Russia recently successfully launched its most modern multipurpose nuclear submarine, the Arkhangelsk, marking another significant advance for the Russian Navy in the field of nuclear submarines. Against the background of the relatively weak strength of Russian surface ships, the successful launch of nuclear submarines is of great significance for the Russian Navy. Especially in the current situation of Russia's lack of effective aircraft carrier support, the strategic value and deterrence of nuclear submarines have become the core of the Russian Navy.
The launch of the "Arkhangelsk" demonstrates the high level of Russian work in the design and construction of submarines. The submarine reaches a length of 130 meters, a width of 13 meters and is capable of diving to a depth of 600 meters. Compared to earlier nuclear submarines, "Arkhangelsk" has been significantly improved in several aspects, in particular, its unique coating technology, which greatly reduces the noise level of the submarine, thereby improving its ability to combat anti-submarine detection.
As part of the "Ash-M" project, "Arkhangelsk" is one of the 8 multifunctional nuclear submarines planned to be built by Russia, marking the in-depth development of the Russian Navy in the field of nuclear submarines. With a displacement of up to 14,000 tons, the submarine demonstrates its powerful multi-purpose capabilities and is considered an offensive comparable to the American attack nuclear submarines**.
With the continuous addition of multipurpose nuclear submarines of the "Ash Tree" type, Russia's naval strength will be further strengthened. Although Russia lags behind in the construction of aircraft carriers, the strengthening of its nuclear submarine forces is enough to increase its deterrence at sea, especially against aircraft carriers. Russia's strategic choice to focus on the construction of nuclear submarines underscores its unique position among global naval forces. While aircraft carriers are often seen as an important indicator of naval strength, Russia's nuclear submarine capabilities are also not to be underestimated, with significant implications for the global naval balance.
The launch of the new Russian nuclear submarine "Arkhangelsk" means that the combat capabilities of the Russian Navy will be significantly improved. The versatility of this submarine allows it to conduct naval battles underwater, while also having the ability to strike land targets. Its attack power has been greatly enhanced, and it is equipped with a variety of highly effective systems. In addition, the submarine's design focuses on reducing crew size, reducing personnel requirements by at least one-third, while improving operational efficiency.
The Arkhangelsk is particularly capable of tracking and locating surface ships, as well as being able to operate covertly without being easily detected. This makes it a potential threat to aircraft carriers, as it can easily track and locate aircraft carriers, dealing a fatal blow to them.
The submarine is armed with 8 vertical launch tubes and is capable of launching cruise missiles of the Onyx and Caliber families. The versatility and accuracy of these missiles enhance the attack capabilities of submarines. Strikingly, the submarine is also equipped with 32 hypersonic "Zircon" missiles, which have a range of 1,000 kilometers, which brings great lethality. Hypersonic missiles are difficult to intercept, which means that even large U.S. aircraft carriers could be under great threat.
The launch of this submarine marks the imminent acceptance of this advanced ** platform by the Russian Navy, which has chosen to equip its nuclear submarines with Zircon hypersonic missiles, which aims to enhance its strategic deterrence capabilities at sea, especially against submarines and surface ships. For Russia, the focus on nuclear submarines with powerful attack capabilities is a central part of its naval strategy. With the accession of "Arkhangelsk", the strength of the Russian Navy will be significantly strengthened, which will have an impact on the global strategic balance of the seas.