According to the information obtained from the Russian Press Agency TASS on June 18, 2021, the Project 971M nuclear-powered attack submarine Gepard (NATO reporting name: Akula III class) has launched an anti-submarine missile during an exercise at Northern Fleet ranges in the Barents Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press office said.
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Russian Navy Akula III class K-335 Gepard nuclear-powered attack submarine. (Picture source Reddit)
“The launch was performed with a practice munition from the underwater position against a same-type submarine. The task was fulfilled well,” the press office said. The exercise area was closed for shipping in advance. Before the launch, the Gepard submarine practiced searching for and tracking a simulated enemy’s submarine.
The Gepard is a Project 971M Akula-class III nuclear-powered attack submarine in service with the Russian navy. The submarine is the 14th submarine of the class and the only completed Akula III built for the Russian Navy.
The Akula III submarine has a length of 113.3 m, a beam of 13.6 m, a draught of 9.7 m, and a displacement from 13,400 to 13,800 tons. The propulsion of the Akula III submarine consists of one 190 MW OK-650B/OK-650M pressurized water nuclear reactor, one OK-7 steam turbine developing 43,000 hp, and two OK-2 Turbogenerators producing 2 MW. Two OK-300 retractable electric propulsors are also available, used for low-speed and quiet maneuvering at 5 knots (9.3 km/h). The propulsion system drives a seven-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. She can reach a surface speed of 10 knots (19 km/h) and 35 knots (65 km/h) in submerged conditions.
The Akula III is armed with four 533 mm torpedo tubes with 28 torpedoes and four 650 mm torpedo tubes with 12 torpedoes. She carries up to 12 Granit submarine-launched cruise missiles which are launched from the 533mm torpedo launch tubes. The submarine’s anti-ship missiles are the Novator SS-N-15 Starfish and the Novator SS-N-16 Stallion. The Granit is a submarine-launched cruise missile with a nuclear warhead that was developed by the Soviet Union. It has an operational range of 3,000 km.
The RPK-2 Vyuga, NATO reporting name SS-N-15 Starfish, also designated as 81R, is a Soviet submarine-launched, nuclear-armed anti-submarine missile system, launched exclusively through 533mm torpedo tubes. It has an operational range from 35 to 45 km. The RPK-6 Vodopad also called by NATO as SS-N-16 Stallion, is a Soviet 533 mm anti-submarine missile fitted capable of being fitted with a 10-20 kT warhead or a Type 40 torpedo. The missile has a maximum range of 100 km.
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