Submarines are one of the most powerful and secretive tools of any navy. Both the United States and Russia have strong submarine forces. They use these underwater ships for nuclear deterrence, intelligence gathering, and combat missions. This article compares the two submarine powers based on their numbers, types, strategic bases, and patrol routes.
Total Number of Submarines
Country
Total Submarines
Nuclear-Powered
Diesel-Electric
United States
~68
68
0
Russia
~58
~37
~21
The U.S. Navy only uses nuclear-powered submarines, while Russia uses both nuclear and diesel-electric.
The U.S. has more active nuclear submarines, but Russia has a more diverse mix.
Types of Submarines
United States
Type
Class Name
Role
SSBN
Ohio Class
Ballistic Missile Submarine (nuclear weapons)
SSN
Virginia, Los Angeles, Seawolf
Attack Submarine (combat and intelligence)
SSGN
Ohio (converted)
Guided Missile Submarine (Tomahawk missiles)
14 Ohio-class SSBNs carry Trident II D5 nuclear missiles.
4 Ohio-class SSGNs carry over 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles each.
The Virginia class is modern and stealthy.
Russia
Type
Class Name
Role
SSBN
Borei, Delta IV
Nuclear Deterrence
SSN
Yasen, Akula, Victor III
Attack Submarines
SSK
Kilo, Improved Kilo, Lada
Diesel-Electric Attack (coastal defense)
Russia has 11 SSBNs with Bulava or Sineva nuclear missiles.
Yasen-class subs are Russia’s most modern and powerful attack submarines.
Kilo-class diesel subs are very quiet, ideal for near-shore operations.
Strategic Submarine Bases
United States Bases
Location
Submarine Force
Kings Bay, Georgia
Atlantic SSBN Base
Bangor, Washington
Pacific SSBN Base
Groton, Connecticut
Atlantic SSN Base
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Pacific SSN Base
Guam
Forward SSN Base for Indo-Pacific
The U.S. splits its submarine fleet between Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Guam allows fast access to South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region.
Russia Bases
Location
Fleet
Gadzhiyevo (Murmansk)
Northern Fleet (Arctic, Atlantic access)
Vilyuchinsk (Kamchatka)
Pacific Fleet
Sevastopol (Crimea)
Black Sea Fleet (limited due to Turkey’s straits)
Tartus (Syria)
Mediterranean base (forward presence)
The Northern Fleet is Russia’s largest and most important.
Russia’s Pacific base is key for patrolling near Japan and the U.S. West Coast.
Strategic Routes and Patrol Areas
U.S. Patrol Routes
Ballistic missile subs (SSBNs) stay hidden in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.
Attack submarines (SSNs) patrol the South China Sea, North Atlantic, and near Russian or Chinese coasts.
Russian Patrol Routes
Northern Fleet SSBNs patrol the Barents Sea and under Arctic ice, protected by Russian territory.
Pacific Fleet subs patrol near Alaska, the Sea of Okhotsk, and Japan.
Russia also deploys diesel subs like the Kilo class to the Black Sea, Baltic, and Mediterranean.
Key Differences
Feature
United States
Russia
Only Nuclear Submarines?
✅ Yes
❌ No
Diesel Submarines
❌ None
✅ Many
Global Reach
✅ High (Guam, Hawaii, etc.)
⚠️ Limited by geography
Technology
✅ More modern (Virginia, Columbia in future)
⚠️ Mix of new and old
Nuclear Warhead Subs
14 SSBNs
11 SSBNs
The U.S. Navy has a larger, more modern, and fully nuclear-powered submarine fleet. It is designed for global operations. In contrast, Russia’s submarine fleet is diverse, with both nuclear and diesel subs, and strong in home waters like the Arctic.
While both countries invest heavily in their submarine forces, their strategies reflect their geography, technology, and military priorities.
