Kilo-class submarine

The Kilo class, Soviet designation Project 877 ''Paltus'' (russian: Па́лтус, meaning " halibut"), NATO reporting name Kilo, is a class of diesel-electric attack submarines originally designed in the 1970s and built in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. The initial version of Kilo submarines entered operational service in 1980 and were built until the mid-1990s.

Production was switched to the more advanced Project 636 ''Varshavyanka'' (russian: Варшавянка, meaning " Varsovian (inhabitant of Warsaw; feminine)") variant in the mid-1990s, also known as Improved Kilo class in the West.

Role

These attack submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters. Original Project 877 boats are equipped with Rubikon MGK-400 sonar system (with NATO reporting name Shark Gill), which includes a mine detection and avoidance sonar MG-519 Arfa (with NATO reporting name Mouse Roar).

Newer Project 636 boats are equipped with improved MGK-400EM, with MG-519 Arfa also upgraded to MG-519EM. MGK 400E can detect submarines with 0.05 Pa/Hz noisiness in 16 km and surface vessels with 10 Pa/Hz noisiness in 100 km. The improved sonar systems have reduced the number of operators needed by sharing the same console via automation.

Anechoic tiles are fitted on casings and fins to absorb the sound waves of active sonar, which results in a reduction and distortion of the return signal. These tiles also help attenuate sounds that are emitted from the submarine, thus reducing the range at which the submarine may be detected by passive sonar.

Future

The Kilo class was planned to have been succeeded by the . However, by November 2011 it was apparent that the Lada-class would be delayed because ''Sankt Peterburg'' (B-585), the lead boat of the class, had shown major deficiencies. On 27 July 2012, the Russian Navy commander-in-chief announced that construction of the Lada-class submarines would resume, having undergone design changes. Series production was reported to be underway in the latter 2010s.

Nevertheless, the Russian Navy also moved forward in the late 2010s, with the construction of Project 636.3, an improved version of the Kilo class. By November 2019, six units had been built for the Black Sea Fleet and further boats were planned for the Pacific and Baltic Fleets. In June 2022 an unconfirmed report from within Russia's defence industry suggested that a further tranche of six additional Project 636.3 vessels might be ordered to start construction in around 2024.

Variants

One Kilo-class submarine, , was equipped with pump-jet propulsion.

Operators

The first submarine entered service in the Soviet Navy in 1980, and the class remains in use with the Russian Navy today; 14 original Kilo-class vessels believed to still be in active service with the Russian Navy, while eight Improved Kilo-class subs had been delivered as of 2021. About forty vessels have been exported to several countries:

* : 2 original Kilo (Project 877), 4 Improved Kilo (Project 636).
* : 2 original Kilo (Project 877), 10 Improved Kilo (Project 636).
* : 10 original Kilo (Project 877), 1 sustained major casualty; – Designated as the
* : one boat transferred from Indian Navy by March 2020.
* : 1 original Kilo (Project 877) – .
* : 3 original Kilo (Project 877).
* : 1 original Kilo (Project 877) – .
* : 11-12 original Kilo (Project 877), 10 Improved Kilo (Project 636.3) and 2 additional Improved Kilo on order (636.3) for Pacific Fleet to be delivered 2023–2024. One further Improved Kilo ordered in August 2020, during the International Military-Technical Forum "ARMY-2020".
* : 6 Improved Kilo (Project 636). Includes , , , , , .

Possible purchasers

*The government of Venezuela expressed interest in buying three Project 636 Kilo-class submarines In 2019, a source reported the purported usage of a submarine of this class to insert Russian soldiers into Venezuela to protect the Venezuelan government.
* The Philippine Navy has shown its interest on the Kilo-class submarine as part of its modernization program. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the country is now evaluating the Russian offer.

Failed bids

* The Indonesian Navy was interested in purchasing two Kilo-class submarines. But in 2014 the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Laksamana Marsetio after a visit to Russia with the team from the Indonesian Navy to inspect the said submarines decided to cancel the plans. He said "The submarines look good on the outside, but the inside is filled with broken equipment, and the two submarines have been in storage for two years." Indonesia chose to buy six Improved ''Jang Bogo''-class submarines later known as instead including a transfer of technology, where Indonesia will eventually build four of six of the submarines with South Korea.

Specifications

There are several variants of the Kilo class. The information below is the smallest and largest number from the available information for all three variants of the ship.

* Displacement:
** 2,300–2,350 tons surfaced
** 3,000–4,000 tons submerged
* Dimensions:
** Length: 70–74 meters
** Beam: 9.9 meters
** Draft: 6.2–6.5 meters
* Maximum speed
** 10–12 knots surfaced (18–22 km/h)
** 17–25 knots submerged (31–46 km/h)
* Propulsion: Diesel-electric
* Maximum depth: 300 meters (240–250 meters operational)
* Endurance
** at submerged
** at snorkeling (7,500 miles for the Improved Kilo class)
** 45 days sea endurance
* Armament
** Air defence: 8 Strela-3 or 8 Igla-1, but after sea trial it was rejected by the navy.
** Six 533 mm torpedo tubes with 18 53-65 ASuW or TEST 71/76 ASW torpedoes or VA-111 Shkval supercavitating torpedoes, or 24 DM-1 mines,
* Crew: 52
* Price per unit is US$200–250 million (China paid approx. US$1.5-2 billion for 8 Project 636 Kilo-class submarines)

Gallery

File:ORP Orzeł Gdynia.JPG, The Polish Kilo-class submarine , 26 June 2011
File:«Калуга», «Липецк» и «Ярославль» в Полярном..jpg, Russian Kilo-class submarines in Polyarny, Murmansk Oblast
File:Submarine-Kilo-Algeria.JPG, An Algerian Kilo-class submarine
File:Heavy-lift ship Sea Teal carrying Chinese Kilo submarine.jpg, A Chinese Kilo-class submarine being delivered from Russia as deck cargo in 1995.
File:ORP Orzel 1986 (7).JPG, ORP ''Orzeł'', the control room of an 877E-class submarine
File:Iranian Kilo-class diesel submarine.jpg, The Iranian Kilo-class submarine ''Yunes'', during delivery in 1995.
File:INS Sindhughosh (S55).JPEG, Indian Kilo-class submarine, INS ''Sindhughosh''
File:ДЭПЛ Калуга возвращается из дальнего похода.png, Diesel submarine Kilo-class ''Kaluga'' returns from a long voyage

Project 877 units

Project 636 units

Project 636.3 units

Italics indicate estimates

See also

* List of Soviet and Russian submarine classes
* List of submarine classes in service
* Future of the Russian Navy
* Cruise missile submarine
* Attack submarine

References

External links

SSK Kilo Class (Type 636)
at Naval-technology.com

SSK Kilo Class (Type 877EKM)
at Naval-technology.com
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilo-class submarine
Attack submarines
Submarine classes
Submarines of the People's Liberation Army Navy
Russian and Soviet navy submarine classes
Submarine classes of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war