Titanium Monster: Unveiling Russia's Sierra I-Class Submarine

Summary and Key Points: Neil deGrasse Tyson highlights in his book "Space Chronicles" how war drives technological innovation, using the Cold War as a prime example. During this era, the U.S. and Soviet Union competed fiercely in various technological arenas, including aerospace and naval warfare.

-The Soviets' Sierra I-class submarine, known for its titanium hull, showcased this competition's intensity. Titanium, being strong yet lightweight, allowed the Sierra I to reach high speeds, dive to great depths, and operate with minimal noise.

-Despite its advantages, only two Sierra I submarines were built due to the high cost and labor involved in working with titanium, leading to its obscurity today.

The Role of Titanium in Soviet Submarine Design: The Sierra I-Class

Neil deGrasse Tyson, in his book Space Chronicles, laments that only war seems to spurn the massive investments needed for rapid technological innovation.

Tyson makes the observation in condemnation of the way that US funding for space exploration dropped off precipitously after the Soviets functionally bowed out of the space race. Indeed, while the space race is a prime example of the way that war drives technological investment and innovation.

The Soviets, motivated on account of the Cold War’s bipolar moment, became the world’s first to launch a satellite, to launch a man into orbit, to orbit the Earth, and to spacewalk.

The Americans, fearing that their primary geopolitical rival would come to dominate the heavens, perhaps earning the ability to ‘drop bombs from the heavens,’ began investing heavily in space exploration. The result: America became the first nation to land on the moon, launch probes into deep space, launch the Saturn V rocket, and fly a space shuttle. Behind all of the Soviet and American space innovations was war. But, of course, space was not the only realm in which the Cold War superpowers competed with one another.

Aerospace competition was also especially pronounced during the Cold War; the superpowers unlocked a steady stream of technological improvements relating to jet engines, radar, stealth, air to air missiles, aerodynamics, data fusion, speed, and altitude. The results were increasingly sophisticated and increasingly lethal aircraft – beginning with single-engine darts like the MiG 15 and F-86 Sabre and progressing to fourth-generation staples, which are still relevant today, like the MiG-29 and F-15 Eagle, and culminating in the groundwork required to create fifth-generation fighters like the Su-57 and F-22 Raptor. And, along the way, the superpowers, especially America, produced experimental aircraft like the X-1 (which broke the sound barrier) and the X-15 (which has held the air speed record for sixty-something years) and the SR-71 Blackbird.

Enter the Sierra I-Clas Submarine: A Titanium Monster 

The competition extended to the world’s oceans, too, most notably beneath the surface of the sea. Submarine development was emphasized because the submarine became a part of the nuclear triad (which also included ground-based missiles and bombers). Although, the submarine was distinct amongst the nuclear triad because the submarine was so difficult to track, and could operate to close to its potential target without being identified, helping to create and intensify much of the paranoia that radiated throughout the conflict, infecting the general population.

The superpowers created multiple enduring and impressive submarines during the Cold War – the Akula-class, the Los Angeles-class, and the Seawolf-class. But one of the lesser known submarines, the Soviet’s Sierra I-class, was particularly innovative, for its use of a titanium hull.

The Sierra I wasn’t the first submarine to use a titanium hull (that distinction belongs to the Alfa-class), but the Sierra I (known to the Soviets as the Project 945 Barrakuda) was a game changer all the same – and remains one of the only submarines ever built with a titanium hull.

According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, titanium is a “hard, shiny and strong metal” that “is as strong as steel but much less dense” and is “therefore important as an alloying agent with many metals.” Titanium has excellent military applicability because of the metal’s :low density and ability to withstand extremes of temperature.” In addition to aircraft, spacecraft, Soviet submarines, and missiles, titanium is also used in golf clubs, laptops, and bicycles.

The Soviets were the first (and last) to incorporate titanium into their submarine design, recognizing that “titanium alloy is usually stronger than steel but weighs half as much,” as Brent M. Eastwood noted. “[Titanium] is more expensive, up too three to five times more than steel. Titanium is also less corrosive in salt water. It can handle more pressure during deeper dives – all the way down to 2,200 feet.”

The resulting Sierra I was unique on account of its ability to reach high speeds, dive to great depths, and operate with minimal noise. Indeed, the Sierra “promised to be more capable, longer-legged, and more lethal than the second-generation Victors, Charlies, and Alfas that populated the Soviet undersea fleet entering the 1980s,” Robert Jensen wrote. “Faster and deeper diving than the Victors and Charlies, with greater endurance and more – and better – weapons than Alfas, the Sierras had the makings of the ultimate Soviet attack boat. Yet today, [the Sierras] are only remembered by those interested in Soviet attack submarines.”

It's true – the Sierra I-Class has mostly faded into obscurity, in large part because only two Sierra Is were made (plus two more Sierra IIs). Ultimately, the Soviets decided that the costly and labor-intensive titanium hulls were not worth the effort.

About the Author: Harrison Kass, Defense Expert  

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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