The Russian Navy has commissioned the “Arkhangelsk,” its third serial-built Yasen-M class stealth nuclear-powered attack submarine under Project 885M.
Named after Pomorye’s capital in Russia’s north, the Arkhangelsk is Moscow’s 141st nuclear-powered submarine constructed by Sevmash and the fifth vessel in the Yasen class.
Project 885M submarines are upgraded variants of the Yasen class. They are designed by the Malakhit Design Bureau of Marine Engineering and built by Russia’s leading shipbuilder and submarine manufacturer, Sevmash.
The country’s naval Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, noted that four more Yasen-M class submarines being constructed by Sevmash will join the navy: the “Perm,” the “Ulyanovsk,” the “Voronezh,” and the “Vladivostok.”
The Kremlin plans to expand its Yasen-M class submarines to 12.
Challenge to the West
The Arkhangelsk is armed with Oniks and Kalibr cruise missiles.
It’s also designed to incorporate the Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile that can reportedly hit targets from 600 miles (965 kilometers) away and travel at Mach 9, overwhelming traditional air defense systems.
The Yasen-M class submarines measure 130 meters in length (426 feet) and have a 64-crew capacity.
The latest nuclear-powered submarine is assigned to the Northern Fleet operating in the Arctic Ocean, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea, and Kara Sea, along with the “Severodvinsk” and “Kazan.”
Meanwhile, the two other submarines, “Novosibirsk” and “Krasnoyarsk,” were designated for the Pacific Fleet.
With enhanced stealth technology coupled with long-strike capabilities, the proximity of Russia’s Northern Fleet operations to NATO countries such as Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland contributes to regional tensions.
