Yes, it is based on a true story. The novel 'The Hunt for Red October' by Tom Clancy was inspired by real - world submarine technology and Cold War tensions.
The main event was the defection. The captain of the Red October, a highly advanced Soviet submarine, decided to defect to the United States. This led to a high - stakes chase as the Soviet navy tried to stop it and the US navy tried to find and protect it.
No. The Red October is a fictional submarine from Tom Clancy's novel 'The Hunt for Red October'. However, it was inspired by the real - life Soviet submarines during the Cold War.