Zulu (class) / (Project 611)

History

The development of the Soviet submarine force in the post-World War II period (1939-1945) is an interesting study showing how technological advances and operational experience helped transform this force into the best and most exciting in the world of manufacturing One of the forces of fear was during the ensuing Cold War (1947-1991). The Zulu class was part of this development process, and these ships followed the wartime K class and became a major improvement over the pre-war P class units.

Known locally under the name "Project 611," the Zulu class proved to be as powerful as any American submarine that came online after the war. The Zulu class itself was replaced in due course by the more capable Foxtrot class ships.

Like the Americans, the Soviet postwar submarine program was greatly aided by the capture and study of the revolutionary German Type XXI U-boats (described in detail elsewhere on this site). The Americans brought their fleet to a new standard influenced by German design through the "GUPPY" program, and the Type XXI also ushered in a new era in Soviet submarine design.

The 26 ships of the Zulu class were built between 1952 and 1957 and commissioned in 1952. They are classified as attack submarines and are equipped with weapons and performance commensurate with the role.

These are deep water boats with good stamina and balanced speed, whether they're underwater or underwater.

With a crew of 70, the hull displaces 1,875 tons when surfaced and 2,390 tons when launched. The total length is 90 meters, the width is 7.5 meters, and the draft is 5.15 meters. Installed power includes three 6,000 hp diesel engines (for surface cruising) and three 5,400 hp electric motors (for underwater cruising). The boat can reach speeds of 18 knots when surfaced and 16 knots underwater. The latter quality is particularly important as this period of naval history begins to evolve submarines into faster underwater vessels that bring travelers to the surface.

The hull was tested at a depth of 656 feet - proving another remarkable quality for the class and allowing her to venture farther offshore.

As an attack platform, the Zulu is equipped with a total of ten 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes. Six face the bow and four face the stern. Some courses were later equipped with the launch capability of the R-11FM SCUD series of missiles.

Early forms were done with projectile-based anti-aircraft guns (AA), but these were removed shortly after they entered service. They also didn't have breathing tubes, but this was fixed in a later revision.

The profile of a Zulu boat consists of a pointed bow, a horizontal deck and a sloping stern. The rudder control plane and propeller unit are mounted aft. The sails are placed amidships in the traditional way. In addition, the submarine has a conventional appearance.

The evolution of Zulu-class submarine design compared to earlier P-class units is easy to see.

The Zulu class served alongside Whiskey-class ships in Soviet Navy service. This particular group is a large series with a total of 236 units built from 1949 to 1958. Sonar equipment and related equipment is shared between the two classes, although the Zulu class has also been successful as its hull proved up to the task.

After successfully test-firing missiles from Zulu submarines in 1955, six submarines were equipped with missile-launching capabilities in 1956, making them the first ballistic missile submarines in Navy history. The silhouette remains the same, but the burning process requires the boat to fully surface.

All Zulu-class ships are scrapped once they are used up. They were succeeded by the Foxtrot class, whose hulls were influenced by the Zulu series.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing