Alfa vs Trafalgar

Overview

The Alfa and the Trafalgar are both Submarine classes.

The Trafalgar displaces 4,800 tons — 2.1x the Alfa's 2,300 tons. The Alfa reaches 12 knots vs 20 knots for the Trafalgar. Operational range is 99,999 nautical miles for the Alfa vs 99,999 for the Trafalgar. The Alfa carries a crew of 31 vs 130 for the Trafalgar. Submerged displacement is 3,200 tons for the Alfa vs 5,300 tons for the Trafalgar. The Alfa can dive to 400 m compared to 300 m for the Trafalgar.

The Alfa was produced in 7 units vs 7 for the Trafalgar. The Alfa was commissioned in 1971, 12 years before the Trafalgar (1983).

Soviet nuclear attack submarine, introduced in 1971, reached a speed of 42 knots due to its titanium hull.
Profile of Alfa
Origin 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear attack submarine
Manufacturer Admiralty yard, Leningrad
Year introduced 1971
Number built 7 units
Estimated unit price NA
British submarine, 4,800 tons displacement, powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR1 nuclear reactor.
Profile of Trafalgar
Origin 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear-powered fleet submarines
Manufacturer Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering
Year introduced 1983
Number built 7 units
Estimated unit price $573 million
Displacement 2,300 tons
Maximum speed 12.0 knots
Range Unlimited
Length 81.4 m
Beam 9.5 m
Crew 31
Max depth 400 m
Propulsion OK-550 or BM-40A, 155-MWt Lead-bismuth cooled, beryllium-moderated reactor; 40,000 shp (30,000 kW) steam turbine, one shaft
Armament
  • 6 x 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • 18 SET-65 or 53-65K torpedoes
  • 20 VA-111 Shkval torpedoes
  • 24 mines
Displacement 4,800 tons
Maximum speed 20.0 knots
Range Unlimited
Length 85.4 m
Beam 9.8 m
Crew 130
Max depth 300 m
Propulsion 1 × Rolls-Royce PWR1 nuclear reactor, 2 × GEC steam turbines, 2 × WH Allen turbo generators (3.2 MW), 2 × Paxman diesel generators (2.1 MW), 1 × pump jet propulsor, 1 × motor for emergency drive, 1 × auxiliary retractable prop
Armament
  • 5 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles
  • Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes

Performance Radar Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Alfa-class or Trafalgar-class?
The Trafalgar-class has greater displacement at 4,800 tons compared to the Alfa-class's 2,300 tons.
Which is faster, the Alfa-class or Trafalgar-class?
The Trafalgar-class is faster with a maximum speed of 20 knots compared to the Alfa-class's 12 knots.
Which has longer range, the Alfa-class or Trafalgar-class?
Both the Alfa-class and Trafalgar-class are nuclear-powered and have unlimited range, limited only by food supplies and crew endurance.
Which is longer, the Alfa-class or Trafalgar-class?
The Trafalgar-class is longer at 85.4 meters compared to the Alfa-class's 81.4 meters.
How many crew members do the Alfa-class and Trafalgar-class have?
The Trafalgar-class has a larger crew complement of 130 compared to the Alfa-class's 31 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the Alfa-class or Trafalgar-class?
The Alfa-class can dive deeper with a maximum depth of 400 meters compared to the Trafalgar-class's 300 meters.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Alfa-class or Trafalgar-class?
Both the Alfa-class and Trafalgar-class have been built in equal numbers with 7 vessels each.