Russia’s New Varshavyanka Sub to Have Hydroacoustic Towed Antennas

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia’s Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering "Rubin" has improved the design of the Project 636 Varshavyanka non-nuclear submarine: it will have, among other things, hydroacoustic towed antennas, Andrey Baranov, Rubin’s Deputy Director General for Foreign Economic Activities and Military Technical Cooperation, said.

"‘Rubin’ has performed a lot of studies showing possible directions for improving the project - from equipping [the subs] with extended towed hydroacoustic antennas to yet another modernization of the power plant," Baranov said, adding that there is a continued demand for Varshavyanka subs from the Russian Navy and foreign customers.

Project 636 Varshavyanka submarines are currently being delivered to the Russian Pacific Fleet, which should have six of such subs by 2024. Another six Project 636 submarines have already been delivered to the Black Sea Fleet.

In March, the CEO of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Alexei Rakhmanov, told Sputnik that the company can build two Project 636 Varshavyanka non-nuclear submarines each year.

The name Varshavyanka refers to the Warsaw pact. This class of diesel-electric attack submarines was initially developed for export to Warsaw Pact nations. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the final stages of the sub’s development were financed by China, which is the major export customer for this class.