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New Sovietskiy Krokodil Submersible Troop Transport:


In common with the American navy and other navies, the Soviet navy was interested in submersible designs to fill a variety of common roles. These included fast attack submarines, cruise missile submarines, and ballistic missile submarines. Designs filling similar roles had been in service prior to the first fall of communism in the Soviet Union. While Russia was under nominally democratic leadership, the navy had been allowed to deteriorate greatly.


Initial development of the replacements for these submarines was began soon after the communists took control of the Russian government. Starting with the Drakon class fast attack submarine, construction on these new submarines was begun within the first decade of communist leadership with an emphasis on numbers. The surface navy was also in poor shape and required almost complete replacement as well.


It was not until later that development of specialist role submarines was considered. One of these was the Krokodil class. The idea was a submersible vessel which could act as a troop transport and could also support the troops with an initial bombardment. The vessel was the largest submarine built before experiments in submersible carriers and is positively huge. In fact, it is even larger than the American Francis Scott Key class Ballistic Missile Submarine class of the same basic time frame and the long scrapped Soviet Typhoon Ballistic Missile Submarine class.


Under communist leadership, the Soviet Union became very dark one again. The submarine yards themselves are also covered, preventing overhead observation. As a result, it is not quite clear when the first of the Krokodil class submersible troop transports was actually laid down. However, it is believed that construction on the first of the class was begun in the middle part of the 2060s. Construction appears to have been relatively protracted with the first not entering service until 2072.


Unlike most other submarine classes, these submersible troop transports were produced in small numbers. Only four were completed by the time of the Great Cataclysm although naval intelligence indicated that two more were under construction at the time. The main reason why so few of the submarines were manufactured is believed to have been because they were actually more expensive to build than the Soviet surface carriers were.


Just prior to the Great Cataclysm occurred, the four Krokodils were deployed against potentially hostile bases. One was deployed against Iceland, one was deployed against Diego Garcia, one was deployed against an American base in Alaska , and the final was deployed against Greenland. Two Krokodil class submersible troop transports were destroyed by American fast attack submarines, one simply disappeared, and the last vessel of the class found its way to other Soviet submersible vessels at their secret base in Antarctica.


Standard operating procedure for the Krokodil class submersible troop transports was to use stealth to come close to a target location, launch a huge volley of cruise missiles to destroy all defenses, and then follow up the attack with troops directly behind them. The United States operated vessels in a similar role with the Greyback class submersible troop transport although the American design was far smaller. One major difference between American and Soviet marine forces was the use of cyborgs with the Soviets instead of power armors. Heavy cyborgs with flight packs filled a similar role to what flying power armors did for other military forces. Otherwise, Soviet marine leadership did not use heavy cyborgs as much as the army and preferred light cyborgs except for special roles such as airborne assault roles.


Even though designed for amphibious assault, these submersible troop transports were used more often to move troops and supplies to remote Soviet bases clandestinely. One of the Krokodil class submersible troop transport was used as a test platform for aircraft operating from the deck of a submarine. Information from testing was used to develop the first Soviet submersible carrier.


In general appearance, the Krokodil class submersible troop transport is similar to the old Typhoon class Ballistic missile submarine with the sail being very large and set far aft on the submarine. Compared to American submarines, with few exceptions, the sail is a much larger structure. In common with other Soviet submarine designs, the submersible troop transport was constructed from advanced composites and is designed with multiple hulls to be able to withstand huge amounts of damage. Along with the ability to withstand damage, the submersible troop transport was designed to dive to incredibly deep depth with the submarine able to dive down to 2.2 kilometers below the surface.


As was common with other large Soviet submarine classes, both prior to the collapse and after the reformation of the Soviet Union, the Krokodil is of a twin shaft design. There were concerns by Soviet engineers over the huge stresses on a single shaft and the twin shaft design gave an extra level of redundancy. With a top speed of just under thirty-two knots, the Krokodil class was considered quite fast for its size although slower than most fast attack submarines. Power for the twin shafts is provided by four fusion reactors.


While not considered to be quite up to the standards of the most advanced Western submarine designs, the Krokodil is still extremely quiet. This is due in part to improved sound isolation with respect to the machinery. In addition, the propulsion system uses a pair of pump jets instead of propellers and the submarine has a sound absorbing rubber coating to further reduce the submarine’s noise levels.


