Russia Goes Hypersonic: the West Lagging Behind in Missile Technology Race

Remember all those times Global Geopolitics has warned that the Russians and Chinese were either on par or soon going to be more militarily advanced than America?

Just in case, here’s a few refreshers posted throughout the years:

WORLD WAR III? US fears China will win any conflict because strength of Red Army’s fleet

Nuclear Submarines and Hypersonic Missiles: China Is Making Game-Changing Weapons Advances

Global Ballistic Missile Threats Beginning to Outpace US Defense Capability

China, Russia, Iran Closing Gap with Smaller, Older U.S. Military

Russia claims to have super weapon that disables western satellites and long range arms

Chinese bought division of IBM that manufactures computing servers for U.S. Navy Aegis cruisers

China Tests ICBM With Multiple Warheads

‘Stolen’ J-31 can beat American jets in dogfight, says US pilot

Pentagon: Military Losing Technological Superiority to China

Photos show second China stealth fighter prototype has test flight

Silent Running

Obama’s Lost in Space

 

 

On March 30, the Russian Navy launched Kazan, the second upgraded Yasen-class project 885M submarine. The Navy will take delivery of the vessel in 2018. A total of seven Yasen class nuclear attack submarines are to be built by 2023. Kazan is an upgraded Project 885M design – an advanced version that is in many ways much more capable than the lead ship of the class, Severodvinsk, the first submarine in the series, entered service in 2016.

The Kazan’s armament includes 3M22 Zircon – a hypersonic cruise capable of speeds of around Mach 5.0-Mach 6.0 (7,400 kilometer per hour (4,600 mile per hour) expected to enter into production in 2018. At a cruising altitude of 30,000 m its kinetic energy at impact is 50 times higher than existing air-ship and ship-to-ship missiles. The projectile can travel covering 155 miles in 2.5 minutes, which is faster than a sniper’s bullet. The enemy will not have enough time to get scared, let alone react.

For comparison, the sea-based Kalibr cruise missile travels at a Mach 0.9 speed, but while approaching the target, its warhead speeds up to Mach 2.9.

Russia’s next super submarine is almost ready for war

 

The Russian Navy’s first Project-885 Yasen-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, K-329 Severodvinsk, is set to deploy on its first combat training mission.

The new submarine recently completed operational testing after being accepted into service in June 2014. Prior to that, the boat had been undergoing pre-delivery sea trials since September 2011.

Russia’s Sevmash to Begin Construction of Two Nuclear Submarines in 2016

SEVERODVINSK (Sputnik) –Russia’s shipbuilding company Sevmash will begin the construction of two nuclear submarines, one Borei-class (project 955) and a Yasen-class (project 885) in 2016, the company’s general director said Friday.

Russia details ambitious effort to modernise nuclear-powered submarines to bolster order of battle

• Moscow is modernising or repairing 12 nuclear-powered submarines
• The modernised boats are intended to serve 20 more years, maintaining operational force levels as the new Project 885M Yasen-class boats enter service.
• The modernisation programme leaves current force levels as low as nine boats across the fleet

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has set out details of an ambitious effort to reinvigorate Russia’s shipbuilding and submarine order of battle.

During a visit to the Zvezda shipyard at Bolshoy Kamen on Russia’s Pacific coast in September, the minister is reported to have informed Russian journalists that six nuclear-powered submarines are under repair and modernisation at Zvezda.

Russia Navy Developing ‘Carrier Killer’ Subs

Vladimir Putin ran for the Russian presidency in 2012 on the promise of rebuilding the Russian military. The Navy’s building program is part of Putin’s broader $356 billion military upgrade program, intended to run through 2020, according to the report.In 2013 new fourth-generation class submarines were deployed by Moscow: the Borei, which carries ballistic missiles capable of striking intercontinental targets, and the Yasen-class attack boat.  Both submarines are significant upgrades to previous, Soviet-era counterparts.

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Shlemov says the main purpose of one of the new submarines will be “to protect the groups of ballistic missile submarines and do battle with enemy submarines.”  He is describing what Western experts call attack submarines.

Russia to Develop “Aircraft Carrier Killer Sub”

New details have emerged on Russia’s development of a new fifth generation class of nuclear-powered submarines.

The yet-to-be-named class will be divided up into “underwater interceptor” and “aircraft carrier killer” vessels, the Moscow Times reports quoting the head of the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation’s state defense order department, Anatoly Shlemov.

“The main purpose of the [underwater interceptor] is to protect groups of [ballistic] missile carrying submarines, and to battle with enemy submarines. The second ship will be a cruise missile carrier [used] for defeating coastal and surface targets,” Shlemov stated.

Russia to Receive Fifth-Generation Nuclear Submarine by 2020

The completion of the new submarine type, known as the Yasen project, could take some time. The Yasen-class submarine will replace Soviet-era nuclear submarines by 2020. The new submarine is expected to be 118 meters (390 feet) long, 13.5 meters (44 feets) wide and weight almost 14 tons. The Yasen will have a maximum speed of 31 knots when submerged and 16 knots surfaced.

Russian Shipyard Makes History: 4 Subs Under Construction Simultaneously

Four of the most advanced nuclear-powered submarines in the world are now simultaneously under construction at Russia’s Sevmash shipyard for the first time in the country’s modern history, Russia media reported.

Russia’s fifth Yasen-class nuclear sub to be laid down on March 19 — source

MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. The fifth Yasen-class multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine will be laid down at the Sevmash shipyard in Northwest Russia on March 19. It will be named Arkhangelsk, a Russian defense industry source told TASS on Friday.

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Yasen is the fourth generation of multipurpose nuclear-powered submarines. They are equipped with the Oniks and Kalibr type missiles. Unlike most Soviet submarine designs, the Yasen-class boats do not make use of a double-hull-instead it has hybrid design with a lighter structure over the vessel’s pressure hull.

Russian Military Plans to Buy 100 Planes, 600 Armored Vehicles Annually

MOSCOW, December 10 (Sputnik) — The Russian Defense Ministry is planning to purchase up to 100 combat planes, over 120 helicopters, up to 30 naval vessels and some 600 armored vehicles annually in the next five years, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Wednesday.

“By the end of the state rearmament program in 2021 the share of modern weaponry in the Armed Forces will be within the range of 70-100 percent,” Gerasimov said at a meeting with foreign military attaches in Moscow.

Putin’s nuclear navy gets an upgrade: Russia christens new top-secret submarine

The new fourth generation Russian submarines are here while fifth generation is in the making.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has a new weapon at his disposal: a top-secret nuclear submarine named Severodvinsk.

The fourth-generation vessel, the first Yasen K-560 nuclear submarine, was christened Tuesday, the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported.