How the Alfa class turned automation and speed into a new threat

Did the Soviet Navy operate a highly automated submarine with a very small crew?

Yes; the Alfa class combined a crew of roughly 31 with about 41 knots submerged speed, prompting much faster Western torpedoes.

The Soviet Alfa class demonstrated that extensive automation could reduce a nuclear submarine's complement to roughly 31. Its submerged speed of about 41 knots made it one of the most alarming undersea targets faced by the Royal Navy and US Navy. Western forces responded by developing torpedoes with enough speed margin to catch a fleeing Alfa, including a British weapon intended to reach roughly 70 knots. One submarine's performance could therefore force an expensive countermeasure across an opponent's fleet.