Submarines in the Soviet Navy were developed by numbered "projects," which sometimes but not always were given names. During the Cold War, NATO nations referred to these classes by NATO reporting names, based on intelligence data, which did not always correspond perfectly with the projects. See:
Most Russian (and Soviet) submarines had no "personal" name, but were only known by a number, prefixed by letters identifying the boat's type at a higher level than her class. Those letters included:
- К (K) -- крейсерская (kreyserskaya, "cruiser")
- ТК (TK) -- тяжелая крейсерская (tyazholaya kreyserskaya, "heavy cruiser")
- Б (B) -- большая (bolshaya, "large")
- С (S) -- средняя (srednyaja, "medium")
- М (M) -- малая (malaya, "small")
Any of those prefixes could have С (S) added to the end, standing for специальная (spetsialnaya) and meaning "designed for special missions."
Diesel-Electric
Attack Submarines
Project |
NATO reporting name |
611, AB611 |
Zulu |
613 |
Whiskey |
615 |
Quebec |
633 |
Romeo |
641 |
Foxtrot |
641B Som |
Tango |
690 Kephal |
Bravo |
877 Paltus, 636 Varshavyanka |
Kilo |
677 Lada, 1650 Amur |
|
865 Piranya |
Losos |
Guided Missile Submarines
Project |
NATO reporting name |
P613 |
Whiskey Single Cylinder |
644 |
Whiskey Twin Cylinder |
665 |
Whiskey Long Bin |
651
|
Juliett
|
Ballistic Missile Submarines
Auxiliary Submarines
Project |
NATO reporting name |
940 Lenok |
India |
1710 Makrel |
Belouga |
1840 |
Lima |
Nuclear-Powered
Attack Submarines
Guided Missile Submarines
Ballistic Missile Submarines
Auxiliary Submarines
Last updated: 01-22-2005 01:30:02