View source for Yankee-class submarine

{{Short description|Soviet ballistic missile submarine class}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image=[[File:Yankee class SSBN.svg|300px]]
| Ship caption=Yankee class SSBN profile
}}
|-
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image=File:Submarine Yankee I class.jpg
| Ship caption=A Yankee I-class submarine underway
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=Yankee class
|Builders=Severodvinsk and Komsomolsk
|Operators={{navy|Soviet Union}}
|Class before={{sclass2|Hotel|submarine|4}}
|Class after={{sclass2|Delta|submarine|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1964–1974
|In service range=
|In commission range=1967–1995
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=34
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=1
|Total ships retired=33
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Ballistic missile submarine]]
|Ship displacement=*7,700 tons surfaced
*9,300 tons submerged
|Ship length={{cvt|132|m|ftin}}
|Ship beam={{cvt|11.7|m|ftin}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught={{cvt|8|m|ftin}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=two [[VM-4 reactor|VM-4]] pressurized water cooled reactors powering four steam turbines driving two shafts.
|Ship speed=*Surfaced: {{convert|13|kn}}
*Submerged: {{convert|27|kn}}
|Ship range=Unlimited
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=120
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*Yankee I/II: 4 × {{cvt|533|mm}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*2 × {{cvt|400|mm}} torpedo tubes
*Yankee I: 16 × [[R-27 (missile)|R-27]] (SS-N-6 Serb) [[SLBM]]s
*Yankee II: 12 × [[R-31 (missile)|R-31]] (SS-N-17 Snipe) SLBMs
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''Yankee class''', [[List of ships of Russia by project number|Soviet designations]] '''Project 667A ''Navaga''''' ([[navaga]]) and '''Project 667AU ''Nalim''''' ([[burbot]]) for the [[Initial operating capability|basic]] '''Yankee-I''', were a family of [[Nuclear propulsion|nuclear-powered]] [[ballistic missile submarine]]s built in the [[Soviet Union]] for the [[Soviet Navy]]. In total, 34 units were built: 24 in [[Severodvinsk]] for the [[Northern Fleet]] and the remaining 10 in [[Komsomolsk-on-Amur]] for the [[Pacific Fleet (Russia)|Pacific Fleet]]. Two Northern Fleet units were later transferred to the Pacific.

The Yankee-class were subject to a [[#Variants|wide variety of modifications]]; these ships have a different designation to the original model.

==Design==
The Yankee-class [[nuclear submarine]]s were the first class of [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[ballistic missile submarine]]s (SSBN) to have  [[thermonuclear]] firepower comparable with that of their American and British [[Polaris missile|Polaris submarine]] counterparts. The Yankee class were quieter in the ocean than were their {{sclass2|Hotel|submarine|0}} predecessors, and had better [[drag (physics)|streamlining]] that improved their underwater performance. The Yankee class were actually quite similar to the Polaris submarines of the [[U.S. Navy]] and the [[Royal Navy]]. These boats were all armed with 16 [[submarine-launched ballistic missile]]s (SLBM) with multiple [[nuclear warhead]]s as [[nuclear deterrent]]s during the [[Cold War]], and their [[ballistic missile]]s had ranges from {{convert|1500|-|2500|nmi|lk=in}}.

==General characteristics (Yankee I)==
{{contradictory|date=November 2023}}
{{commons category|Yankee class submarines}}
*Length: {{cvt|128|m|ftin}}
*Beam: {{cvt|11.7|m|ftin}}
*Draught: {{cvt|8|m|ftin}}
*Surface displacement: 7,760 tonnes
*Full (Diving) displacement: 11,500 tonnes
*Speed: {{convert|28|kn}}
*Power plant: 2 [[VM-4 reactor|VM-4]] [[pressurized water reactor|reactors]]
*Hull: [[Degaussing|Low magnetic steel]]
*Crew: 114
*Compartments: 10
*Armament:
**4 {{cvt|21|in|mm}} [[torpedo tube]]s for 14 [[Type 53 torpedo]]es or [[naval mine|mines]].
**2 {{cvt|16|in|mm}} torpedo tubes for 4 Type 40 [[torpedo]]es
**16 [[SS-N-6]] liquid-fueled ballistic missiles
{{clear}}

