INFOGRAPHICS #17: Russian Navy submarines (collection)

The past meets the present! Typhoon and Borei SSBN class

This is a collection of fifteen (15) infographics about Russian Navy submarines. The majority of them refer to those vessels that are currently in active service. Please keep in mind that the data on the infographics might not be completely accurate, some of the reported numbers are approximations such as the operational depth, the submerged speed, other capabilities or even the number of submarines that are in active service. As somebody can guess, this is classified information.

The first infographic was created by the talented artist Anton Egorov and it depicts in one image all the submarines that are currently in service with the Russian Navy and their main characteristics and capabilities.

Russian Navy submarines by Anton Egorov High resolution image here.

INFOGRAPHICS #16 and HISTORY #3: Battleships of WWII!

Written by D-Mitch

IJN Yamato in 1941. The ship, together with its sister-ship,
IJN Musashi, were the only super-battleships that saw action.

This article is devoted to the battleships, the most powerful ships to sail the waves and the pride of every navy from 1880 to the early '40s. These large warships with the impressive gun armament, the so-called "Castles of Steel" or "The Floating Fortresses", were a symbol of naval dominance and national might, and for decades the battleship was a major factor in both diplomacy and military strategy. The following image (compiled by iksanov) depicts individual battleships and battlecruisers of major battleship classes as they were in a specific year (camouflage, prior or after a modernization, etc.). The majority of them served during WWII with very few exceptions such as the España class battleship Jaime I (n.28) or the HMS Vanguard (n.2) that was commissioned in 1946 (I modified the original image because instead of Vanguard, it had the Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleship, a ship that was never completed and commissioned). Somebody can notice also that not all the battleship classes are included, such examples are the Conte di Cavour class of Italy, the New Mexico and Pennsylvania classes of the United States of America, the Ise class of Japan and many more classes of the United Kingdom. For a brief overview of all the battleship classes (ironclads, pre-dreadnoughts, dreadnoughts, battleships and fast battleships), including those that were never commissioned, you can read here (I noticed quickly that some classes are missing though such as the Espana class). About the individual battleships within the classes you can find them here where they are listed alphabetically. Please notice that the silhouettes have not been created by me but by anonymous users in the web (if somebody found an author or the authors please send me a message!)

INFOGRAPHICS #15 and HISTORY #2: United States Navy aircraft carriers (1922 - today)

Original article (link) by Annalisa Underwood
Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division, U.S. Navy

The article was improved by D-Mitch, with the addition of information, images, table (original table before the corrections here) and with the inclusion of the escort aircraft carrier classes.

Text and map of the current U.S. Navy aircraft carrier museums by (the excellent!) Jeff Head (link).

The evolution of the United States Navy aircraft carrier from 1922 till present:

Evolution of the USN aircraft carrier. Image: Annalisa Underwood and James Caiella.
High resolution image here.

The U.S. Navy’s first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV-1), was converted from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3) and recommissioned March 20, 1922. Langley had a displacement of 11,500 tons and measured 542 feet in length. She could travel at a speed of 15.5 knots (17.8 mph) and boasted a crew of 468 personnel. Though Langley was not the first ship with an installed flight deck or the first ship from which an airplane had taken off, her service marked the birth of the era of the carrier. She was also the sight of the first carrier catapult when her commanding officer, Cmdr. Kenneth Whiting, was catapulted from her deck.

INFOGRAPHICS #14: The Great White Fleet

The arrival of the Great White Fleet at San Francisco (May 6, 1908).
Magic Lantern Slide, scan courtesy of John Freeman

The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from December 16, 1907 to February 22, 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with various escorts. Roosevelt sought to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water navy capability. Hoping to enforce treaties and protect overseas holdings, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds to build American sea power. Beginning with just 90 small ships, over one-third of them wooden, the navy quickly grew to include new modern steel fighting vessels. The hulls of these ships were painted white, the Navy's peacetime color scheme, decorated with gilded scroll-work with a red, white, and blue banner on their bows. These ships would later come to be known as the Great White Fleet.