The reason for the relatively unusual hull design with the main sailing being located so fat aft was due to the fact that the front of the submarine contains the submarine’s troop and vehicle compartments. In order to facilitate launching vehicles and troops, the section has a number of hatches with special air locks. With respect to launching light armor vehicles, the Krokodil class submersible troop transport can launch them at depths down to about twenty-five meters while cyborg troopers can be launched down to to their maximum depth. While the Krokodil carries a pair of ground support VTOL aircraft, they can only be launched while the submersible troop transport is on the surface. In addition to carry light armored vehicles and attack VTOL craft, the Krokodil carries sleds for troops to operate underwater.


Where possible, the Krokodil class does operate the same systems as are mounted on other Soviet submarines. These include the hull sonar and towed array sonar system. While not quite up to Western standards, the sonar systems are far better than designs prior to the fall of the Soviet Union. During initial development, there was strong consideration given towards deleting the towed array and relying strictly on the hull sonar but in the end it was decided to retain both.


One major change is in the radar systems. Most other Soviet submarine classes were limited to extremely short range radar systems used for surface navigation and to engage targets using the short range missile battery. However, it was decided that the Krokodil class would require a longer ranged radar system in order to be able to manage its own air assets including the two ground support aircraft and flying cyborg troops.


Known as the “Top Star,” this radar is believed to have been derived from the “Morning Star” radar system carried on a number of Soviet surface vessels. It is a rotating active phased array radar system which could be fully retracted when the submarine is operating at depth but can be deployed when the Krokodil is on the surface or operating at periscope depths. The radar system uses a smaller antenna than the surface radar system which it was developed from.


Discounting troops, the main weaponry of the Krokodil are the octuple cruise missile batteries which are mounted in the hull with five on either side of the vessel’s large sail. Located outside of the pressure hull, the ten octuple cruise missile batteries give the submersible troop transport a total payload of eighty cruise missiles. Even though this is a smaller payload than the Vyper class cruise missile submarine, it is still considered quite capable of decimating most bases. One should note that while primarily used against land targets, they can be used to engage surface ships as well.


Useful both against other submarines and against surface vessels, the Krokodil has four 650 mm super heavy torpedo tubes in the very bow above the main sonar array. A total of thirty-six torpedoes can be carried. While missiles can also be fired from the bow torpedo tubes, they are not known to have been carried aboard the submersible troop transport while in Soviet service. The American Greyback class also only has four torpedo tubes but carries more torpedoes although smaller. In order to reach the torpedo tubes aboard the Krokodil, the crew had to pass through troop compartments and some altercations between soldiers and sailors have occurred when crew members were passing through these compartments.


As with other Soviet submarine classes, the Krokodil is protected by active weapon systems instead of more passive methods. For defense against torpedoes, the Krokodil carries a pair of “Killer Dart” torpedo interceptors with one on either side of the hull in retractable mounts. They are also considered extremely useful against divers. As defense against aircraft and missiles for while the submarine is surfaced or near the surface, the Krokodil carries a retractable short range missile launcher in the sail.


In comparison to most other Soviet submarine classes, the Krokodil class submersible troop transport carries a much larger crew. In large part this is due to all of the extra jobs expected of the crew. As with other Soviet designs, the Krokodil class did not usually operate on long deployments. A number of Soviet submarines operated exclusively with crews of officers and even those with enlisted compliments tended to have extremely large officer compliment. In all cases, these officers were expected to perform jobs where enlisted crew might aboard American submarines. Even though the Krokodil class does have enlisted aboard, it is no exception to having officers perform almost all important jobs aboard.


While the Western militaries preferred power armors, the Soviet military generally preferred cyborg troops. Normal compliment of the Krokodil class submersible troop transport was primarily light cyborg troops with a smaller compliment of heavy cyborg troops. The heavy cyborg troops were often fitted with flight packs to perform similar roles to flight capable power armors but also were used as shock troops. While the submersible troop transport might also carry normal non augmented personnel, they usually operated in support roles.


While underway, the crew and troops of the Krokodil rarely mixed. In fact, the troop section was designed with its own mess. Compared to the crew areas, the troop section is quite cramped due to the large numbers of troops which were usually embarked. The sailors, even the enlisted, often consider themselves to be superior to the soldiers and rivalry was often intense.


