The Oscar class, Soviet designations Project 949 Granit and Project 949A Antey, are a series of nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines designed in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. First built in the 1970s, six remain in service with the Russian Navy. Two other vessels were slated to be modernized since at least 2017 as Project 949AM, to extend their service life and increase combat capabilities but it is unclear whether work continues as of 2023.
A cruise missile submarine is a submarine that carries and launches cruise missiles as its primary armament. Missiles greatly enhance a warship's ability to attack surface combatants and strike land targets; although torpedoes are a more discreet option for submerged submarines, missiles give a much longer stand-off range, shorter time to impact the target, as well as the ability to engage multiple targets on different headings at the same time. Many cruise missile submarines retain the capability to deploy nuclear warheads on their missiles, but they are considered distinct from ballistic missile submarines due to the substantial differences between the two weapons systems' flight characteristics; cruise missiles fly aerodynamically using flight surfaces like wings or fins, while a ballistic missile uses its engine power alone as it may exit the atmosphere.
The Typhoon class, Soviet designation Project 941 Akula, was a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines designed and built by the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. With a submerged displacement of 48000 tonnes, the Typhoons were the largest submarines ever built, able to accommodate comfortable living facilities for the crew of 160 when submerged for several months. The source of the NATO reporting name remains unclear, although it is often claimed to be related to the use of the word "typhoon" ("тайфун") by General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev of the Communist Party in a 1974 speech while describing a new type of nuclear ballistic missile submarine, as a reaction to the United States Navy's new Ohio-class submarine.
A submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) is a cruise missile that is launched from a submarine. Current versions are typically standoff weapons known as land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs), which are used to attack predetermined land targets with conventional or nuclear payloads. Anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) are also used, and some submarine-launched cruise missiles have variants for both functions.
The Kilo-class submarines are a group of diesel-electric attack submarines designed by the Rubin Design Bureau in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and built originally for the Soviet Navy.
The Northern Fleet is the fleet of the Russian Navy in the Arctic.
The Borei class, alternate transliteration Borey, Russian designation Project 955 Borei and Project 955A Borei-A, are a series of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines being constructed by Sevmash for the Russian Navy. The class has been replacing the steadily retiring Russian Navy Delta III and Delta IV classes and fully retired Typhoon, all three classes being Soviet-era submarines.
The Sierra class, Soviet designations Project 945 Barrakuda and Project 945A Kondor,, are a series of nuclear-powered attack submarines intended for the Soviet Navy and currently in service with the Russian Navy.
The Yasen class, Russian designations Project 885 Yasen and Project 885M Yasen-M, also referred to as the Graney class, are a series of nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines designed by the Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau and built by Sevmash for the Russian Navy. Design work commenced in earnest in the 1980s with the first submarine built in the 1990s–early 2010s with commissioning in 2013. Two additional boats to an upgraded Yasen-M design were commissioned in 2021 and six more are under construction. Based on the Akula class and Alfa class designs, the Yasen class is projected to replace the Russian Navy's current Soviet-era nuclear attack submarines. The Akula class is optimised for a hunter-killer role, whereas the Yasen class concept uses the platform as a nuclear guided missile submarine (SSGN).
The Novator Kalibr, also referred to as 3M54-1 Kalibr, 3M14 Biryuza, is a family of Russian cruise missiles developed by NPO Novator (OKB-8). It first saw service in 1994. There are ship-launched, submarine-launched and air-launched versions of the missile, and variants for anti-ship, anti-submarine and land attack use. Some versions have a second propulsion stage that initiates a supersonic sprint in the terminal approach to the target, reducing the time that air defense systems have to react, while subsonic versions have greater range than the supersonic variants. The missile can carry a warhead weighing up to 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) of explosive or a thermonuclear warhead.
JSC PO Sevmash is a Russian joint-stock company (JSC) under the vertically-integrated United Shipbuilding Corporation. The shipbuilding operations of Sevmash is in the port city of Severodvinsk on the White Sea in the Russian Federation.
K-561 Kazan is a Yasen-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine of the Russian Navy. It is the second boat of the project, separated from the first by 16 years (1993–2009). Considerable changes were made to the initial design. Differences in the project have appeared sufficient to consider it as a new upgraded version Yasen-M. The submarine is named after the city of Kazan. The submarine is deployed with the Russian Northern Fleet.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, the Russian Navy struggled to adjust Cold War force structures while suffering severely with insufficient maintenance and a lack of funding. However, there were improvements in the Russian economy over the first decade of the twenty-first century. The economy and standard of living grew rapidly during the early period of Putin's regime, fueled largely by a boom in the oil industry. This led to a significant rise in defence expenditure and an increase in the number of ships under construction.
K-266 Orel is a Project 949AM nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine (SSGN). She is one of three Oscar II submarines still serving in the Russian Northern Fleet, all assigned to the 11th Submarine Division, berthed at Guba Bolshaya Lopatka, on the Kola Peninsula northwest of Severomorsk.
The 3M22 Zircon, also spelled as Tsirkon is a Russian scramjet-powered, nuclear-capable hypersonic cruise missile. Produced by NPO Mashinostroyeniya for the Russian Navy, the missile utilizes the 3S-14 launch platforms on frigates and submarines. The missile has a reported top speed of Mach 9. The weapon was first used during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
K-573 Novosibirsk is a Yasen-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine of the Russian Navy. It is the second boat of the project Yasen-M. Considerable changes were made to the initial Yasen design. Differences in the project have appeared sufficient to consider it as a new upgraded version Yasen-M. The submarine is named after the city of Novosibirsk.
The K-119 Voronezh is an Oscar-class submarine in the Russian Navy.
The K-150 Tomsk is an Oscar-class submarine in the Russian Navy.
The K-410 Smolensk is an Oscar-class submarine in the Russian Navy.
K-571 Krasnoyarsk is a Yasen-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine of the Russian Navy. It is the third boat of the project Yasen-M. Considerable changes were made to the initial Yasen design. Differences in the project have appeared sufficient to consider it as a new upgraded version Yasen-M. The submarine is named after the city of Krasnoyarsk.
Russia