Baptism of fire, a few hours ago, for the submarine "Rostov-on-Don ", in training with the Northern Fleet until a few weeks ago before being deployed on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea in support of the Russian effort against ISIS.
This is the second boat of the new class "Varshavyanka". These submarines represent a key element of the Russian naval strategy in the Mediterranean, where Moscow has formed one task force permanent consisting of ten surface ships. The "Rostov-on-Don "should have launched the entire rescue of cruise missiles" Kalibr 3M54 "embarked against enemy targets near the Syrian city of Raqqa. The" Rostov-on-don "has actually entered the history of the Russian Navy for being the first submarine to launch cruise missiles against real enemy targets.
The "Varshavyanka" classes (Project 636m) are propelled by diesel-electric engines with very low noise emissions and can hit targets at long distances without being detected by enemy antisubmarine radars. The "Varshavyanka" class is an improved version of the "Kilo" (the latter below five knots is invisible to passive sonar), with technology stealth advanced. It has a displacement of 3.100 tons, reaches a speed of 20 knots, can dive up to 300 meters and carry crews of 52 people.
The baptism of fire for the class "Varshavyanka" represents a bad blow to the West, considering that these submarines were designed not to be detected once immersed. Dubbed by the US Navy as "Black Holes in the Ocean / Black Holes in the Ocean", they are armed with 18 torpedoes, mines and eight "Kalibr 3M54" cruise missiles (NATO SS-N-27 Sizzler). The Russians have deployed in the Mediterranean no less than five submarines: two "Varshavyanka", the 'Novorossiysk' and the 'Rostov-on-Don', two "Akula" classes in the Hunter Killer role and 'L'Alrosa', class boat " Kilo ”entered service in the 1990 with the Black Sea Fleet.
The Varshavyanka submarines were designed for anti-submarine missions in relatively shallow waters. The presence of at least two 'Akula' is also justified to protect the surface boats deployed. The fourth of the six class "Varshavyanka" submarines, the 'Krasnodar', entered service on the 5 last November. The construction of the first submarine, the 'Novorossiysk' started in August of the 2010, followed by the "Rostov on Don" in November 2011, the "Stary Oskol" in the August of 2012 and the fourth boat, the "Krasnodar" entered the construction site on February 20th of the 2014. The fifth boat, the 'Veliky Novgorod' and the sixth, the 'Kolpino', have been under construction since October 30 last year. The "Varshavyanka" diesel-electric class submarines within the 2016 will equip the Black Sea War Fleet. All six submarines will be deployed at the Novorossiysk naval base.
At present, the third submarine, the 'Stary Oskol', should be in experimental training with the Northern Fleet. This means that it could also be recalled in the Mediterranean Sea in a very short time.
