Russia’s Kalibr cruise missile armed Kilo-class Submarine transits Black Sea

Europe, News February 13, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Russian Navy’s improved and upgraded Kilo-class (Project 636.6) Rostov-na-Donu (B-237) submarine was spotted transiting through the Bosphorus on February 13 to make its way into the Black Sea.

Russia’s Black Sea fleet has been reinforcing since last week for its live missile and gun firing exercise. After the deployment of Kilo-class Rostov-na-Donu, the total count of Russia’s Kalibr equipped submarines in the Black Sea reaches up to six. The first fleet of Russia’s Amphibious ships made its way into the Black Sea on February 8.

The following day Russian Navy issued the Notice to the Air Mission (NOTAM) for the Black Sea amid its live missile and gun firing exercise that would take place from February 13 to February 19. During the exercise, the Russian Navy’s Black Sea fleet would also block the entrance to the Sea of Azov cutting the maritime traffic to the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk.

*^{U.S. Congress report, October 5, 2021 via navalnews}*

Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian navy has been vigilant and active in terms of readiness. The Russian Navy’s exercise in the Black Sea comes at a time when the tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain high. Russia’s deployment of heavily armed submarines, frigates, destroyers, and amphibious ships is considered a move to intimidate Ukraine by flexing muscles around its maritime borders.

The Montreux Convention confines NATO member states to a tonnage limit of 40,000 tons for their naval deployment in the Black Sea. By following this limitation, NATO can only deploy 3-4 destroyers along with 1-2 frigates, which is a very small number compared to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Turkey, however, being a riparian state in the Black Sea, is the only NATO member state that can deploy a whole Naval fleet including submarines into the Black Sea. But considering Turkey’s passive stance in the Russia-Ukraine situation, it is highly unlikely that the Turkish Navy would go head to head with Russia in case of naval conflict.

The recently deployed Kilo-class submarine is expected to be the last one to join the Russian Navy’s Black Sea fleet for the exercises. With Kilo-class Submarine now deployed, Russia has at least 13 vessels in the Black Sea that are capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles. This accounts for a total of 80 Kalibr cruise missiles that are currently deployed in the Black Sea by Russia.

*^{Russian Navy’s Rostov-on-Don submarine takes part in a parade on Navy Day. (Image Credit: Sputnik/Ilya Pitalev)}*

Kalibr Cruise Missile:

Russia’s Kalibr cruise missile is a surface/ship/submarine-launched anti-ship and Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM). Developed by the Novator Design Bureau, the 9 meters long missile has the capability to carry 400 to 500 kg of Highly Explosives or Thermonuclear warheads. The Missile can be launched from the ships through the Vertical Launch System (VLS) and by submarine through a torpedo tube without any additional speed booster. The Missile has a range of up to 2000 km and it can hit a target with an accuracy of 3 meters.