Nuclear attack submarines (abbreviated as SNA in French and SSN for "Ship Submersible Nuclear" according to the NATO code) are nuclear-powered submarines. Unlike SSBNs, whose sole mission is nuclear deterrence, SNAs are intended for protection and power projection missions.
The first of this class of warships was the USS Nautilus which entered service in 1955.
Roles
These submarines are hunters. They have several roles:
Anti-submarine warfare:detection, tracking and possibly destruction of enemy submarines (SNA, SSBN or SMD), on an individual mission (patrol) or in protection of a surface combat group, in particular a naval air group .
Anti-ship warfare:either in protection mission of a surface group, or in offensive mission:naval blockade, interdiction strategies.
Action against the earth with the use of cruise missiles.
Intelligence:electronic interception, discrete optical and infra-red shots.
Participation in actions of special forces with the landing of commandos and combat swimmers.
Mining in hostile waters.
Advantages over the classic submarine
Conventional submarines (NATO code:SS [Sub-Surface] or SSK - K for kerosen, thermal propulsion - abbreviation withdrawn from the official nomenclature since 2007) are also designed for these missions. But nuclear propulsion, totally independent of the atmosphere, gives SNAs a decisive advantage in terms of tactical and strategic mobility and discretion:
While conventional submarines are forced to come to the surface (or to periscopic immersion using a snorkel) to supply the diesel engines with air (oxygen) and thus recharge their electric batteries, after a few tens of hours of diving with electric motors (a few days for those with AIP propulsion), thus making them detectable and vulnerable, nuclear-powered submarines can stay underwater for several months, thus preserving their stealth.
They can also sustain high diving speeds over time that a conventional submarine could not maintain for more than a few tens of minutes without fully discharging its batteries.
Armament
torpedoes:these are heavy, long-range torpedoes, usually wire-guided, with active or passive acoustic seekers. diving) of 2 types:
anti-ship with active electromagnetic homing (radar) such as the SM-39, derived from the Exocet, or the SubHarpoon;
cruising (action against the earth) inertial guidance and satellite registration, such as the Tomahawk.
mines
Operational SNA
China
The Chinese Navy commissioned its first SNA in August 1974. Five of its Type 091 ships (NATO code:Han class) were launched between 1970 and 19901. Based in Qingdao, they began in the 2000s , to be relieved by Type 093 (Chang Class) ships, the first of which entered service in December 2006.
United States
The United States Navy was the first navy to use naval nuclear propulsion. In the second half of the 1980s, it fielded up to a hundred SNAs. With the retirement in 1990 of the last conventional Barbel-class submarine, all its combat submarines are nuclear-powered. With the disappearance of the Soviet Navy, it has by far the largest fleet of nuclear attack submarines with 55 SNAs in September 2014, figures that have fallen sharply since the end of the Cold War and the withdrawal of the first classes of SNA.
On this date it has:
41 Los Angeles-class SNAs in service out of the 62 built
3 Seawolf-class SNAs
11 Virginia-class SNAs (thirty to term)
France
Six Rubis-class SNAs entered service with the French Navy between 1983 and 1993. They are based in the military port of Toulon. The SNLEs are based at that of Brest, on Île Longue5. The Rubis are the only class of attack submarines currently in service since the retirement of the last conventionally powered submarines in 2001. The Escadrille des Sous-Marins d'Attaque (ESNA) depends on the Strategic Oceanic Force which assimilated submarine forces at the end of the 20th century.
A replacement program with six Suffren-class SNAs was initiated on December 21, 2006, with the first building due to enter service in 2017. The order for the 4th SNA was notified to DCNS in July 2014. Due to budgetary restrictions, the last SNA of this class should not be operational before 2028.
India
On July 26, 2009, India inaugurated its first locally made nuclear submarine. The name of the submarine previously known by the code name Advanced Technology Vessel is Arihant which means "Enemy Destroyer". Although derived from a Soviet SNA, it is classified as an SSBN because it can carry four to twelve nuclear-charged ballistic missiles. Previously, India had leased a Soviet nuclear submarine and since 2012, it has leased for ten years, a copy of the Akoula class, the K-152 Nerpa for an amount of 920 million dollars.
United Kingdom
The Royal Navy's first SNA was HMS Dreadnought, laid down in 1959 and entering service in 1963. The United Kingdom thus became the third country to implement nuclear propulsion.
During the Falklands War, one of the three SNAs dispatched to the area, the HMS Conqueror, carried out the first and currently only torpedoing carried out by an SNA by sinking the Argentinian cruiser ARA General Belgrano.
In 1990, 17 SNAs were in service, but their number after the end of the Cold War decreased rapidly.
In 2009, the Royal Navy has eight SNAs. One of the Swiftsure class, in service until 2010, and seven SNA of the Trafalgar class, commissioned from 1983 to 1991. Eventually all these submarines should be replaced by 7 Astute class submarines whose first copy was launched in 2010.
USSR/Russia
An Alfa in 1983. They were the fastest submarines in the world.
The Soviet military-industrial complex built the largest fleet of nuclear submarines in history during the Cold War.
The 1st Soviet SNA K-3 of the November class was built by the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, launched on August 9, 1957, and declared operational on December 17, 1958.
As of October 1, 1985, the Soviet Navy had a total of 371 submarines, including 76 SNAs and 49 SSGNs, with nuclear submarines being built at 4 shipyards.
In 2010, Russia has a fleet of 18 SNAs. It consists of 8 Akula, 2 others in reserve, 7 SNA of the Victor III class (en) and 3 SNA of the Sierra class.
On December 30, 2013, the first Yassen-class submarine was delivered to the Russian Naval Forces.