== Operational history ==
[[File:Submarine Yankee I damaged.jpg|thumb|left|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-219||2}} damaged]]
The Yankee-class SSBNs served in the [[Soviet Navy]] in three oceans: the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean beginning in the 1960s. During the 1970s about three Yankee-class were continually on patrol in a so-called "patrol box" in the Atlantic Ocean just east of [[Bermuda]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051230/MIDOCEAN/112300121 |title=Title unknown |newspaper=[[The Royal Gazette (Bermuda)|The Royal Gazette]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060329044818/http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051230/MIDOCEAN/112300121 |archive-date=29 March 2006 }}</ref> and off the [[United States West Coast|US Pacific coast]]. This forward deployment of the SSBNs was seen to balance the presence of American, British, and French nuclear weapons kept in [[Western Europe]] and on [[warship]]s (including nuclear submarines) in  the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, including the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the Eastern Atlantic.

The lead boat {{ship|Soviet submarine|K-137||2}} ''Leninets'' received its [[honorific name]] on 11 April 1970, two and one half years after being commissioned. One Yankee-class submarine, {{ship|Soviet submarine|K-219||2}}, was lost on 6 October 1986 after an explosion and fire on board. This boat had been at sea near Bermuda, and she sank from loss of [[buoyancy]] because of flooding. Four of her sailors died before rescue ships arrived. The events surrounding the loss of this boat has continued to be [[controversial]].

At least one other boat in this class was involved in a collision with a U.S. Navy nuclear submarine.{{Citation needed|reason=very strong source required|date=March 2019}}

Because of their [[Obsolescence|increasing age]], and as negotiated in the [[SALT|SALT I]], [[START I]] and [[START II]] treaties that reduce [[nuclear armament]]s of the United States and the Soviet Union, all boats of Yankee class were disarmed, [[ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] and sent to the [[Ship-Submarine Recycling Program|nuclear ship scrapyards]].

== Variants ==
There were eight different versions of the Yankee-class submarines:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Yankee-class submarines<ref>{{cite web |title=Deepstorm.ru |url=http://www.deepstorm.ru/DeepStorm.files/45-92/nbrs/667A/list.htm |publisher=Deep Storm |access-date=23 November 2023}}</ref>
![[Ship commissioning|First entered service]]
![[NATO reporting name]]
![[List of ships of Russia by project number|Project name and number]]
!Image
!Class
!Main payload
!Numbers built
!Notes
|-
|1967
| Yankee-I
| 667А "[[Navaga|''Навага'']]"
|[[File:Yankee_class_SSBN.svg|100px]]
|SSBN
|16 × [[R-27 Zyb|Р-27 ''Зыбь'']]
|34
