Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines, 1945-2001

432 Pages·2005·15.961 MB·English

by  Norman Polmar, K. J. Moore

COLD WAR
SUBMARINES
The Project 941/Typhoon was the largest undersea craft ever built.These two—ofsix completed—are at their remote base
ofNerpichya,about six miles from the entrance to Guba Zapadnaya Litsa on the Kola Peninsula,close to the borders with
Finland and Norway.(Rubin CDB ME)
Other Submarine-Related Books by Norman Polmar
The American Submarine
Atomic Submarines
Death ofthe Thresher
Guide to the Soviet Navy (4 editions)
Rickover: Controversy and Geniuswith Thomas B.Allen
Ships and Aircraft ofthe U.S.Fleet (7 editions)
Submarines ofthe Imperial Japanese Navywith Dorr Carpenter
Submarines ofthe Russian and Soviet Navies,1718-1990with Jurrien Noot
POTOMAC BOOKS, INC.
Copyright © 2004 by Norman Polmar.
Published in the United States by Potomac Books Inc.(formerly Brassey’s,Inc.).
All rights reserved.No part ofthis book may be reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission from the publisher,except in the case
ofbriefquotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Polmar,Norman
Cold War submarines:U.S.and Soviet design and
construction / Norman Polmar and Kenneth J.Moore—1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-57488-594-1
1.Submarines (Ships)—United States—History.
2.Submarines (Ships)—Soviet Union. 3.Cold War.
I.Moore,Kenneth J.,1942– II.Title.
V858.P63 2003
359.9'383'094709045—dc21 2003013123
ISBN 978-1–57488–530–9 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-57488-594-1 (hardcover)
Printedin the UnitedStates ofAmerica on acid-free paper that meets the
American National Standards Institute Z39–48 Standard.
Potomac Books,Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles,Virginia 20166
First Edition
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Epigraph
Itis the nature ofhuman memory to rid itselfofthe superfluous,to retain only
what has proved to be most important in the light oflater events.Yet that is also
its weak side.Being biased it cannot help adjusting past reality to fit present
needs and future hopes.
—Milovan Djilas
Conversations with Stalin
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Dedication
This book is dedicated to the officers,warrant officers,and enlisted men who
served in Soviet and U.S.submarines during the Cold War.They did their duty
courageously and steadfastly.Although no shots were fired,many ofthese sub-
mariners lost their lives to fires,flooding,and other accidents.It was the price
paid for 45 years ofCold War confrontation and for the rapid development and
application oftechnology.
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Contents
Perspective xi
Acknowledgments xv
Glossary xix
1 | Genesis 1
2 | Advanced Diesel Submarines 11
3 | Closed-Cycle Submarines 33
4 | U.S.Nuclear-Propelled Submarines 49
5 | Soviet Nuclear-Propelled Submarines 71
6 | Cruise Missile Submarines 85
7 | Ballistic Missile Submarines 103
8 | “Polaris—From Out of the Deep ...” 115
9 | The Quest for Speed 127
10 | Second-Generation Nuclear Submarines 147
11 | The Ultimate Weapon I 167
12 | The Ultimate Weapon II 183
13 | “Diesel Boats Forever” 201
14 | Unbuilt Giants 221
15 | Aircraft-Carrying Submarines 245
16 | Midget,Small,and Flying Submarines 255
CONTENTS ix