Russian Pacific Fleet To Get Four Upgraded Antey Nuclear-powered Submarines In 2021

The Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet will get four upgraded Antey nuclear-powered submarines armed with Kalibr cruise missiles in 2021, local media reports.

The Pacific Fleet may also get already this year the nuclear submarine Omsk of this Project that was earlier expected to be delivered in 2019, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov was quoted as saying by TASS during his visit to the Zvezda Shipyard in the Russian Far East on Tuesday.

The Deputy Defense minister added that the shipyard will also repair and upgrade Project 955 Borei-class nuclear submarines.

The Project 949A Antey, known in NATO as the Oscar II class, has a length of 155 meters, a displacement of 24,000 tons, a depth of submersion of 600 meters and an underwater speed of 32 knots. Its crew totals 107.

Overall, Russia has built 11 Project 949A Antey submarines. Eight of them have remained operational with the Russian Navy. Each submarine has a displacement of 24,000 tonnes and is armed with 24 Granit cruise missile launchers and six torpedo tubes.

The number of Kalibr missiles aboard Oscar-II is the same as Granit. 

According to Sputnik, work on overhauling the submarine's navigation and anti-ship missile systems started in 2013. Restoration work at the Zvyozdochka facilities started the following year and focused mainly on repairing propeller shafts and propellers, as well as reinforcement structures, dehumidification and air pressure systems as well as weapons on board.