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Submarine

Russia

Rubin Design Bureau

Akula-class (Project 971)

A Cold War-era nuclear-powered attack submarine that closed the acoustic-quietness gap with Western designs, remaining a mainstay of the Russian Navy's torpedo-armed attack submarine force through ongoing modernization.

In service since 1984 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

480

m depth

8,140

crew

Several performance figures for Russia-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: No public modern unit cost

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Russian state channel

Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.

Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 1984. Status: active · ~15 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships).: 8

Stronger than 88% of submarines

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 110.3 m

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Displacement Standard displacement in tonnes — the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.: 8,140 t
Max speed Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.: 10 kn

Bottom 5% of submarines
Submerged speed Maximum speed while submerged (submarines). Higher is faster underwater.: 33 kn

Top 2% of submarines
Test depth Maximum rated diving depth (submarines). Deeper is harder to detect and engage. Actual crush depth is classified.: 480 m

Stronger than 86% of submarines
Complement Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.: 73
Propulsion plant Machinery type — nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.: 1x nuclear reactor (PWR)

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 15

Stronger than 77% of submarines
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 1

Stronger than 39% of submarines

Specifications compiled from public Rubin Design Bureau and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

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Akula-class (Project 971) Virginia-class Submarine

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View Virginia-class Submarine ↗

Submarine

Akula-class (Project 971) Borei-class

Rubin Design Bureau Borei-class

View Borei-class ↗

Submarine

Akula-class (Project 971) Kilo-class (Project 636.3)

Rubin Design Bureau Kilo-class (Project 636.3)

View Kilo-class (Project 636.3) ↗

Frequently asked questions

What is the Rubin Design Bureau Akula-class (Project 971) used for? +

The Rubin Design Bureau Akula-class (Project 971) is a submarine typically used for anti armor.

How many countries operate the Rubin Design Bureau Akula-class (Project 971)? +

The Rubin Design Bureau Akula-class (Project 971) is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the Rubin Design Bureau Akula-class (Project 971) cost? +

Rubin Design Bureau Akula-class (Project 971): No public modern unit cost. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.