The Russian Navy has officially commissioned the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk, the latest addition to the Yasen-M-class of fourth-generation submarines.
Built at the Sevmash Shipyard in northwestern Russia, the Arkhangelsk will serve in the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Defense.
On December 27, an official ceremony was held at the Sevmash Shipyard, where the Arkhangelsk was delivered to the Navy.
The event was presided over by Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, who handed over the St. Andrew’s naval flag to the submarine’s commanding officer, Captain First Rank Alexander Gladkov. The flag was hoisted aboard the submarine, officially marking its entry into active service.
The Arkhangelsk, named after the historic Russian city in the northern region of Pomorye, is the fourth submarine of its kind in the Yasen-M class. The Malakhit Design Bureau of Marine Engineering in St. Petersburg designed the boat.
The vessel was rolled out of the shipyard’s slipway on November 29, 2023. It has since undergone 13 months of sea trials, including navigation and weapons testing in the White and Barents Seas. Following the success of these tests, the submarine has now become part of the Russian Navy’s powerful fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
This marks the 141st nuclear-powered submarine built at the Sevmash Shipyard, a testament to Russia’s long history of advanced naval construction.
Alexander Moiseev said, “The nuclear submarine Arkhangelsk is a carrier of all types of naval missile weapons, capable of effectively hitting both sea and coastal targets. This allows the Yasen-M class submarines to remain an effective and promising weapon. Thanks to this, they make an invaluable contribution to maintaining global and regional security in peacetime.”
The construction of the Arkhangelsk was a complex and extensive process, with over 400 organizations from across Russia playing a role. The submarine now features the latest advancements in military technology, naval weaponry, radio-electronic systems, and upgraded power plants.
A notable feature of the Arkhangelsk is its innovative “one-and-a-half-hull” design, a first in Russian submarine construction, where the light hull partially envelops the strong hull, improving its overall structural integrity.
The Russian Navy currently has one Yasen project submarine, Severodvinsk, and three advanced Yasen-M submarines: Kazan, Novosibirsk, and Krasnoyarsk. With the Arkhangelsk now joining the fleet, it becomes the fourth Yasen-M submarine. Additionally, four more submarines are currently at various stages of construction.
Russia’s Advanced Yasen-M Class Nuclear Submarine
Russia’s Yasen-class submarines, especially the advanced Yasen-M variants, are a defining factor in strengthening Moscow’s global naval influence and strategic deterrence capabilities. Unlike previous-generation Russian SSGNs, these submarines are much more than just cruise missile platforms.
They are versatile multi-role vessels capable of functioning as general-purpose attack boats, intelligence gatherers, and potentially even special mission platforms. This adaptability allows them to operate in a variety of naval roles and increase their strategic value.
The home port for the Yasen and Yasen-M class submarines is located in Nerpitcha, a submarine base at Zapadnaya Litsa in the Russian Arctic.
Positioned just 60 kilometers from the NATO border in Norway, Nerpitcha is the westernmost naval base in northern Russia, making it a strategic location for operations in the high north.
Admiral Alexander Moiseev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, has praised the onboard weapons systems of these submarines. The Yasen-M class submarines are equipped with a range of advanced armaments, including Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles.
However, what makes these submarines particularly formidable is the potential integration of the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile, a modern weapon that plays a critical role in Russia’s naval arms race with NATO.
While it is not yet confirmed if the Arkhangelsk has tested the Tsirkon missile, its predecessor, the Severodvinsk, successfully launched a Tsirkon in October 2021 from a submerged position in the Barents Sea.
The Russian Admiral also noted that the submariners “achieved high results in fulfilling the task of the Navy’s military presence in the World Ocean as part of the campaign of the lead ship of project 885M Kazan to the Republic of Cuba this year.”
In terms of capabilities, the Yasen-class submarines are regarded as some of the quietest in the world, rivaling the US Navy’s best.
In 2021, General Glen VanHerck, then-head of the US Northern Command, remarked that these submarines pose a growing threat to the American homeland, particularly as the class expands. The quiet operation of these submarines allows them to remain undetected, a key factor in their strategic advantage.
One of the key roles of these multi-purpose submarines is their capability to track and engage enemy submarines. Specifically, they are tasked with protecting Russia’s ballistic missile submarines, which carry the country’s nuclear weapons.
This mission is critical in maintaining Russia’s nuclear deterrence capabilities and ensuring that any threat to its submarine fleet is neutralized.
However, despite their impressive capabilities, some aspects of the Yasen-M submarines are still in development.
According to a recent article in the state-controlled Izvestia newspaper, the submarines are currently armed with Soviet-era torpedoes, and the new torpedo systems have yet to be fully tested. This is an area that the Russian Navy is reportedly working to improve.
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