The Severstal and the Arkhangelsk Akula-class submarines (project 941, NATO reporting name: Typhoon), the largest strategic nuclear submarines in the world, are to be turned into scrap metal, reported RIA Novosti with reference to a source in the ship construction sector.

The USSR built a total of six submarines of this class. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s Navy retained three submarines – the Severstal and the Arkhangelsk from project 941, and the Dmitry Donskoy from project 941UM, which was upgraded to carry a Bulava missile.

The decision was made to recycle the two submarines on account of the absence of funds. “Their future use is not cost-effective. They have already been withdrawn from the Navy,” the source explained to RIA.
According to the source, Rosatom will destroy the submarines after 2020.

The construction of the giant nuclear submarines in the 1970s enabled the Soviet Union to reach parity with the US in terms of maritime strategic nuclear forces, and ultimately made the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks agreements possible. The US later upgraded its Ohio-class strategic submarines to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles.

“With the help of the Americans, we disposed of three submarines,” a representative of the military-industrial complex told RBC earlier. He lamented the fact that instead of being scrapped, the submarines could have been upgraded to carry 300 Kalibr cruise missiles.

“The remaining two were in conservation for a long time, and now they are being destroyed,” the source said.
After the Severstal and the Arkhangelsk have been scrapped, the Dmitry Donskoy will be the sole remaining submarine from this project.

  Russia, Russian Navy, submarines

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