Delta III vs Romeo

The Delta III and the Romeo are both Submarine classes. The Delta III displaces 7,800 tons — 5.3x the Romeo's 1,475 tons. The Delta III reaches 12 knots vs 15 knots for the Romeo. Operational range is 99,999 nautical miles for the Delta III vs 9,000 for the Romeo. The Delta III carries a crew of 120 vs 54 for the Romeo. Submerged displacement is 10,000 tons for the Delta III vs 1,830 tons for the Romeo. The Delta III was produced in 18 units vs 133 for the Romeo. The Delta III was commissioned in 1972, 15 years after the Romeo (1957).

Soviet ballistic missile submarine, 7,800 tons displacement, powered by two nuclear reactors.
Profile of Delta III
Origin 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
Manufacturer Komsomolsk-on-Amur
Year introduced 1972
Number built 18 units
Estimated unit price NA
Ex-USSR diesel-electric submarine, introduced in 1957, with 133 units built.
Profile of Romeo
Origin 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR
Category Submarine
Type Diesel-electric submarine
Manufacturer Krasnoye Sormovo Shipyard
Year introduced 1957
Number built 133 units
Estimated unit price NA
Displacement 7,800 tons
Maximum speed 12.0 knots
Range Unlimited
Length 139.0 m
Beam 12.0 m
Crew 120
Max depth 320 m
Propulsion 2 pressurized water-cooled reactors powering 2 steam turbines driving 2 shafts and each developing 38.7 MW (51,900 shp)
Armament
  • D-9 launch tubes for 12 R-29 (SS-N-8 Sawfly) SLBMs
  • 4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 400 mm (16 in) torpedo tubes
Displacement 1,475 tons
Maximum speed 15.0 knots
Range 9,000 nm at 9 knots
Length 76.6 m
Beam 6.7 m
Crew 54
Max depth NA
Propulsion Two diesels delivering 2.94 MW (4000 shp) with two electric motors driving two shafts.
Armament
  • 8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (six bow, two stern)
  • 14 × 533 mm (21 in) anti-ship or anti-submarine torpedoes (including Yu-4 and Yu-1)
  • 28 mines

Performance Radar Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Delta III-class or Romeo-class?
The Delta III-class has greater displacement at 7,800 tons compared to the Romeo-class's 1,475 tons.
Which is faster, the Delta III-class or Romeo-class?
The Romeo-class is faster with a maximum speed of 15 knots compared to the Delta III-class's 12 knots.
Which has longer range, the Delta III-class or Romeo-class?
The Delta III-class is nuclear-powered with unlimited range, while the Romeo-class has a range of 9,000 nautical miles.
Which is longer, the Delta III-class or Romeo-class?
The Delta III-class is longer at 139.0 meters compared to the Romeo-class's 76.6 meters.
How many crew members do the Delta III-class and Romeo-class have?
The Delta III-class has a larger crew complement of 120 compared to the Romeo-class's 54 crew members.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Delta III-class or Romeo-class?
The Romeo-class has been built in greater numbers with 133 vessels compared to 18 vessels of the Delta III-class.