Several countries would like to commission to Admiralty Shipyards, contracts for the construction of Russian class submarines Amur. That's what the company told TASS a few hours ago.
However, the press release should be analyzed in its entirety. In fact, the managing director of the Admiralty Shipyards, Aleksandr Buzakov, concluded his speech with a phrase that should make one think. "Many countries have formally requested the Russian government to buy new submarines, all of which have the ability to launch missiles Kalibr. The decision is now political ". This means that the Russians could grant, at a relatively affordable price, platforms capable of launching cruise missiles from the sea.
If the option of attacking targets from the sea became a possibility at the mercy of all (remember that Moscow acquired this capacity only with 18 last November with the "Rostov-on-don"), it could further destabilize the planet's current strategic asset . The reason is related to the class Amur. Advertised as an evolution of the class Lada, is actually a modernized version of the class Kilo.
The Amur class implements new acoustic devices and combat systems, as well as the possibility of propulsion independent of the air. What is more worrying is the VLS launch module installed on the Amur, capable of launching missiles Kalibr. Their ability to hit targets at 1500 km away has been repeatedly demonstrated by the Russians during the military intervention against the Islamic State positions in Syria.
At a cost of 400/450 million dollars per boat, it is as evident as a class submarine Amur may appeal to countries that cannot afford nuclear propulsion or a hunter killer last generation. Just under sixty meters long, the Amur are able to reach the 37 km / h while diving at an operating depth of 250 meters. Their autonomy is around 45 days.
The Russians have not provided details on the countries that have advanced interest in the class Amur, but certainly some Middle Eastern countries are among them.
Finally, it is useless to note the tactical scenario that such a system would offer. If they entered service, the US would have no choice but to invest in a new class of hunter killer, considered "out of fashion" after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
(photo: Admiralty Shipyards)
