Normally the main weapon of this submarine is 24 supersonic and giant granite missiles.

But according to the news that was published a few days ago, a new standard in the navy is being defined for this class, which can be placed 3-4 zircon, caliber or ….. cruise missiles in each silo of granite missiles.

With these interpretations, the Oscar class will become the most capable submarine of the Russian Navy in offensive attacks.

With a fire volume of about 72-96 cruise missiles, the Russians can open a special account on it.

The improvement plan for the “Oscar-II”-class cruise missile nuclear submarine with an underwater displacement of up to 23,860 tons is mainly focused on the missile weapons equipped with the cruise missile nuclear submarine. In addition to the two 650 mm torpedo tubes and four 533 mm torpedo tubes that can launch a variety of different types of torpedoes and mines, the “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine is equipped with the most powerful. Its weaponry is the 24 submarine-launched “granite” anti-ship missiles it carries. This missile is a submarine-launched long-range supersonic heavy anti-ship cruise missile with a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.5 and a range of up to 550 kilometers. It can be equipped with a 750kg semi-armor-piercing high-explosive warhead, or a nuclear warhead with an explosive equivalent of 500 kilotons of TNT.

Based on the analysis of the information disclosed by Russia, the improved “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine will use a new generation of submarine-launched missile general launch system, which can carry and use the submarine-launched version of “Onyx” and the submarine-launched version. There are three submarine-launched missiles, including the “caliber” and the submarine-launched version of “Zircon”. Among them, the “Onyx” is a submarine-launched long-range supersonic anti-ship cruise missile, equipped with “satellite guidance + active radar terminal guidance”. It has a conductor system with a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.5 and a maximum range of 800 kilometers. It can carry a certain equivalent of nuclear warhead or conventional semi-armor-piercing high-explosive warhead, and has mobile penetration capabilities. The submarine-launched version has a “caliber” A subsonic-launched long-range subsonic land attack cruise missile with a range of up to 1500-2000 kilometers, capable of striking various types of land surface targets. As for the submarine-launched version of “Zircon”, it is a subsonic-launched long-range high The supersonic multi-purpose anti-ship cruise missile can fly as fast as Mach 8 and have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. It has a very powerful maneuverable orbital penetration performance and can be used to strike the enemy’s many different types of sea or land surfaces. In addition, since the size of these new submarine-launched missiles is generally smaller than that of the submarine-launched “granite” anti-ship missiles in the past, it can also increase the capacity of a single improved “Oscar-II”-class cruise missile nuclear submarine. The number of missiles carried, for example, when a single modified “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine carries a submarine-launched version of the “Onyx” anti-ship missile, the number it can carry at one time can reach up to 72.

Russia upgrades its “Oscar”-class nuclear submarine and replaces it with advanced anti-ship missiles, giving it a new lease of life

Therefore, after the replacement of the above three new generation submarine-launched missiles, the missile strike capability of the “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine will undoubtedly be doubled, and this will also make it more powerful in the future. Actual combat capability. At present, the improved “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine has been given a new number of 949AM, and the previous “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine named “Omsk” has undergone such improvements. , Has rejoined the Russian Pacific Fleet, and now another “Oscar-II” class cruise missile nuclear submarine named “Irkutsk” is also undergoing the same improvement work, which may also be in the near future. Afterwards, it was re-incorporated into the combat sequence of the Russian Navy. At the same time, in the future, many “Oscar-II”-class cruise missile nuclear submarines, including the “Chelyabinsk”, will make the same improvement arrangements, so as to wait for these improved and upgraded “Oscar-II” in the future. After being re-equipped with the Russian navy, the level of submarine combat capability of the Russian navy will also be upgraded to a higher dimension.

Eight Project 949A nuclear submarine missile cruisers (APRK) serve in the Northern and Pacific Fleets. The boats regularly go on long patrols across the oceans and participate in exercises. The Antei, like the Tu-22M3 bombers, are the trump cards of the Russian fleet in the confrontation with aircraft carrier strike groups. Their only drawback is age.The youngest boat K-150 “Tomsk” this year turns 26 years old, the rest are already over 30 – a bit too much for naval equipment. However, the Ministry of Defense is in no hurry to write off the Antei, although the next generation nuclear submarines are being built.The modernization program was developed in the 2010s. The first APRK of the updated project 949AM will be the K-132 Irkutsk (in service since 1988). The cruiser has been under repair for more than 13 years, but for a number of reasons, real modernization began only in 2019. The return of the nuclear submarine to the Pacific Fleet is expected this year.

