Haze Gray Photo Feature

Soviet & Russian Navy

Guided Missile Submarines - Nuclear Powered


[THUMBNAIL] A Project 675 'ECHO II' class guided missile submarine. These subs were a lengthened and improved version of the 'ECHO I'. The 'ECHO I' class was unsuccessful and all were soon converted to SSNs, but the 'ECHO II' group lasted into the 1990's. These boats carried 8 SS-N-3 SSM, and many were later upgraded to the SS-N-12.
[THUMBNAIL] Another view of a Project 675 'ECHO II' class guided missile submarine.
[THUMBNAIL] An 'ECHO II' at sea, showing the four launchers positioned along the deck. Like the 'JULIETT' class, these boats used folding deck-mounted launchers.
[THUMBNAIL] An 'ECHO II' with the forward launcher elevated.
[THUMBNAIL] An 'ECHO II' firing a missile.
[THUMBNAIL] A stern view of an 'ECHO II'.
[THUMBNAIL] An excellent broadside view of an 'ECHO II'.
[THUMBNAIL] A Project 670A "Skat" 'CHARLIE I' class guided missile submarine. The 'CHARLIE' was originally planned as a small, 'mass-production' attack submarine. They were redesigned to carry the SS-N-9 SSM, which had been planned for the 'PAPA' class. This change was presumably made to deal with the high cost of the 'PAPA' design, which clearly could not be built in sufficient numbers. A further change resulted when the SS-N-9 missile was not ready in time for the 'CHARLIE' class, forcing the substitution of the SS-N-7, a modified version of the venerable SS-N-2 'Styx'. The 'CHARLIE' class could fire missiles while submerged, unlike the previous SSG/SSGN classes.
[THUMBNAIL] A bow-on view of a 'CHARLIE I' underway.
[THUMBNAIL] A 'CHARLIE II" (Project 670M 'Skat M) class submarine at sea. 'CHARLIE II' provided the SS-N-9 armament originally planned for the 'CHARLIE I' class, plus a new fire control system.
[THUMBNAIL] Another overhead view of a 'CHARLIE II'.
[THUMBNAIL] A third view of a 'CHARLIE II'.
[THUMBNAIL] K-162, the sole Project 661 "Anchar" 'PAPA' class guided missile submarine. Designed as an extremely fast SSGN, a predecessor to the famous 'ALFA' class SSNs, K-162 was the world's fastest submarine. She reportedly reached a record speed of 44.7 knots on trial, causing signficant damage to topside equipment in the process. Unfortunately she was excessively noisy and too expensive, so no additional boats were built. She carried 10 SS-N-9 SSMs in individual tubes forward of the sail, between the inner (pressure) hull and the outer hull.
[THUMBNAIL] A broadside view of the 'PAPA'.
[THUMBNAIL] A stern view of the 'PAPA'.
[THUMBNAIL] A bow-on view of the 'PAPA'. The missile hatches are very well faired into the hull, no doubt due to the boat's high speed, so they are invisible in this view.
[THUMBNAIL] A stern quarter view of the 'PAPA'.
[THUMBNAIL] An 'OSCAR I' (Project 949 "Antey") class guided missile submarine underway. The 'OSCAR' class are very large SSGNs, carrying 24 SS-N-19 SSMs. Their great beam allows them to carry the missiles in individual tubes between the pressure hull and the outer hull, similar to the arrangement of the 'PAPA' class. Only two 'OSCAR I' class were built before production switched to the 'OSCAR II'.
[THUMBNAIL] An overhead view of an 'OSCAR I'.
[THUMBNAIL] A closeup of an 'OSCAR I' sail area, showing the missile hatches along the sides of the hull.
[THUMBNAIL] A stern view of an 'OSCAR I'.
[THUMBNAIL] An 'OSCAR II' (Project 949A "Antey") class guided missile submarine. 'OSCAR II' is the successor to 'OSCAR I', and is somewhat larger than the previous boats, displacing 16,000 tons submerged.
[THUMBNAIL] An overhead view of an 'OSCAR II'.
[THUMBNAIL] A stern view of an 'OSCAR II'.
[THUMBNAIL] A closeup of the sail and missile hatch area of an 'OSCAR II'.
[THUMBNAIL] A closeup of an 'OSCAR II' sail.

Back to the Soviet & Russian Navy Main Page

Back to the Photo Galleries Main Page

This section of the HG&UW site created and maintained by Andrew Toppan.
Copyright © 1998-2003, Andrew Toppan. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction, reuse, or distribution without permission is prohibited.