|Baseline; first Soviet sub to carry SLBMs in hull, as [[Golf-class submarine|opposed]] [[Hotel-class submarine|to]] the [[Sail (submarine)|sail]]. Some were [[Strategic Arms Limitation Talks|later disarmed and operated as SSNs]]; sometimes classed as SSNX
|-
|1975
|Improved Yankee-I
|667АУ "[[Burbot|''Налим'']]"
|
|SSBN
|16 × [[R-27 Zyb#R-27U (RSM-25)|Р-27У]]
|13 converted
|У/U for Improved ({{Langx|ru|Улучшен}}; Uluchshen)
|-
|1977
| Yankee-II
| 667АМ "''Навага-М''"
|[[File:Yankee II class SSBN.svg|100px]]
|SSBN
|12 × [[R-31 (missile)|Р-31]]
|1 converted
|First Soviet sub to carry [[Solid-propellant rocket|solid-fueled]] SLBMs. Subsequently theorized as emergency [[satellite launch|satellite-launcher]] or [[Anti-ship ballistic missile|to strike]] ships in [[aircraft carrier battle group]]s
|-
|1987
| Yankee Notch
| 667АТ "[[Pear|''Груша'']]"
|[[File:Yankee Notch class SSGN.svg|100px]]
|[[SSGN]]/[[Attack submarine|SSN]]
|32-40 × [[RK-55 |РК-55 ''Гранат'']] (SS-N-21 Sampson)
|3 converted + 4 unfinished
|Lengthened by {{convert|12|m|ftin}} to {{cvt|141.5|m|ftin}}; 8 more [[torpedo tube]]s in waist
|-
|1989 (program cancelled)
| Yankee Sidecar
|667М "[[Andromeda (mythology)|''Андромеда'']]"
|[[File:Yankee Sidecar class SSGN.svg|100px]]
|[[Cruise-missile submarine|SSGN]]
|12 × [[Kh-80|П-750 ''Метеорит'']] (SS-NX-24 Scorpion)
|1 converted
|Delivered as an attack sub due to missile program cancellation. {{cvt|153|m|ftin}} long, 13,650 tons full [[Displacement (ship)|displacement]]
|-
|1984
|Yankee Pod
|667АК "[[Axon|''Аксон-1'']]"
|[[File:Yankee Pod class SSN.svg|100px]]
|[[Prototype|SSAN]]
|[[Towed array sonar]], pod, other [[Sensor|sensor systems]]
|1 converted
|K-403 ''Kazan''. The [[fin|tailfin]]-pod is similar to those of the [[Victor-class submarine#Project 671RTM/RTMK Shchuka (Victor_III)|''Щука''-]] and [[Akula-class submarine|''Щука-Б'' SSNs]]
|-
|1996
|Yankee Big Nose
|09780 "[[Axon|''Аксон-2'']]"
|[[File:Yankee Big Nose class SSN.svg|100px]]
|[[Prototype|SSAN]]
|Towed array sonar, Irtysh-Amphora spherical sonar array
|1 converted + 1 unfinished ({{ship|Soviet submarine|K-415||2}})
|Further modified K-403 ''Kazan''. Tail now resembles those of the [[Delta-class submarine#Delta IV (Project 667BDRM Delfin) 7 boats|667BDRM]] and [[Oscar-class submarine#Project 949A Antei (Oscar II)|949А]] submarines. The Irtysh-Amphora would later equip the [[Russian submarine Severodvinsk (K-560)|lead boat of the Yasen class]]
|-
|1991
| Yankee Stretch
|09774/667АН
|[[File:Yankee-Stretch class SSN.svg|100px]]
|"Research" submarine
|[[Paltus-class submarine|''Палтус''-class midget submarine]]
|1 converted ({{ship|Soviet submarine|K-411||2}})
|{{cvt|160|m|ftin}} long. Stated to be an [[oceanographic vessel]], but believed to be a [[Spy ship|spy sub]] similar to {{USS|Jimmy Carter}}
|}
<gallery class="center" mode="nolines" widths="250" noborder="no" caption="Yankee-class submarines in life">
File:A Soviet Yankee Notch Class submarine.jpg|Yankee Notch
File:Submarine Yankee II class.jpg|Yankee II
File:KS-403 Kazan as Akson-2.jpg|Yankee Big Nose
</gallery>

