The newest submarine of the Russian Navy "Arkhangelsk," a stealth submarine armed with hypersonic nuclear weapons, has taken to sea for the first time.
It joins the "Belgorod" K-329, Russia's largest submarine, capable of carrying up to six Poseidon nuclear torpedoes pic.twitter.com/GTZI43RVKY
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- Arkhangelsk:
- The K-564 Arkhangelsk is a Yasen-M class multi-purpose submarine.
- It was recently launched from the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Russia.
- Key features:
- Displacement: Approximately 13,800 tons submerged (almost twice the size of an American Virginia-class submarine).
- Armament: Equipped with 10 torpedo tubes and 32 vertical cells for cruise missiles.
- Missiles: It carries Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles (also known as Zircon), which are nuclear-capable and can accelerate up to Mach 9 (nine times the speed of sound).
- Range: The Tsirkon missile has a range of up to 1,000 kilometers.
- Purpose: The Yasen-M class submarines play a crucial role in Russia’s ongoing naval arms race with NATO.
- Belgorod:
- The K-329 Belgorod is Russia’s largest submarine.
- Notable features:
- Capable of carrying up to six Poseidon nuclear torpedoes.
- Also equipped with Oniks supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles and projectiles from the Kalibr family.
- Its armament allows it to strike both naval and land-based targets
These submarines represent significant advancements in Russia’s naval capabilities, emphasizing the importance of hypersonic weapons in modern warfare.