Media: Russia launches first submarine armed with hypersonic Zirkon missile

Russia has launched its first submarine, Perm, equipped with the hypersonic Zirkon missile.

According to a report by The Barents Observer, the Perm, the sixth submarine of the Yasen/Yasen-M class, is poised to join the Pacific Fleet after completing a year-long series of sea trials. These trials will assess the submarine's performance, seaworthiness, and weapons systems.

Unlike its Soviet-designed predecessors, the Yasen/Yasen-M class submarines have been designed with a multi-role function. They not only serve in the hunter-killer role but are also capable of targeting both sea and land enemies with vertically launched cruise missiles. The Perm stands out as the first in its series to carry the Zirkon missile, a hypersonic weapon that can be armed with either a conventional or nuclear warhead.

The introduction of tactical nuclear weapons on Russian submarines has raised concerns in the West. While the Cold War era saw the removal of tactical nuclear weapons from U.S. and Russian submarines, Russia's latest move signals their return, particularly on multi-purpose submarines. This development comes at a time when Russia is emphasizing its capability to project power across the world's oceans.

The launch of the Perm took place at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, with Russian President Vladimir Putin attending the ceremony via video link from Murmansk. On the same day, Putin met with Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev, the commander of the Russian Navy, aboard the Arkhangelsk, another Yasen-class submarine. Putin also participated in the Arctic Forum conference, where he praised the work of the designers and builders involved in the project.

The Perm is the first submarine in the Yasen-class to be armed with the Zirkon missile, though the missile has already been successfully tested on other submarines in the fleet. The first test launch occurred in October 2021, when the Severodvinsk, another Yasen-class vessel, fired the missile while surfaced in the White Sea, targeting a site in the Barents Sea. Unconfirmed reports suggest the Zirkon missile has a range of up to 1,000 kilometers.

Putin emphasized that these new generation submarines, like the Perm, would significantly enhance Russia’s naval power. "Such submarines and ships will increase the power of all our fleets, strengthen the security of Russia's maritime borders, and ensure the protection of national interests in various areas of the World Ocean, including the Arctic zone," Putin stated from Atomflot, the base for Russia's fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers in Murmansk.

Currently, five Yasen-class submarines are operational, with three assigned to the Northern Fleet (Severodvinsk, Kazan, and Arkhangelsk) and two to the Pacific Fleet (Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk). Another three submarines—Ulyanovsk, Voronezh, and Vladivostok—are under construction at the Sevmash yard, with the next submarine, Bratsk, expected to begin construction in 2025. Two additional submarines are also planned, though contracts for their construction have yet to be finalized.

By Khagan Isayev