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The Akula, launched in 1907, was an attack submarine built for the Russian Imperial Navy. She was the first Russian submarine
capable of cruising long distances and also the most successful project of a submarine completed by this country before the
outbreak of the Great War. In 1912 the Akula effectuated the first simultaneous launching of multiple torpedoes (five units).
The submarine carried up to eight torpedoes which were ready to be launched, plus eight reloads. Four torpedoes were externally
mounted in Drzewiecki drop collars - a system which was then becoming obsolete - while other four were launched from torpedo tubes
installed in both ends of the saddle tanks located at each side of the hull. Despite of this one being very narrow, the speed
achieved was lesser than expected. During the war she served with the Baltic Fleet, effectuating sixteen patrols and attacking,
without success, the German battleship SMS Beowulf. Eventually, the Akula struck a mine and sank near Ventspils (Latvia) in
November 1915, during her 17th patrol.
Class: Akula (1 unit - Akula)
Type: Attack submarine
Length: 56 meters
Beam: 3.7 meters
Draught: 3.4 meters
Displacement (surfaced): 380 tonnes
Displacement (submerged): 475 tonnes
Propulsion: 3 x shaft, 3 x Diesel engine 300 horsepower, 1 x electric motor 300 horsepower
Speed (surfaced): 10.6 knots (19.6 kilometers/hour)
Speed (submerged): 4.6 knots (9 kilometers/hour)
Range (surfaced): 1000 nautical miles (1852 kilometers) at 8 knots
Range (submerged): 28 nautical miles (51.8 kilometers) at 3 knots
Test depth: 50 meters
Complement: 22
Armament: 4 x 457-millimeter torpedo tube (2 at prow, 2 astern), 4 x 457-millimeter Drzewiecki torpedo drop collar, 4 x torpedo reload
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