could be unnoticed or bypassed at times. Twenty R-39 Rif ballistic missiles, each capable of multiple nuclear warheads, are installed between the main hulls.
By contrast, life on board the Typhoon was far from the usual cramped and uncomfortable conditions associated with submarines. The huge interior space allowed for the installation of amenities that were rare if not non-existent in military vessels: crew members could take a swim in a small pool, rest in the sauna, or work out in the gym.
These weren’t luxuries as would be the case in a commercial vessel, but were necessities for a 160-man crew that was capable of spending up to four cold months under the Arctic ice. A Typhoon with massive reserve buoyancy could break through thick ice and surface even in the dead of the polar night, thereby waiting silently for orders that, luckily, never came.
In 1981, the first submarine, TK-20.8, which was later renamed Dmitry Donskoy, was powered on stage, followed by five sister ships. These vessels turned into such iconic potent symbols of the Cold War that they not only became the subject of inspiration for artists but also made their way to the big screen, including Tom Clancy’s famous Red October.
In their missions, Typhoons would navigate through the icy waters with minimal noise, which meant that although their presence was strong, they were also able to act as deterrents quietly. They had a history of chord except for an incident like the missile explosion on board TK-17 Arkhangelsk that occurred in 1991. Nevertheless, their record was largely of the steady deterrence type.
In the end, it was not war that retired them but the wallet. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it became increasingly expensive to keep these gigantic submarines in operation. Several factors, like arms treaties, outdated missile systems, and reduced budgets, contributed to this. By the beginning of the 21st century, only Dmitry Donskoy was active, serving as a test platform for the new Bulava missile. She was doing the drills and crew training that lasted for many years, although this limited usage couldn’t be an excuse to keep her fully operational amidst economic difficulties.
Getting rid of a Typhoon is quite a complicated and lengthy process. Every single nuclear reactor has to be taken apart in a completely safe way while at the same time, the thick steel hulls, which are of a heavier weight than most surface warships, are being cut into smaller parts. At the moment, Dmitry Donskoy is at Severodvinsk along with her retired sisters, Arkhangelsk, and Severstal, waiting for that slow and tedious work. The name Typhoon is retained in the new Borei-A class submarines, which are a coming change to smaller, more silent, and more modern ballistic missile vessels.
The story of the Typhoon is a mixture of phenomenal and reminiscent times. They were not only the largest submarines ever built, unmatched before and after, but they also stood for a time when the most massive and the most rugged designs were considered to be the last and best assurances of a country’s security. In fact, the seas are a lot quieter today without them, but the tale of these Arctic giants continues to be told-a quiet, extensive tribute to the Cold War’s hype and scientific bravery.