The Dmitry Donskoy: A Titan of the Deep

In a world dominated by naval supremacy, where aircraft carriers are often regarded as the largest and most formidable ships at sea, there’s a compelling argument that a submarine nearly the size of two American football fields is even more intimidating. Enter the Typhoon-class submarines of the Russian Navy, specifically the Dmitry Donskoy, TK-208, the world’s largest submarine.

Measuring a staggering 175 meters (approximately 600 feet) in length, this submarine has been in commission since 1980, undergoing several significant refurbishments over its lifespan. Equally impressive is its width, spanning 25 meters, giving it a commanding presence in the water. The ship displaces a whopping 48,000 tons and is operated by a crew of just 160 individuals.

The TK-208 was the flagship in the Russian Navy’s Akula-class submarine line (known as Typhoon in NATO terminology). These submarines are capable of launching massive ballistic missiles from anywhere in the world with relative stealth.

The sheer size of the ship means that its interior amenities are unlike any other submarine ever built. There was even an indoor swimming pool (at least there used to be), as seen in footage from earlier in its life.

The ship was first launched in 1980 but entered an extensive dry dock period in 1990 for modernization. It spent over a decade in dry dock until 2002 when it was fully fitted with the latest hardware and returned to service.

The Dmitry Donskoy left dry dock from the Russian city of Severodvinsk at this point and has been serving the Russian Navy ever since. It houses 20 launchers for the RSM-56 Bulava ballistic missile, a weapon system known worldwide as one of the most advanced submarine-launched missile systems ever built.

In 2005, the world’s largest submarine launched its first Bulava missile on September 27th, surfacing to fire it from the White Sea. By December of the same year, the crew was ready to attempt the first firing of a Bulava missile from underwater, successfully hitting a target on the Kura Test Range.

Notably, the crews of the submarine conducted many other tests of the Bulava missile, including one failed test in 2009 and a successful one in 2010.

The Dmitry Donskoy still serves today and stands as the pride of the Russian submarine fleet. However, with the Donskoy being the last of its class still in commission, its days are numbered. The Borei-class submarines are slowly replacing the Typhoon class, albeit in a smaller form, meaning that the title of the world’s largest submarine may remain with the Dmitry Donskoy for some time to come.

You can see the submarine in action in the video below from a journey in 2017.