Summary and Key Points: Russia’s surface navy has faced setbacks, particularly highlighted in Ukraine, but its submarine fleet remains a potent threat.
-Modern Russian attack submarines, notably the Kilo-class and Yasen-M, pose a serious challenge to NATO’s maritime dominance.
U.S. Navy Sailors stationed aboard the Virginia Class New Attack Submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) TEXAS (SSN 775) stands topside as the boat gets underway from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Aug. 22, 2006. TEXAS is the second Virginia Class submarine built and the first major U.S. Navy combatant vessel class designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind. TEXAS will be commissioned Sept 9, 2006 in Galveston, Texas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kelvin Edwards) (Released)
-The Yasen-M boats are equipped with advanced weaponry, potentially including hypersonic Tsirkon missiles.
-Russia’s upgraded Kilo-class submarines, known as “Black Holes,” feature advanced quieting technologies and rapid torpedo-firing capabilities, significantly enhancing their stealth and lethality.
That 1 Mission: Defeat NATO In a War.
Russia’s Attack Submarines are a Problem for NATO
Though not directly rivaling the U.S. Virginia-class submarines, Russia’s submarine advancements represent a notable strategic concern, potentially restricting NATO naval operations and challenging maritime superiority in critical global regions.
Russia’s surface Navy has struggled for decades, as it has one lone, troubled carrier and an insufficient fleet of less-capable cruisers and destroyers. This deficiency is quite apparent in its war against Ukraine as the Russian Navy has essentially been removed from coastal striking areas or simply wiped out by Ukrainian land-fired weapons and anti-ship missiles.
Russian attack submarines, however, present an entirely different threat equation as they are known to be quite advanced, large in numbers, and rapidly modernizing.
A detailed look at the Russian attack submarine fleet indicates that the undersea realm is a domain in which Russia could seriously challenge NATO.
It may not be clear how the ability to prevail undersea translates into combat gains in the air or on land, yet it introduces a significant variable. A superior or prevailing attack submarine force could deny surface forces such as carriers or destroyers from operating or advancing in critical strategic areas and help establish maritime dominance.
Russian Kilo & Yasen-M-class Attack Submarines
Specifically, Russia’s Kilo-class and Yasen-M boats could rival the US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines. However, there are far too many unknowns and the undersea superiority established by Virginia-class submarines is difficult to challenge.
The Russian submarine poses a serious threat, as Russia’s TASS newspaper reports that its new Yasen-M boats can fire Tsirkon hypersonic missiles. It is unclear how far along this capability is, but the US Navy expects to fire hypersonic missiles from its Virginia-class boats by 2028.
“Among the nuclear submarines of project 885M, the fifth submarine Perm will be the first regular carrier of the Zircons, which will be structurally slightly different from its predecessors,” Russia’s TASS paper quotes a source saying as far back as 2023.
Russian newspapers further say the Russian Navy will operate as many as 11 Yasen-class submarines, with as many as 10 being built as the modern “M” variants.
The Yasen class submarines go back more than 10 years to the Severodvinsk, yet the first Yasan-M variant, the Kazon, appeared in 2021.
Kilo-class “Black Hole”
Russia’s Kilo-class submarines date back to the 1980s. Now, the boats incorporate improved engines, advanced combat systems, and various noise-reduction technologies.
The stealth characteristics of Russia’s upgraded Kilo-class have led some in the US Naval community to regard the Russian sub as the “Black Hole.”
It is unclear how much the Kilo-class rivals the US Navy’s advanced Block III and Block V Virginia-class submarines.
The Type 636.3 Kilo-class variants are the byproduct of a series of enhancements integrated in the mid-2010s to strengthen the boat’s anti-submarine and anti-surface-ship mission.
Over several decades, the Kilo-class boats have been engineered with advanced sonar, mine-detection, and avoidance sonar.
Enhancements likely to be of more significant concern, for instance, include ceramic compounds used as coating materials to improve quieting technologies, according to a paper published by Russian weapons maker Rosoboronexport.
Such materials, called anechoic tiles, are defined as tiles fitted on casings to absorb the sound waves, reducing and distorting the return signal.
The Kilo-class can fire torpedoes accurately and quickly in a window of 15 seconds, often using remote-controlled firing capability. The weapons capacity of the boats is detailed in an interesting article from the Federation of American Scientists.
“The submarine can carry 24 mines with two in each of the six tubes and twelve on the racks. Two torpedo tubes are designed for firing remote-controlled torpedoes with a very high accuracy. All torpedo tubes and their service systems provide effective firing from periscope to operational depths. The computer-controlled torpedo system is provided with a quick-loading device. It takes only 15 seconds to prepare stand-by torpedo tubes for firing: The first salvo is fired within two minutes and the second within five minutes,” the FAS paper says.
Russian Submarines: A Photo Explainer
The Russian Navy is experiencing a resurgence, with new ships and submarines entering service despite ongoing challenges.
Yasen submarine diagram from Russian state media.
Yasen-Class. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Yasen-M attack submarine. Image Credit: Russian Government.
Akula-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Computer Generated Image, Screenshot.
K-322 Cachalot, Akula class submarine underway. A port quarter aerial view of the Russian Northern Fleet AKULA class nuclear-powered attack submarine underway on the surface.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
