The elusive Project 971 'AKULA' class SSN

Well according to Norman Polmar and K.J.Moore, the authors of COLD WAR SUBMARINES: The Design & Construction of US and Soviet Submarines 1945-2001, the non-acoustic sensors forward of the sail on the AKULA class may not be directly related to the detection of other submarines as far as I can tell. They are used for temperature, turbulence, and radiation readings. I am quoting from the book.

re the ‘non-acoustic’ methods of detection.

we can rule out any forms of active wave radiation.

you could use passive acoustic to pick up signals from ‘screws and the type. not good enough tho in my opinion.

combined with a laser detection system we could see a very effective form of v v hard to detect active system.

thing is, i am happy in my understanding of the transmitting part of a LADAR but havnt really much on the receiving part. can anyone elaborate??

It’s a head-scratcher.

I’d be extremely cautious about saying that any of the Akulas are actually “gone” (decommed) rather than just in reserve pending repair- assumptions like this have been made before- for example, that the Admiral Tributs (Udaloy) was to be scrapped after a 1995 fire, yet it sailed in the first ever US/UK/Russian naval exercises a few weeks ago. Or the Delta III SSBN that was recently put back on duty in short order when funding was provided for it.

Quite right Vympel, and I am assuming here, shouldn’t be really. They could very well be in reserve, sitting dormant in port. But the Janes info that I have makes no mention of inactive reserve hulls. The World Defence Almanac however, does state that all remaining AKULA Is and VICTOR IIIs will be retired in/from 2005, so maybe they are there waiting to be decommisioned and scrapped. Who knows. I think funding for the SSN fleet is starting to move more away from maintaining the older hulls, and more to the new Pr.885 YASEN-class been built.

It’s a head-scratcher.

I’d be extremely cautious about saying that any of the Akulas are actually “gone” (decommed) rather than just in reserve pending repair- assumptions like this have been made before- for example, that the Admiral Tributs (Udaloy) was to be scrapped after a 1995 fire, yet it sailed in the first ever US/UK/Russian naval exercises a few weeks ago. Or the Delta III SSBN that was recently put back on duty in short order when funding was provided for it.

Thanks Austin but unfortunately the data in the table is out of date, as most of the original AKULA Is appear to be gone now. The article itself is almost 3 years old as well. As for the non-acoustic sensors, I am not sure, will have to dig a little to find more. They do appear to be one of the distinguising features between the Improved AKULA/AKULA II, and the older AKULA I.

Glenn , what do you mean by the “original Akula appear to be gone ” are they decommissioned or the Russian simply cannot afford to keep it running , so its left in Docks , Glenn Please do find and post any info on Non acoustic means of detection system , Just been eager to know what exactly these systems are and do US and other British subs use such system , what knid of advantage these system offer compared to conventional means of detection , I have heard of some IR means of detection , dont know for sure what that means , more help will be welcome , Thanks Glenn

Glenn i thought that it was the Akula-II’s which was under construction and not the Akula-I’s

Hi Blackcat,

At least two Improved AKULA Is, and a couple of AKULA IIs had their construction suspended a few years ago now.

Glenn i thought that it was the Akula-II’s which was under construction and not the Akula-I’s …. well i’d say Vympel wud be able to put more on these Akulas …

but whatever it s IN wud be getting an ‘improved’ Akula whetever variant it maybe … be it Akula-I , Improved Akula or the Akula-II ….. and a doubt too, cant the Akula-I be upgraded to Akula-II standard?? …. as the Akula-II main difference physically is its 3.7 m of an extra section for quieter propulsion unit …

Which is the Schuka B and which is the Akula?

Glenn , thislink will help you a bit in charting out the different akula class sub constructed so far , Most of the sites I have visited and read about have rated Vepr as the first of the Akula-2 class subs built so far ,Gepard being the second of the class , Three more were being built( Kuguar,Kaban,Rys) when construction was suspended .
One more querry , the Akula carry something which is know as ” Non-acoustic Means of detection system” what exactly does that mean , what are the other way and means besides the conventional Active/Passive Sonars and Sonobuyos of detecting subs and other targets, Do western subs carry such means of detection

Thanks Austin but unfortunately the data in the table is out of date, as most of the original AKULA Is appear to be gone now. The article itself is almost 3 years old as well. As for the non-acoustic sensors, I am not sure, will have to dig a little to find more. They do appear to be one of the distinguising features between the Improved AKULA/AKULA II, and the older AKULA I.

Glenn , thislink will help you a bit in charting out the different akula class sub constructed so far , Most of the sites I have visited and read about have rated Vepr as the first of the Akula-2 class subs built so far ,Gepard being the second of the class , Three more were being built( Kuguar,Kaban,Rys) when construction was suspended .
One more querry , the Akula carry something which is know as ” Non-acoustic Means of detection system” what exactly does that mean , what are the other way and means besides the conventional Active/Passive Sonars and Sonobuyos of detecting subs and other targets, Do western subs carry such means of detection