Kilo class submarine

An Iranian Kilo class submarine, the Yunes
Class overview
Builders:	Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering “Rubin”
Operators:	Soviet Navy  Russian Navy  People's Liberation Army Navy  Islamic Republic of Iran Navy  Indonesian Navy  Polish Navy  Romanian Naval Forces  Algerian National Navy  Indian Navy
Preceded by:	Tango class submarine
Followed by:	Lada class submarine
Commissioned:	April 1982
Ships in class:	57
Ships active:	16
Ships laid up:	8
Ships out of service:	1
General characteristics
Displacement:	4000 tons submerged
Length:	74 m
Beam:	9.9 m
Draft:	6.5 m
Propulsion and power:	Diesel-electric propulsion 2 x 1000 kW Diesel generators 1 x 5,500-6,800 shp Propulsion motor 1 x fixed-pitch Propeller
Speed:	25 knots (46 km/h)
Test depth:	300 m
Range:	7,500 miles (12,100 km)
Complement:	52
Armament:	6 553 mm torpedo tubes 18 torpedoes 24 mines 8 SA-N-8 Gremlin or 8 SA-N-10 Gimlet Surface-to-air missiles (export submarines may not be equipped with air defense weapons)

Kilo class is the NATO reporting name for a type of military diesel-electric submarines that are made in Russia. The original version of these vessels is designated in Russia Project 877 Paltus (Turbot). There is also a more advanced version, which is designated in the west Improved Kilo and in Russia as Project 636 Varshavyanka. The Kilo will be succeeded by the Lada class submarine, which began sea trials in 2005. The boats are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters. Kilo class submarines can operate very quietly. Project 636, sometimes called by the US Navy "The Black Hole" for its uncanny ability to "disappear", is thought to be one of the quietest diesel-electric submarine classes in the world. [1] Anechoic tiles are fitted on casings and fins to absorb the sonar sound waves of active sonar, which results in a reduction and distortion of the return signal. These Anechoic tiles help attenuate sounds that are emitted from the submarine, thus reducing the range by which the sub may be detected by hostile passive sonar.^[1]

Operators

Soviet Kilo class submarine.

The first submarine entered service in the Soviet Navy in 1982, and submarines of these types are still in use with the Russian navy. By November 2006, 16 vessels were believed to be in active service and 8 vessels were thought to be in reserve [2]. Other 29 vessels have been exported to various countries:

• Algeria (2 Kilo; Rajs Hadi Mubarek and El Hadi Slimane, operational since 1987, refitted in 1990)
• People's Republic of China (2 Kilo, 2 Improved Kilo, and 8 further Improved Kilo)
• India (10 Kilo designated the Sindhughosh Class )
• Indonesia (2 Improved Kilo on order in 2006, Scheduled to arrived at 2009)
• Iran (6 Kilo, of which at least 3 are 877EKM and at least one is possibly an Improved Kilo)[3]
• Libya has decided to buy Kilo-636 submarines . An order is expected soon.
• Venezuela has decided to buy Kilo-636 and Amur 677E submarines . An order is expected soon.

Polish Kilo class ORP Orzeł submarine, view from circa 1993

• Poland (1 Kilo - The ORP Orzel)
• Romania (1 Kilo - The Dolphin. This vessel has been inoperable for the past 10 years missing batteries (3mil EURO approx cost)[4]-refited an operational as of august 2008)[5]

Specifications

A Chinese Kilo class submarine being delivered from Russia as deck cargo in 1995.

There are several variants of the Kilo class, and these specifications may not apply to all variants. The figures given below should be regarded as rough estimates.

• 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
• 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 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 Skhval supercavitating "underwater missiles", or 24 DM-1 mines,
• Crew: 52
• Price per unit is 200 - 250 million $ (China paid approx. 1,5 - 2 billion $ for 8 Project 636 Kilo class submarines)

See also

• INS Sindhurakshak - an Indian submarine of the Kilo class
• Patrick Robinson - author of the novels Nimitz Class and Kilo Class; both describe hypothetical situations involving Kilo class submarines, though lacking credible detail. The Kilo is portrayed in many of Robinson's other novels, where the the ships' stealth may be overemphasized.
• List of ships of Algeria

References