The Russian Navy is armed with "three impressive submarines" of the Yasen, Akula, and Oscar classes, military expert Maya Karlin writes in an article for The National Interest.
The concept of the Yasen-class submarines appeared during the Cold War. Budgetary constraints hampered the development of these submarines until the 2000s. The updated Yasen-M project submarines with an underwater displacement of 13,800 tons and the ability to reach speeds of over 30 knots surpass their predecessors.
The heavy missile submarine cruisers of strategic designation Project 941 Akula "shocked Western intelligence," Karlin noted. They are considered one of the quietest in the world.
"Akulas" were designed to counter American Los Angeles-class submarines. Soviet submarines are equipped with strike missiles that are comparable in power to "Tomahawks." The newest "Akulas" can launch Kalibr missiles, making them more deadly.
Karlin noted that the Oscar-class submarines (Project 949 Antey) were created to combat the US Navy's aircraft carrier strike groups.
The submarines are equipped with 24 P-700 Granit cruise missiles. In accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), nuclear warheads for these missiles were replaced with high-explosive fragmentation warheads.
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