Author Note: With respect to time line, these designs may or may not reflect our modern time line. The time line of these writeups diverged from our time line starting around 1999. Consider the universe that these designs are created for to be an alternate universe not bound by ours.


Model Type: Krokodil Submersible Troop Transport.

Class: Ocean, Submersible Troop Transport.

Crew: 128; 68 officers, 60 petty officers and enlisted crew members (Has a high degree of automation).

Troop Capacity: 4 ground support VTOL craft pilots, 4 amphibious tanks crew-members, 8 Amphibious troop transports crew-members, 500 normal troops (including partial conversions) / light cyborg soldiers, and 120 heavy cyborg soldiers (with jet packs).


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

Fighter/Aircraft Compliment:

 

2

Mi-221 “Firefly” Attack VTOL Aircraft.

Tanks & Other Vehicles:

 

2

PT-262 Light Amphibious Tanks.

 

4

BMD-9 Amphibious Combat Vehicles.

M.D.C. by Location:

 

[1] Sail mounted “Top Star” Rotating Active Phased Array Radar (1, sail):

200.

 

25.6 inches (650 mm) Super Heavy Torpedo Tubes (4, front of submarine):

150 each.

 

Octuple Vertical Cruise Missile Launchers (10, sides of sail):

300 each.

 

Short Range Missile Launcher (1, sail):

100.

 

Killer Dart “Interceptor” Torpedo Launcher (2, sides):

80 each.

 

Armored Vehicle / VTOL Hatches (4, top):

250 each.

 

Troop Hatches (16):

100 each.

 

Towed Array Sonar Housing (aft):

350.

 

Main Sail:

1,400.

 

[2] Bow Planes (2):

400 each.

 

[3] Pump Jet Propulsors (2):

500 each.

 

[4] Main Body:

4,400.

Notes:

[1] Destroying the #8220;Top Star” rotating phased array radar panel will destroy the vessel’s main fire control systems against air target but the vessel has backup systems with a shorter range (Equal to robot vehicle sensors.) Note that the submarine does not need to surface in order to use the radar system but only the radar had to be brought above the surface.

[2] Destroying the submarine’s bow planes will reduce the submarine’s ability to change depths but will not eliminate it. It also makes it difficult for the submarine’s crew to control the submarine giving a penalty of -25% to all underwater piloting rolls.

[3] Destroying both of the submarine’s pump jet propulsors causes serious problems. The submarine will no longer be able to use forward momentum and the bow planes to keep the submarine level. It is recommended that ballast tanks are immediately blown so submarine comes to the surface. Destruction of one pump jet propulsor reduces the submarine’s top speed by one quarter.

[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the submarine’s structural integrity, causing it to sink. If the submarine is underwater, the entire crew will die unless protected by environmental armors that can withstand the pressure that the submarine is under. If on the surface, there are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.


Speed:

Surface: 18.4 mph (16 knots/ 29.7 kph)

Underwater: 36.3 mph (31.5 knots /58.4 mph)

Maximum Depth: 7,217.8 feet (2,200 meters)

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 20 years and requires maintenance as well). Boat carries 4 months of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:

Height:  98.5 feet (30.0 meters) not including periscopes and antenna.

Width:   82.4 feet (25.1 meters).

Length:  587.9 feet (179.2 meters).

Displacement: 25,700 tons standard and 45,600 tons submerged.

Cargo: Submarine is very cramped, 400 tons (362.9 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies (normally used for equipment for marines). Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Boat’s junior officers have slightly more space for personal items and senior officers have even greater space for personal items. Most of the boat’s spaces are taken up by extra torpedoes, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Nuclear fusion; average energy life of 20 years. Normally refuels every 10 years

Black Market Price: Not for sale; many nations and organizations would pay hundreds of millions of credits for a new and undamaged Krokodil class submersible troop transport. Cost does not include embarked craft.


