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The Kilo Class (Project 877) submarine was
designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare
in the protection of naval bases, coastal installations
and sea lanes, and also for general reconnaissance
and patrol missions. The Kilo is considered
to be to be one of the quietest diesel submarines
in the world. The submarine consists of six
watertight compartments separated by transverse
bulkheads in a pressurised double-hull. This
design and the submarine's good reserve buoyancy
lead to increased survivability if the submarine
is holed, even with one compartment and two
adjacent ballast tanks flooded. The foreplanes
are positioned on the upper hull in front of
the fin or sail. The command and control systems
and fire control systems are located in the
main control room which is sealed off from the
other compartments.
Diesel-Electric Submarine - Project 877
The Project 636 design is a generally improved
development of the Project 877EKM Kilo class
that represents an interim design between the
standard 'Kilo' and the new Lada project. The
Project 636 is actively promoted for the world
market by the Rosvoorouzhenie state-owned company.
This submarine has improved range, firepower,
acoustic characteristics and reliability. Visually
distinguished by a step on the aft casing, the
length of the hull is extended by two frame
spacings (2 x 600 mm). The additional length
permitted increasing the power of diesel-generators
and mounting them on improved shock-absorbing
support, and reducing twofold the main propulsion
shaft speed. Owing to these improvements, the
submarine speed and sea endurance were increased,
while the noise level was radically decreased.
The low noise level of the submarine has been
achieved with the selection of quiet machinery,
vibration and noise isolation and a special
anti-acoustic rubber coating applied on the
outer hull surface.
The Project 636 is equipped with six 533 mm
forward torpedo tubes situated in the nose of
the submarine and carries eighteen torpedoes
with six in the torpedo tubes and twelve stored
on the racks. Alternatively the torpedo tubes
can deploy mines. 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 Russian fleet operates three variants of
the Kilo 877: the basic 877; the 877K that has
an improved fire-control system; and the 877M
that has wire-guided torpedoes from two tubes.
Export models, designated with an 'E' suffix,
are generally similar though with some reduced
features. A total of at least 26 and perhaps
as many as 30 were built for the Russian navy,
one of which was subequently exported to Iran.
All the 30 Kilo-class submarines built for service
with the Russian Navy are designated Project
877, although 15 of these are the earlier-developed
877EKM and 15 the later 636 versions. As of
early 2000 as many as 14 units were believed
to remain active, with an additional 7 in reserve,
though specific identities are not known.
As of early 1998 construction of the Project
877EKM submarines was nearly completed, with
only one submarine left under construction in
St.Petersburg for the Indian Navy. Russia exported
21 Project 877 and 636 submarines, including:
India - 10, and China - 4, Iran - 3, Algeria
- 2, Poland - 1, Romania - 1.
On 04 August 1993, Iran took delivery of a
second Russian Kilo-class diesel submarine,
and the third arrived 18 January 1996. Russia
went ahead with the first two deliveries despite
vigorous US protests. In response to Administration
pressure and US sanctions legislation, Russia
formally pledged in June 1995 not to enter any
new arms contracts with Iran, although prior
arms contracts could be implemented.
India took delivery of the first of the two
additional Russian-built Kilo class submarines
in January 1999. On 17 August 2000 the Sindhushastra
began the two month voyage from St Petersburg
to India. The 877EKM submarine was the last
in a series of 10 submarines built at Russian
shipyards for Indian customers. In August 2000
the Zvezdochka engineering enterprise at Severodvinsk
started the work of servicing and modernizing
the Indian series-877EKM submarine Sinduratna,
the second Indian sub to have had a refit at
Zvezdochka. In 1999 the Indian Navy took delivery
of the Sinduvir, the first submarine to have
been modernized at Severodvinsk. The Sinduratna
will be the second Indian submarine to be fitted
with four ZM-54E1 missiles, with a range of
300 km. The missiles are part of the latest
Klab-S anti-ship missile complex designed by
the Novator bureau at Yekaterinburg.
In the spring of 1997, the first Project 636
submarine was launched, and China became the
first customer for this submarine. The last
of four export Kilo-class boats for China, the
second improved model Project 636 unit, was
launched on 17 June 1998 and departed the Baltic
aboard a heavy-lift ship on 11 December 1998,
bound for the submarine base at Ning-bo. China
is also said to be interested in purchasing
several more 636 series submarines, one of which
is now in an unfinished state at the Krasnoye
Sormovo yard in Nizhniy Novgorod, while others
may be built at the Admiralteyskiye Verfi [Admiralty
Shipyards] in St Petersburg.
In early June 2002 China was reported to be
negotiating with Russia to purchase eight more
Kilo-class Project 636 submarines for $1.5 billion,
scheduled for delivery over the following five
years. The contract for the building of the
submarines was under competition among the Admiralteiskiye
Verfi shipbuilding enterprise (St. Petersburg),
the works in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the Krasnoye
Sormovo enterprise (Nizhny Novgorod), and the
Sevmash association (Severnaya Dvina).
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