First of all, Irkutsk will be upgraded with weapons: instead of heavy supersonic anti-ship missiles P-700 Grant, they will get lighter and more powerful Onyxes and Calibers. Moreover, the number will increase to 72 units. Not a single pennant of the Russian Navy has such an arsenal. At the same time, Antey did not even have to redo the hull – only the launch containers were modified.

Very soon, hypersonic Zircons, placed in the same installations as the Caliber, will go into service en masse. Even in the West they admit that there is nothing to shoot down the latest Russian anti-ship missiles.The Combat Information and Control System (CICS) “Omnibus-M” will simplify and automate many processes. In addition, almost the entire electronic filling will be updated, modern communications equipment and a hydroacoustic complex will be installed on the boat.”Modernization will extend the service life by at least ten years and expand the combat capabilities of the Pacific Fleet,” Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier.

Their main “argument” is 24 Granit supersonic anti-ship missiles, which reach the target at altitudes from 25 meters to 17 kilometers and accelerate to two and a half Mach numbers. It is believed that just one ammunition with a 750-kilogram penetrating warhead will disable a first-rank surface ship. “Granites” were placed outside the strong hull, in side containers tilted forward by 40 degrees. In addition, each ship has two 650 mm and four 533 mm torpedo tubes with 28 torpedoes.The main power plant is a block one: two nuclear reactors and two steam turbines with a total capacity of 98,000 horsepower. For auxiliary functions, there are a pair of 8700 horsepower diesel generators. The cruising range is not limited, autonomy is about 120 days. The crew is relatively small – 107 divers

The priority is the purchase of fourth-generation multi-purpose APRK 885M “Ash-M”. Now the Navy has three such cruisers – K-561 “Kazan” and K-573 “Novosibirsk”, as well as the lead one – K-560 “Severodvinsk”.They have optimized hull contours, an updated element base of electronic weapons, advanced equipment and materials. It is noteworthy that all components are produced in Russia. Previously, a lot was bought in the countries of the former USSR.In addition to ten 533-mm torpedo tubes, the Ashes carry eight universal vertical launchers, each with five Calibers. Depending on the task – different modifications: anti-ship, anti-submarine or for strikes against ground targets. The boat can also carry the more powerful P-800 Oniks for firing at large surface targets, as well as the promising Zircons.

Cruisers of the new and previous generations are planned to be used in close conjunction. “Antei” will be “floating arsenals”, and less noticeable “Ash” will conduct reconnaissance and issue target designation

“Zircon” (according to experts, in the container version it will be named “Zircon-K”) will be transported in standard 40-foot containers. The option of placing in 20-foot containers is also being considered. Potentially, any military or civilian ship can become the carrier of this weapon. This will not require re-equipment and changes in the design of the ship.

The key characteristic of the complex is its versatility, which makes it possible to equally effectively destroy both surface and ground targets, including strategic enemy targets, aircraft carrier strike groups, etc. The developer ensured the absence of all unmasking signs, the weapon container is no different from other similar millions are transported daily by sea. So the area of ​​combat duty of the container complex of missile weapons will be impossible to trace. At the same time, the missile that will be launched using this complex will not lose its combat properties. Recall that the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is capable of reaching speeds of about 9 Mach numbers and hitting sea and ground targets at a distance of more than 1,000 km.

What does the complex consist of?

The main functional element of the complex is a universal fully autonomous launch module, inside which there is an elevating launcher equipped with four transport and launch containers that provide preparation and launch of missiles. There is also a combat control module. It is used to calculate the initial firing data, receive target designation and launch commands, conduct pre-launch preparations, form a flight mission and launch a cruise missile, as well as maintain and maintain missiles. There is also a power supply and life support module. Additionally, the complexes can purchase a target detection and tracking module, as well as an unmanned aerial vehicle. Container placement will allow the complex to be unloaded ashore to form a battery.

Subtleties of disguise

According to experts, it is advisable to use Zircon-K exclusively on warships, this will make it possible to hide from the enemy what kind of weapons this or that ship has. Disguising weapons as civilian cargo goes against the principle underlying the conventions governing the conduct of military conflicts: armies participate in any war, but civilians do not participate. Both those and others, according to the conventions, have certain rights and should not change places. Civil ships are protected by international conventions. And if a military facility is disguised as a civilian one, then in the future this may lead to the fact that the enemy will suspect deception in similar situations. The charters and instructions of the armies of different countries, including Russia, separately stipulate, on the one hand, respect for civilian objects, and on the other hand, permission to attack them if they are used for military purposes. So if you once hide a similar container on a civilian ship, then you should expect the enemy to shoot them, fearing the same tricks.