Weapon Systems:

  1. Four (4) 650 mm Super Heavy Torpedo Tubes: On the bow of the submarine are four torpedo tubes. Located above the bow sonar array, these tubes are 25.6 inches (650 mm) wide and torpedoes can be used against both surface ships and submarines. Along with standard torpedoes, torpedo tubes can also fire missiles (long range or cruise missiles) in special canisters, rocket boosted anti-submarine (ASW) torpedoes, and mines. These are modern, variable option torpedoes that are about 25% faster than the latest US torpedo designs of the time period. Submarine carries thirty-six reloads for torpedoes. Soviet submarines normally carry a number of interceptor torpedoes which the standard Soviet tactic is to fire an interceptor torpedo down the path of a torpedo fired at the submarine.

    Maximum Effective Range: 40 miles (34.8 nautical miles / 64 km) to 60 miles (52.1 nautical miles / 96.6 km), depending on torpedo type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Mega-Damage: By heavy torpedo or super heavy torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details), can theoretically fire missiles (long range or cruise missiles) in special canisters as well (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire torpedoes one at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), or four (4) torpedoes. Reloading takes one full melee round.

    Payload: Four (4) torpedoes total [Has thirty-six (36) additional torpedoes and missiles for reloads with eight (8) “Interceptor” torpedoes normally carried.]

  2. Ten (10) Octuple Vertical Launch Cruise Missile Launchers: On either side of the submarine’s superstructure, the Krokodil has five octuple vertical launch missile system for launching missiles. Missiles are launched in special canisters that enable the missiles to be used in depths down to around 150 feet (45.7 meters.) Most missiles normally carried are fusion warhead with smart missile guidance. Launchers can fire at multiple targets simultaneously and are designed to be used against surface ships and against land targets.

    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with cruise missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega Damage: Varies with cruise missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire a single cruise missile at a time. Combined, the launchers can fire cruise missiles one at a time or in volleys of any amount of cruise missiles up to ten (10) cruise missiles total in any combinations and at multiple targets at the same time. Can only be fired once per melee round.

    Payload: Has eight (8) cruise missiles per launcher for eighty (80) cruise missiles total. Submarine carries no reloads.

  3. One (1) Sail Mounted Short Range Missile Launcher: The submarine has a retractable short range missile launcher on the sail for defense against aircraft although is effective against incoming missiles as well. Launcher can be used while the submarine is up to 80 feet (24 meters) deep and is useful against aircraft hunting the submarine while the submarine is underwater. Short Range Missiles are usually a mixture of 50% Armor Piercing and 50% Plasma. Launchers can lock onto multiple targets at the same. The systems missile launchers can target up four targets simultaneously and can fire a volley up to twice per melee.

    Maximum Effective Range: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) short range missiles and can be fired up to two (2) times per melee round.

    Payload: Sixty-four (64) short range missiles.

  4. Two (2) Killer Dart “Interceptor” Short Range Torpedo Launchers: These launchers are mounted on the sides of the submarine. These so called “Killer Darts” are a Russian interceptor torpedo, designed primarily for intercepting and hitting incoming torpedoes, with a secondary function against small submersibles and submersible power armors. They are mounted outside of the submarines pressure hull in retractable mounts. The launchers can only be reloaded in port. American and European designed prefer to fire interceptor torpedoes exclusively from their standard torpedo tubes. Launcher is primarily designed to intercept incoming torpedoes but can be used against other vessels, against large submarines, and against underwater troops. Other torpedoes can be used but are very rarely used.

    Maximum Effective Range: 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) using interceptor torpedoes, other torpedoes use standard rules (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Mega-Damage: By light torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire salvos of up to eight (8) light interceptor torpedoes per melee round.

    Payload: Forty-eight (48) interceptor torpedoes each for ninety-six (96) interceptor torpedoes total.

  5. Noisemakers: The submarine carries noisemakers in order to decoy torpedoes. They are most effective against normal torpedoes and less effective against “smart” torpedoes. Considered in many ways to be the last line of defense against incoming torpedoes and similar systems are carried on most submarines. The noisemakers are launched from the middle of the submarine.

    Effects: 50% of decoying normal torpedoes and 20% of decoying smart torpedoes.

    Rate of Fire: Two (2) noisemakers at a time (Can be reloaded in one melee round).

    Payload: Twenty (20) noisemakers.

Special Systems:

The submarine has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:


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Vessel drawing is created and copyrighted by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Initial Concepts by Marina O'Leary (LusankyaN@aol.com ).


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2002, 2003, & 2017, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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