The Russian Pacific Fleet’s latest diesel-electric submarine Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky struck a coastal target at a range of 1,000 km with a Kalibr cruise missile from the submerged position in the Sea of Japan against a ground target. Before the missile launch, the submariners conducted a tactical maneuver of stealthily deploying to the area of accomplishing assigned missions. The Kalibr cruise missile struck the coastal target position at the Syurkum tactical field at the designated time, the firing range exceeded 1,000 km. In accomplishing the training task, the submarine’s crew conducted a set of special exercises, practicing an algorithm of measures for the delivery of missile fire with precision weapons.
Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarines have been developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering. A contract for the construction of six submarines of this Project for the Russian Pacific Fleet was signed in September 2016. The first two submarines, the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the Volkhov were laid down at the Admiralty Shipyard on July 28, 2017. The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was floated out on March 28, 2019. The sub entered service with the Russian Navy on November 25, 2019, after passing trials.
Project 636.3 submarines (NATO reporting name: Improved Kilo-II) belong to the third generation of large diesel-electric subs and are among the world’s quietest underwater cruisers. They are 74 meters long and displace more than 3,900 tonnes. Due to its strong hull, the submarine has an operational depth of 240 meters and can dive to a maximum depth of 300 meters. Submarines of this Project have an operational range of up to 7,500 miles. They are armed with Kalibr-PL cruise missiles that are launched from torpedo tubes from the sub’s submerged position.
The 3M-54 Kalibr is a group of Russian surface ships -, submarine-launched and airborne anti-ship and coastal anti-ship (AShM), land-attack cruise missiles (LACM), and anti-submarine missiles developed by the Novator Design Bureau (OKB-8). The Russian Navy Kalibr-PL or Kalibr-NK, also known as SS-N-30, is a long-range cruise developed as part of the Kalibr shipborne missile system. This weapon is intended to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy at ranges of up to 2,500 kilometers equipped with a conventional warhead and flying at altitudes of 50 to 150 meters from the ground. It is highly subsonic with a booster in the launch phase. The navigation system seems to be built around the Inertial Navigation System (INS) and satellite guidance (GLONASS).
