From: Steven.Schultz <Steven.Schultz@mixcom.mixcom.com>
Subject: Re: Kilo-class submarines
Organization: Milwaukee Internet Xchange BBS, Milwaukee, WI U.S.A.
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 19:14:48 GMT


From Steven.Schultz <Steven.Schultz@mixcom.mixcom.com>

First, what I have on the Kilo-class.
 
NATO Submarine designation Kilo
Country: Russia, C.I.S.
Type: Attack 
Former U.S.S.R. Project Number 877
Number of units: 19+
Displacement: 2,300 tons surfaced; 2,900 tons submerged
Length: 229 ft 7 in (73 m) overall
Beam: 32 ft 6 in (9.9 m)
Draft: 21 ft 4 in (6.5 m)
Propulsion: 2 diesel engines/2 electric motors, 1 shaft with six
            bladed propeller, engines rated at 4,000 bhp motor at
            6,000 hp
Speed: 12 knots surfaced; 25 knots submerged
Range: UNKNOWN
Depth: estimated at 985 ft
Complement: approx. 45-60
Missiles: None are known to be carried, however, with removal of
          torpedos, the SS-N-15 Starfish could be carried
Torpedo tubes: 6 21-in (533-mm) bow
Torpedos: 12-18
Radar: Snoop Tray
Sonar: Low frequency
EW Systems: Brick Pulp
Notes:
The first unit was launched in September 1980 at Komsomol'sk Shipyard
No. 199, about 280 miles (450 km) south of the mouth of the Amur
River, and commissioned in April 1982. Further units were built at
Komsomol'sk, as well as Sudomekh Shipyard No. 196 in St. Petersburg, a
part of the United Admiralty Association, and Krasnoye Sormovo
Shipyard No. 112. Sudomekh is on an island in St. Petersburg boardered
by the Moika River north, Fontanka Canal south, and Neva River west,
whcih empties into the Gulf ofland. Krasnoye Sormovo is 200 miles (320
km) east of Moscow on the Volga River, by Gor'kiy. 
 
By early 1991, there had been close to 30 units built for Navy use,
and for foreign transfer. Iran has 2, Algeria 2, India 8 of the
Sindhughhosh-class, Poland 1, called the Orzel, and Romania one. 
 
The Kilo is the most modern C.I.S. conventional attack sub. It has a
double hull, a tear-drop hull similiar to the U.S. Navy Albacore, and
retractable bow mounted diving planes. The engines are supercharged,
reduced fuel consumption, and lower specific weight. Some units also
have SA-7 Grail S.A.M. systems, possibly mounted in the sail. The hull
is coated with anechoic tiles. (I see above I typed they are similiar
to the Albacore. They are probably more closely assocoated with the
Barbel-class, as Albacore was experimental.)
 
As for the two Iranian subs, both were from the Sudomekh yard. One
sailed to Riga, Latvia, where it stayed in port until recently. It is
now on it's way to the Mediterranean Sea. It has been running on the
surface. The second left Sudomekh, into the Med, where it stayed
surfaced just off off the coast of Tunisia, in the Gulf of Haamet. It
then proceeded into the Red Sea, and was spotted by the Royal Navy
Aircraft Carrier H.M.S. Invincable just past Adar, Yemen early last
week. It is thought that it is heading for Bandar 'Abbas, Iran, where
it will arrive and stay in port. This might be the base for both subs.
The U.S. sub mentioned is the Los Angeles-class Nuclear Attack
Submarine U.S.S. Topeka (SSN 754), based in San Deigo, CA, and
currentlpart of the Ranger CBG. It surfaced Thursday at an undisclosed
port, where it will undergo 30 days of maintennence with the L.Y.
Spear-class Submarine Tender U.S.N.S. Dixon (AS 37). Weather it will
then conduct operations in the Persian Gulf is unknown. This is the
first acknowledged time a U.S. sub has operated in the Persian Gulf.
Sorry for the typos. Getting line noise.

-- 
Steve Schultz     Steven.Schultz@mixcom.com

Newsgroups: sci.military