MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) Russia has long been a recognized leader in the field of underwater military technology, and its nuclear-powered underwater drone Poseidon and a ship-based hypersonic missile Tsirkon (Zircon) have been in the spotlight.
Russia, which is celebrating the Submariner Day on Wednesday, has been modernizing its submarine fleet on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.
This year, one of the most anticipated events is the deployment of Russia's first submarine designed to carry underwater drones Poseidon, which is due to take place later this spring. It was announced by Putin during his February 20 federal assembly address.
"The unmanned underwater vehicle Poseidon, which has unlimited range, is undergoing testing successfully ... In spring of this year, the first nuclear submarine carrying these drones will be deployed," the Russian president said.
During his federal assembly address last year, Putin announced for the first time that Russia was developing Poseidon drone.
Last December, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said tests of Poseidon drone at sea had been successfully completed.
"This is a demonstration of the breakthrough in Russian shipbuilding, the submarine is the result of the previous years' developments, in which enterprises of the United Shipbuilding Corporation are involved," chairman of the All-Russian Movement for Support of the Navy, Capt. 1st Rank Mikhail Nenashev, told Sputnik.
In light of the deteriorating global political and military situation, Poseidon is likely to impair the efforts of the United States to create a global missile defense system, according to retired Russian Rear Adm. Vsevolod Khmyrov.
AIR-INDEPENDENT PROPULSION SYSTEM
Russian scientists are working on the creation of air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems for submarines.
"Two different concepts have been developed and a laboratory model constructed. Our goal today is to ... start testing it in real environment," United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) President Alexey Rakhmanov said.
He said last October several Russian engineering bureaus were working the development of the AIP system, such as Rubin Design Bureau, Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau and Krylov State Research Center.
In August 2017, Igor Ponomarev, the USC vice president for military shipbuilding, told Sputnik that the tests of the AIP system for fifth-generation non-nuclear submarines should be completed by the end of 2021.
Project 677, or Lada-class, submarines are expected to be the first non-nuclear submarines to be equipped with AIP power systems. The submarine will be able to stay underwater for up to two weeks without having to surface to charge its batteries.
According to Russian Navy Deputy Commander Viktor Bursuk, Lada-class submarines will become the main project in Russia's fleet of non-nuclear submarines.
Meanwhile, Nenashev said the construction of a large number of submarines equipped with AIP would be Russia's response to the US intention to develop the sector related to high-precision "conventional" weapons.
"If we consider air-independent [propulsion] from the geopolitical perspective, our diesel-electric ... submarines are part of the development of non-nuclear weapons," Nenashev said.
Russia's project 677 submarine is a fourth-generation diesel-electric attack submarine, designed by the Russian Rubin Design Bureau.
NON-NUCLEAR KALINA CLASS SUBMARINE
Rakhmanov told Sputnik last October that the construction of a non-nuclear Kalina-class submarine equipped with AIP system had not yet started.
"The construction will be started when there is a [state] order. We are strictly adhering to the state armament program," Rakhmanov told Sputnik.
According to the state armament program, the construction of a Kalina-class submarine is scheduled for 2018-2027. The project of the submarine was developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering in 2015.
RUSSIA'S SUBMARINE FLEET WAITING FOR NEW ARRIVALS
This year, the Russian Navy will receive the first Borei-class nuclear submarine Knyaz Vladimir as well as Yasen M-class nuclear-powered attack submarine Kazan.
"The completion of construction of nuclear-powered submarines Knyaz Vladimir and Kazan and their commissioning with the Russian Navy are the priority tasks for the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Sevmash and a range of engineering organizations. According to the order by the supreme commander-in-chief [of the Russian Armed Forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin] the entire work package should be completed this year," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier this month.
Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm. Vladimir Korolev told the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper last March Yasen-class nuclear submarines were expected be the most powerful submarines in terms of its firepower.
It is planned that seven Yasen-class submarines will be built for the Russian Navy, six of them would be upgraded to 885M project.
As of today, there is still little public information about Russia's fifth-generation multi-purpose Husky-class nuclear submarine. It is known that the submarines will be equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles.
According to the open source information, NPO Mashinostroyeniya is developing the advanced Zircon hypersonic missile. Information about its technical characteristics is kept secret. The first tests were fired in March 2016 from ground-based launchers.
A source in the defense industry told Sputnik that Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau planned to equip Husky submarines with these weapons.
The construction of the new Husky nuclear submarine is included in the 2018-2025 state armament program.
In his address to the Federal assembly on February 20, 2019, Putin said that the Zircon was designed to equip existing surface ships and submarines, including those under construction. He also noted that it will fly at nine times of the speed of sound and would have a range of 620 miles.
According to Khmyrov, the advanced Zircon hypersonic missiles are guaranteed to hit targets at depths of at least 500 kilometers (311 miles) within 5 minutes.
"Based on the data voiced by the president in the address, it is not difficult to work out some fast calculations. If a carrier with the Zircon missiles is located at a distance of 500 kilometers from the coast, then missiles will be able to reach coastal targets at the depth of at least 500 kilometers in five minutes," Khmyrov said.
He explained that during this time it was possible to detect missiles that flew toward the target, but not to intercept them.
