Russia’s Kilo-class vessels represent some of the most successful naval programs in modern history.
Despite the heavy naval losses Moscow has endured throughout its Ukrainian invasion, the Kremlin is still trying to project power vis-à-vis its submarine fleet out at sea. According to the state-run TASS news outlet, the Ufa Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine-launched Kalibr cruise missiles off the coast of Japan. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, each missile successfully hit its intended targets at firing ranges of more than 620 miles. Ufa is an improved variant of the Soviet-era Kilo submarines and is widely considered to be one of the most formidable underwater assets in the Kremlin’s arsenal. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, Russia’s Kilo-class vessels represent some of the most successful naval programs in modern history.
A brief overview of the Kilo-class
As the arms race between the United States and the former USSR was heating up during the Cold War, the Soviets developed the Kilo submarines. Initially designed for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in shallow waters, these vessels are capable of detecting adversarial submarines at ranges three to four times greater than they can be detected themselves. Soviet manufacturer Rubin Central Maritime Design Bureau in St. Petersburg constructed the Kilo submarines beginning in the 1970s. Over the years, several improved variants have been introduced in order for the older platform to retain relevance in the modern era. The Project 636 Varshavyanka advanced Kilo-subs began being designed in the mid-1990s. Often referred to as the Improved Kilo-class, these submarines were eventually followed by the Improved Kilo II Ships (Project 636.3).
Introducing the Kilo II ships
The Ufa submarine is designated as a Project 636.3, or Improved Kilo II, ship. Equipped with longer hull lengths and quieter acoustics, these submarines certainly make the aging Kilo-class name a relevant edge. The newest Kilo submarines are powered by a pair of diesel generators featuring a seven-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. This power source enables the Kilo II boats to travel at speeds in excess of 17 knots when surfaced and 20 knots when submerged.
In terms of armaments, these submarines can pack a punch. As explained by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, these boats can carry weapons ranging from land attack cruise missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes to anti-ship missiles and other warheads. Notably, Kilo II ships like the Ufa can launch Kalibr cruise missiles. These sea-launched missiles are comprised of the SS-N-27 Sizzler anti-ship cruise missile, the SS-N30A, and the 91R anti-submarine missile. According to Russian sources, the Kalibr family of cruise missiles can carry both thermonuclear warheads and warheads with up to 1,100 pounds of explosives.
Russia’s recent Kilo II Kalibr launches off the coast of Japan are meant to warn the West that its Navy can still project power in the Pacific even as the war in Ukraine resumes. Since February 2022 when the invasion commenced, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has suffered some key losses to its naval prowess. According to Ukrainian sources, at least twenty-six assets belonging to Moscow’s naval fleet have been damaged or destroyed. In fact, one Kilo submarine was severely damaged while drydocked by a Ukrainian-launched Storm Shadow missile strike in Sevastopol last year.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter:@MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Dianov Boris / Shutterstock.com