In addition, [[List of ships of Russia by project number|Soviet/Russian classification]] includes the [[Delta-class submarine]]s within the same family of Project 667; Deltas being Project 667B onward.
{{Further|Delta-class submarine}}
{{clear}}

=== Units ===
{{Update|inaccurate=yes|table|date=August 2012}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Yankee class — significant dates
!#
!Project
!Shipyard
!Laid down
!Launched
!Commissioned
!Status
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-137||2}}
|667A, 667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|4 November 1964
|11 September 1966
|6 November 1967
|Decommissioned 3 April 1994 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003">Korabli VMF SSSR, Vol. 1, Part 1, Yu. Apalkov, Sankt Peterburg, 2003, {{ISBN|5-8172-0069-4}}</ref>
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-140||2}}
| 667A, 667AM
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|19 September 1965
|23 August 1967
|30 December 1967
|Decommissioned 19 April 1990 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-26||2}}
| 667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|30 December 1965
|23 December 1967
|3 September 1968
|Decommissioned 17 July 1988 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-32||2}}
| 667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|25 February 1966
|25 April 1968
|26 October 1968
|Decommissioned 19 April 1990 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-216||2}}
|667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|6 June 1966
|6 August 1968
|27 December 1968
|Decommissioned 1985 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-207||2}}
|667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|4 November 1966
|20 September 1968
|30 May 1968
|Decommissioned 30 May 1989 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-210||2}}
|667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|16 December 1966
|29 December 1968
|6 August 1969
|Decommissioned 17 July 1988 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-249||2}}
|667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|18 March 1967
|30 March 1969
|27 September 1969
|Decommissioned 17 July 1988 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-253||2}}
|667A, 667AT
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|26 June 1967
|5 June 1969
|28 November 1969
|Decommissioned for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-395||2}}
|667A, 667AT
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|8 September 1967
|28 July 1969
|5 December 1969
|Decommissioned for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-339||2}}
|667A
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|23 February 1968
|23 June 1969
|24 December 1969
|Decommissioned 19 April 1990 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-408||2}}
|667A, 667AT
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|20 January 1968
|10 September 1969
|25 December 1969
|Decommissioned 17 July 1988 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-411||2}}
|667A, 667AN
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|25 May 1968
|16 January 1970
|31 August 1970
|Decommissioned for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-418||2}}
|667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|29 June 1968
|14 March 1970
|22 September 1970
|Decommissioned 17 March 1989 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-420||2}}
|667A, 667M
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|12 October 1968
|25 April 1970
|29 October 1970
|Decommissioned for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-423||2}}
|667A, 667AT
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|13 January 1969
|7 April 1970
|13 November 1970
|Decommissioned for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-434||2}}
|667AU
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|23 February 1969
|29 May 1970
|30 November 1970
|Decommissioned 17 March 1989 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-426||2}}
|667A
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|17 April 1969
|28 August 1970
|22 December 1970
|Decommissioned 19 April 1990 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-236||2}}
|667AU
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|6 November 1969
|4 August 1970
|27 December 1970
|Decommissioned 1 September 1990 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-415||2}}
|667A, 667AK-2
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|4 July 1969
|26 September 1970
|30 December 1970
|Decommissioned 6 August 1987 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-403||2}}
|667A, 667AK-1
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|18 August 1969
|25 March 1971
|12 August 1971<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|Decommissioned for scrapping
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-389||2}}
|667A
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|26 July 1970
|27 June 1971
|25 November 1971
|Decommissioned 19 April 1990 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-245||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|16 October 1969
|9 August 1971
|16 December 1971
|Decommissioned 14 March 1992 for scrapping<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-219||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|28 May 1970
|8 October 1971
|31 December 1971<ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|Lost 3 October 1986
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-252||2}}
|667A
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|25 December 1970
|12 September 1971
|31 December 1971
|Decommissioned 17 March 1989 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-214||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|19 February 1970
|1 September 1971
|8 February 1972
|Decommissioned 24 June 1991 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-228||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|4 September 1970
|3 May 1972
|30 September 1972
|Decommissioned 3 September 1994 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-258||2}}
|667AU
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|30 March 1971
|26 May 1972
|30 September 1972
|Decommissioned 16 June 1991 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-241||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|24 December 1970
|9 June 1972
|23 October 1972
|Decommissioned 16 June 1992 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-444||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|8 April 1971
|1 August 1972
|23 December 1972
|Decommissioned 30 September 1994 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-446||2}}
|667AU
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|7 November 1971
|8 August 1972
|22 January 1973
|Decommissioned 17 March 1993 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-451||2}}
|667AU
|SEVMASH, Severodvinsk
|23 February 1972
|29 April 1973
|7 September 1971
|Decommissioned 16 June 1991 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-436||2}}
|667AU
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|7 November 1972
|25 July 1973
|5 December 1973
|Decommissioned 14 March 1992 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|{{ship|Soviet submarine|K-430||2}}
|667AU
|Leninskiy Komsomol Shipyard, Komsomolsk
|27 July 1973
|28 July 1974
|25 December 1974
|Decommissioned 12 January 1995 for scrapping <ref name="Korabli VMF SSSR 2003" />
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020708140050/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/k19/sub_detail_sov4.html National Geographic: Yankee class] accessed 14 March 2004.
*[http://www.ais.org/~schnars/aero/nato-shp.htm NATO Code Names for Submarines and Ships] accessed 14 March 2004.
*[https://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/slbm/667A.htm Federation of American Scientists: Yankee class] accessed 11 June 2006.
*[http://www.bellona.org/reports/The_Russian_Northern_Fleet_report_chapters/1176144563.17 Bellona Report: Project 667 A (Nalim, Navaga) – Yankee Class] accessed 11 June 2006.
*[http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/russia/submar.htm World Navies Today: Russian Submarines] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012185516/http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/russia/submar.htm |date=12 October 2007 }} accessed 11 June 2006.
*Jane's Fighting Ships of the World, 1994.

{{Yankee class submarine}}
{{Soviet and Russian submarines after 1945}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yankee Class Submarine}}
[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Yankee-class submarines| ]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the Soviet Union| ]]
[[Category:Submarine classes of the Russian and Soviet Navy]]
[[Category:Nuclear submarines of the Soviet Navy]]