INFOGRAPHICS #13: Trafalgar class nuclear powered attack submarines of the Royal Navy

HMS Triumph, last built submarine of the Trafalgar class.
Photo: Moshi Anahory

The Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered attack submarines were designed as Cold War warriors but have been adapted to the demands of the 21st century. The primary role was to hunt out and destroy enemy nuclear missile submarines as well as surface ships, over the decades they have been kitted out to perform other roles including covert surveillance and inshore reconnaissance of installations and landing beaches. All seven vessels were constructed by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Three submarines have already retired (Trafalgar, Turbulent and Tireless) and four are active (Torbay, Trenchant, Talent and Triumph). These four submarines have been fitted with the Sonar 2076 system, which the Royal Navy describes as the most advanced sonar in service with any navy in the world. The Sonar 2076 sonar suite has the processing power of 2,000 laptop computers while it has the world’s largest number of hydrophones (13,000!), providing the Royal Navy with the “biggest ears” of any sonar system in service today. This sonar is so sensitive that one lurking in the Solent would be able to detect a ship leaving New York harbor 3,500 miles across the Atlantic! The boats have a displacement of 5,300tons, a length of 85.4 meters and the complement is 130 people. Like all Royal Navy submarines, the Trafalgar class have strengthened fins and retractable hydroplanes, allowing them to surface through thick ice.The submarines of the class are equipped with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahwak land attack cruise missiles. The following images depict the compartments and the general characteristics of the boat as well as its most important weapon systems and electronic equipment.

INFOGRAPHICS #12: USS Arizona (BB-39) battleship

USS Arizona. Photo: US Navy

The following image was created by Donn Thorson and it illustrates in detail main characteristics and weaponry of one of the most famous battleships in  United States history, the USS Arizona (BB-39). USS Arizona was a Pennsylvania-class battleship built for and by the United States Navy in the mid-1910s; it was the second and last of the Pennsylvania class of super-dreadnought battleships which in comparison with the dreadnoughts, they had increased displacement, heavier guns and all their main armament was placed on the centreline. The ship is best known for her cataclysmic and dramatic sinking during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the event that brought about U.S. involvement in World War II. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Arizona was bombed. The battleship exploded and sank, killing 1,177 officers and crewmen. Unlike many of the other ships sunk or damaged that day, Arizona could not be fully salvaged, though the Navy removed parts of the ship for reuse. The wreck still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, dedicated on 30 May 1962 to all those who died during the attack, straddles the ship's hull.

INFOGRAPHICS #11: USS New Jersey (BB-62) fast battleship, the largest and most decorated battleship in the US Navy's history

USS New Jersey in 1985. Photo: US Navy

The following image was created by Aaron Steckeuberg, Michael Price and Chang Blancharo and illustrates the USS New Jersey (BB-62) second ship of Iowa class fast battleships (sister ships are USS Iowa, USS Missouri and USS Wisconsin). USS New Jersey is the largest (by 4 inches, that's its nickname is Big J) and most decorated battleship in the US Navy's history with 19 earned Battle Stars; 9 in WWII, 4 in the Korean War, 2 in the Vietnam War and 4 for the service in Lebanon and the Persian Gulf region! New Jersey earned more battle stars for combat actions than the other three completed Iowa-class battleships, and was the only US battleship providing gunfire support during the Vietnam War. The distinguished battleship serves as a museum ship since 2000 in Camden, New Jersey. Read more here and here.

INFOGRAPHICS #10: USS North Carolina (BB-55) fast battleship, the most highly decorated American battleship of World War II

USS North Carolina

The following image was created by Charles Apple in 1995 and illustrates the USS North Carolina (BB-55) lead-ship of North Carolina class fast battleships (sister ship was USS Washington). She was the first newly constructed American battleship to enter service during World War II, and took part in every major naval offensive in the Pacific Theater of Operations; her 15 Βattle Stars made her the most highly decorated American battleship of World War II! The distinguished battleship serves as a museum ship since 29 April 1962 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Read more about the ship here.

