Russia Prepares to Launch Third Varshavyanka-Class Submarine

MOSCOW, August 25 – Another Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarine, built for the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet, will be launched on Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported Monday. 

 

Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarine, built for the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet, will be launched in Russia

"The third in the series of six Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines will be launched at Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg on August 28," according to the official statement. Six submarines from the project are to be constructed prior to 2016, according Russian Navy General Staff plans and become part of the submarine forces of the Black Sea Fleet.

The much-anticipated delivery of these submarines, dubbed by the US Navy "black holes in the ocean" because they are nearly undetectable when submerged, is a key part of Russia’s naval strategy in the Mediterranean, where Moscow has recently deployed a permanent task force consisting of 10 surface ships.

The Varshavyanka-class (Project 636.3) is an improved version of Kilo-class submarines and features advanced stealth technology, extended combat range and the ability to strike land, surface and underwater targets.

The submarines are mainly intended for anti-ship and anti-submarine missions in relatively shallow waters. The vessels, carrying crews of 52, have a top underwater speed of 20 knots and a cruising range of 400 miles (electric propulsion), with the ability to patrol for 45 days. The submarines are armed with 18 torpedoes and eight surface-to-air missiles.

 

Source: RIA Novosti

Existing World Submarine Classes_Mostly Popular

Yuan class:

Operators: People's Liberation Army Navy Pakistan Navy

Preceded by: Type 039 (Song class)
Succeeded by: New next-generation SSG (under development)

Completed: 7

General characteristics
Length: 75 m
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 1 shaft, AIP (air-independent propulsion)
Speed: 20+ kts
Armament: 6 torpedo tubes

The Type 041 is also believed to be capable of launching YJ-8X (C-80X) series anti-ship missiles.
The Type 041 is also capable of firing the CY-1 ASW missile under water, but the status of the missile is in question because nothing is heard about its production.
On July 20th, 2011 it was made public that Pakistan signed a contract for 6 submarines.

Scorpène class:

Class overview
Name: Scorpène
Builders: DCNS Navantia nMazagon Dock Limited Brazilian Navy Shipyard
Operators: Chilean Navy Indian Navy Royal Malaysian Navy Brazilian Navy
Preceded by: Agosta-class submarine
Succeeded by: Marlin-class submarine
Subclasses: CA-2000 CM-2000 AM-2000 S-BR
Cost: $450 million
Building: 2
Planned: 19
Completed: 4
Cancelled: 4
Active: 4
General characteristics
Type: submarine
Displacement: 1,565 tons (CM-2000) 1,870 tons (AM-2000) 2,000 tons (S-BR)[1]
Length: 61.7m (CM-2000) 70m (AM-2000) 75m (S-BR)[1]
Beam: 6.2 m
Draft: 5.8 m
Propulsion: Diesel-Electric, Batteries, and AIP
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h) (submerged) 12 kn (22 km/h) (surfaced)
Range: 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km) at 8 knots (surfaced) 550 nmi (1,020 km) at 5 knots (submerged)
Endurance: 40 days (compact) n50 days (normal) 50+21 days (AIP)
Test depth: >300 meters
Complement: 31
Armament: 6 x 533-mm torpedo tubes for 18 Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei
Black Shark heavyweigh torpedoes or SM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, 30 mines in place of torpedoes.

Kilo class Project 636 units: 

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
17–25 knots submerged
Propulsion: Diesel-electric 5,900 shp (4,400 kW)
Maximum depth: 300 meters (240–250 meters operational)
Endurance
400 nautical miles (700 km) at 3 knots (6 km/h) submerged
6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 7 knots (13 km/h) snorkeling (7,500 miles for the Improved Kilo class)
45 days sea endurance
Armament
Air defence: 8 SA-N-8 Gremlin or SA-N-10 Gimlet[26] Surface-to-air missiles (export submarines may not be equipped with air defense weapons)
Six 533 mm torpedo tubes with 18 53-65 ASuW or TEST 71/76 ASW torpedoes or VA-111 Shkval supercavitating "underwater missiles", or 24 DM-1 mines,
Club S anti-ship missiles (only on some export versions)
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).

Type 209 submarine:

General characteristics
Type: Type 209/1500 submarine
Displacement: 1,810 t, submerged
Length: 64.4 m
Beam: 6.5 m
Draft: 6.2 m
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 4 diesels, 1 shaft, 6100 shp
Speed: 11.5 knots (21 km/h), surfaced;
22.5 knots (42 km/h), submerged
Range: 11,000 nmi. at 10 knots, surfaced,
(20,000 km at 20 km/h);
8,000 nmi. at 10 knots, snorkeling,
(15,000 km at 20 km/h);
400 nmi. at 4 knots, submerged
(740 km at 7 km/h)
Test depth: 500 m
Complement: 36
Armament: 8 x 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes,
14 torpedoes; optional UGM-84 Harpoon integration.

Type 214 submarine:

 

 General characteristics
Displacement: 1,690 t (surfaced), 1,860 t (submerged)
Length: 213 feet 3 inches (65.0 m)
Beam: 20 feet 8 inches (6.3 m)
Draught: 19 feet 8 inches (6.0 m)
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, fuel cell AIP, low noise skew back propeller
Speed: 12 kt surfaced
20 kt submerged
Range: 12,000 miles (19,300 km) surfaced
420 nmi (780 km) @ 8 kt
1,248 nmi (2,311 km) @ 4 kt
Endurance: 84 days
Test depth: 250m (400m theoretical)
Complement: 5 officers + 22 crew
Armament: (8) 533 mm torpedo tubes, (4) subharpoon-capabl.