Akula Class (Project 971 Shchuka-B Class) Russian Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine

The Akula Class (Project 971 Shchuka-B Class) Russian Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine is a nuclear-powered attack submarine of Soviet origin. The name Akula is the NATO reporting name for what is called the Project 971 Shchuka-B submarine in Russia. The Akula class was developed in the early 1980s in response to the US Los Angeles class and is considered a quantum leap forward in Soviet submarine technology. The Akula class is the follow-on to the Victor III and remains the most capable Russian attack submarine until the newer Yasen class is commissioned. The Akula hull design has been inspired by the Sierra class. The layout is conventional with the armament carried in the bow, the command and crew compartments in the bow and below the conning tower, and the propulsion system at the rear. The conning tower has an aerodynamic design and houses an escape pod for all its crew members. Noise reduction has been a key element in the design. The floors are suspended within the hull and anechoic tiles cover the external hull. The Akula is reported to be nearly as silent as the original US Los Angeles class. The improved Akula II has a longer hull to house noise-canceling equipment and is regarded slightly quieter than the improved Los Angeles class.