INFOGRAPHICS #9: United States Navy capital ships 1861-1945

The following image created by Donn Thorson depicts all the classes of U.S. Navy capital ships from 1861 to 1945 which includes monitors, pre-dreadnoughts, dreadnoughts and battleships. For all the classes, the author gives the vessels that were in each class, the general characteristics and the main armament. Other illustrations related to U.S. Navy you can find here.

Click to enlarge and save the image to view the details: US Navy Capital Ships. In high resolution here

INFOGRAPHICS #8: Ohio class nuclear powered ballistic missile and guided missiles submarines of US Navy

Ohio class ballistic missile submarine

The Ohio class is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) produced by United States (General Dynamics, Electric Boat) and operated by the United States Navy. These submarines are the largest submarines ever built for the Navy and they carry more missiles than any other ballistic submarine in the world (watch the following nice video). This force of ballistic missile submarines carry approximately about the half of the total inventory of the total US active inventory of strategic thermonuclear warheads. From the 18 submarines in the class, the first four (4) of them have been converted to guided (cruise) missile submarines (SSGN). Each ballistic missile submarine is armed with 24 Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) with a range of about 11,300km (!) carrying up to 12 MIRVed W76 or W88 (300–475 kt TNT) nuclear warheads each . Each cruise missile submarine carry seven (7) cruise missiles in each cell of total 22 therefore a single submarine can carry maximum 154 (!) Tomahawk cruise missiles with either conventional or nuclear warheads, a complement of Harpoon anti-ship missiles to be fired through their torpedo tubes plus they are able to sustain more than 66 Special Operations Forces personnel. All the submarines are armed with four (4) 21in torpedo tubes for Mk48 heavyweight submarine-launched torpedoes designed to sink deep-diving nuclear-powered submarines and high-performance surface ships.

INFOGRAPHICS #7: Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarines of US Navy

USS Key West, Flight II Los Angeles class submarine of US Navy

Los Angeles-class (SSN688) submarines form the backbone of the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet; it is the class that has more operating nuclear submarines than any other in the world. Their primary missions are to hunt enemy submarines and surface ships, launch cruise-missile strikes on land-based targets and gather intelligence. The boats were designed by General Dynamics Electric Boat and they are divided in three flights (Flight I, II and III) based on improvements in their design and equipment such as electronics, armament and characteristics. The Flight I consists of 31 submarines (only 11 are active, in commission), the Flight II have a 12 Vertical Launch Tubes (VLS) for Tomahawk missiles and it consists of 8 submarines (all in active service) and the final Flight III consists of 23 submarines of which only one has been retired. The final 23 submarines of the 62-ship class are known also as improved 688s (688i). These are quieter and they are equipped with more advanced electronics and sensors as well as retractable bow planes (and not on their sails like the other Flights) and hardened sails to break through ice during Arctic operations.

INFOGRAPHICS #6: American Civil War ironclads - Major combatants, cutaways and photos

USS Monitor

The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 between the United States of America, consisting of the Northern States and California (known as the North or Union), under President Abraham Lincoln and the Confederate States of America, consisting of the Southern States and Texas (known as the South or Confederacy), under President Jefferson Davis. Some of the vessels that are depicted on the images are either unique vessels such as USS Monitor or lead-ships of a class such as USS Passaic while there are different kinds of ironclads such as monitors, gunboats, riverboats, floating batteries screw steamers and others. The Battle of Hampton Roads (March 8–9, 1862) was the first battle between ironclad warships, i.e. the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia. This naval battle was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies. Another first during this war, was the loss of the USS Cairo, an ironclad gunboat that sunk by a naval mine, on 12 December 1862 in the Yazoo River. Some very good and rare photos from this war can be seen here, a large collection of photos collected by the Trans-Mississippi Theater Photo Archive.

