The Project 949A Antey is a type of nuclear-powered 'battle' submarine, which was developed and built by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Known as the Oscar class by NATO's intelligence, it was laid down in Severodvinsk's shipyard in 1975 and introduced in 1979. Today, from the fourteen submarines completed, eight of them still remain in service with the Russian Navy, with three of them having just been upgraded with better stealth technology to the 949AM version. It is the third largest submarine of the Russian fleet, after the Typhoon and the Borei class.
Armament
The Project 949A Antey, which is also referred to as the Project 949 Granit, is a 'battle' submarine because it is armed to the teeth. It is equipped with 24 medium-range, over-the-horizon, supersonic cruise missiles (P-700 Granit), which can be fired against land targets or against enemy warships, such as aircraft carriers and destroyers. It also carries 4 Poseidon Drones, which are fitted with thermonuclear warheads, and 28 SET-65E torpedoes, which are launched through four 533mm tubes. The upgraded submarines, the Project 949AM, are also armed with the new hypersonic 3M-54 Kalibr missiles.
An Oscar class submarine sailing in the Pacific Ocean in 2005.
The Project 949A Antey submarine was built by Sevmash in two variants; Oscar I, and Oscar II, with the latter being slightly longer than the former. Both of them were made on a double-hull design, using titanium. Not only is the Oscar II longer, but it also has a superior acoustic performance. The pressurized steam for its two steam turbines is supplied by its two nuclear reactors. These two variants replaced the Papa class submarines.
Specifications
Type: nuclear-powered battle submarine
Displacement: 15,400 tons
Length: 143 m (470 feet)
Beam: 17.6 m (57.8 feet)
Draft: 11 m (36.3 feet)
Propulsion: two nuclear reactor; two steam turbines, with two shafts, generating 60,000HP
Maximum Speed: 30 knots
Depth it can submerge: 500 m
Range: unlimited
Compliment: 130 men
Below, an Oscar II submarine at a Russian naval base in Kamchatka peninsula on the Pacific.
Below, the Project 949AM Antey (Oscar II) moored to a wharf of a Russian base.
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