INFOGRAPHICS #5: Astute class nuclear powered attack submarines of the Royal Navy

HMS Ambush during sea trials near Scotland.
Photo: Will Haigh

The Astute-class are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world leading sensors, design and weaponry in a versatile vessel. The following images depict the compartments and the general characteristics of the boat as well as its most important weapon systems and electronic equipment. The boats of the class are believed to be the world's most powerful nuclear attack submarines. The Sonar 2076 sonar suite has the processing power of 2,000 laptop computers while it has the world’s largest number of hydrophones (13,000!), providing the Royal Navy with the “biggest ears” of any sonar system in service today. This sonar is so sensitive that one lurking in the Solent would be able to detect a ship leaving New York harbour 3,500 miles across the Atlantic! In 2012, during simulated battles with the United States Navy's latest Virginia-class submarine USS New Mexico, it was reported that the Americans were "taken aback" by Astute's capabilities. Royal Navy Commander Ian Breckenridge was quoted saying: “Our sonar is fantastic and I have never before experienced holding a submarine at the range we were holding USS New Mexico. The Americans were utterly taken aback, blown away with what they were seeing.” Swiftsure and Trafalgar Update manager, Captain Ian Hughes said, "A good analogy for the performance of Sonar 2076 is that if the submarine was in Winchester it would be able to track a double decker bus going round Trafalgar Square" (a distance of about 60 miles). The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness. Two boats have been commissioned, the third one was launched recently while four more are under construction. See more here.

INFOGRAPHICS #4: United States Navy battleships, destroyers and submarines

The following images (updated) are created by Steve Freeman (sfreeman421 for deviantart) and depict all the classes of battleships, destroyers and submarines that were/are in service with the United States Navy. Enjoy this great artwork!

US Navy Battleships. In high resolution here

INFOGRAPHICS #3: Ranks and insignia of NATO Navies

An image that depicts all the ranks and insignia used by the navy personnel, enlisted and officers, of the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Click to enlarge and save the image to view the details: naval ranks and insignia of NATO. For high resolution click here.

INFOGRAPHICS #2: Virginia class nuclear powered fast attack submarines of US Navy

USS Virginia (SSN-774)

Virginia class submarines are the latest nuclear attack submarines operated by US Navy. They were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf class attack submarines and they are planned to replace the older of the Los Angeles-class submarines. Virginia-class submarines will be acquired through 2043, and are expected to remain in service past 2060. Based on recent updates to the designs, some of the Virginia-class submarines are expected to still be in service in 2070. Below a great work by Stephen Rountree for the U.S. Navy, General Dynamics Electric Boat Corporation and Newport News Shipbuilding. At the left, a photo of the lead ship of the class, USS Virginia (SSN-774), while she returns to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard following the successful completion of its first voyage in open seas called "alpha" sea trials, in July, 2004.

INFOGRAPHICS #1: Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy

Illustrious (left) sits alongside Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth in 2014,
showing the difference in size between the Invincible class and the
ships that will replace them - the comparison is shocking!

The Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers will be the biggest and most powerful warships ever constructed for the Royal Navy. The first ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to enter service in 2020. Some key facts about the class by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance. The ships will be 65,000 tonnes at full displacement - over three times the size of the Invincible Class aircraft carriers. The length is 280m - 90m longer than the Invisible class aircraft carriers while the width is 70m - twice the Invisible's width. Each ship has two propellers which together will output some 80MW of power - enough to run 1,000 family cars or 50 high speed trains. The distribution network on board will manage enough energy to power 300,000 kettles or 5,500 family homes. Each ship's two propellers will weigh 33 tonnes each - nearly two and half times as heavy as a double decker bus and one and half times as high. Each of the two huge aircraft lifts can move two Joint Strike Fighters from the hangar to the flight deck in 60 seconds. They're so powerful that together they could lift the entire ship's crew. Each of the QE Class aircraft carriers can take up to 40 aircraft, both rotary and fixed wing. There will be a 110MW power station on board each ship - that's enough to provide all of Portsea Island with power. The anchors will be 3.1m high, each weighing 13 tonnes - almost as much as a double decker bus. The ships on-board water treatment plant will produce over 500 tonnes of fresh water daily.