Key Points – Russia launched the “Perm,” its newest Yasen-M class nuclear-powered attack submarine, on March 27, 2025, marking it as the first Russian SSN officially equipped with 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles as a standard feature.
-The Yasen-M class, powered by an advanced, quiet KTP-6-185SP nuclear reactor with a 25-30 year core life, boasts a vertical launch system for Zircon, Kalibr, and Oniks missiles, alongside torpedo tubes.
-This armament signifies a strategic shift for Russian SSNs, moving beyond traditional hunter-killer roles towards long-range land-attack and anti-ship capabilities, posing new challenges for NATO anti-submarine warfare strategies.
Russia’s Yasen-M Class of Nuclear Submarines
The Russian Navy’s latest nuclear submarine, the Perm, a fourth-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine belonging to the Yasen-M class, was launched by Russian President Putin on March 27, 2025.
Named after the city of Perm in the Urals, it is the sixth vessel in the Yasen/Yasen-M series and the first Russian nuclear submarine to be officially equipped with the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile as a standard feature.
The submarine was laid down on July 29, 2016, at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk. The Perm is scheduled to enter service with the Russian Navy in 2026 following a year of sea trials.
The Yasen-M class (Project 885M) is a modernized version of the Yasen-class submarines developed by the Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau under the guidance of Chief Designer Vladimir Pyalov.
Yasen-M Class Propulsion System
The Perm is powered by an updated KTP-6-185SP pressurized water-cooled nuclear reactor, generating approximately 200 megawatts (equivalent to approximately 268,204 hp).
Propulsion is provided through a single shaft and low-noise propeller, supported by two thrusters, allowing the submarine to reach speeds of up to 31 knots underwater and 16 knots on the surface.
This fourth-generation nuclear reactor has a 25–30-year core life, eliminating the need for mid-life refueling, and allows for natural coolant circulation, contributing to lower acoustic signatures on par with the latest Western SSNs.
The Perm’s overall length is 130 meters, with a beam of 13 meters and a draft of 9.4 meters, and it accommodates a crew of 64 officers and crew.
With a maximum diving depth of 600 meters and an operational depth of 520 meters, the Perm can remain submerged for up to 100 days. The vessel has a submerged displacement of 13,800 tons and a surface displacement of 8,600 tons, which is slightly less than that of earlier Yasen-M units.
Yasen-M Class Armaments
The Yasen-M Class is a potent platform. It has a more extended strike capability than Western submarines. The weapons carried by these submarines represent a significant shift in their mission from the hunter-killer role to launching a full range of anti-ship and land-attack missiles.
These missiles include the advanced Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles, as well as the hypersonic Zircon missiles. These weapons, along with their torpedo armament, allow the submarine to conduct anti-submarine, anti-ship, and land-attack missions.
The Zircon hypersonic cruise missile (also known as Tsirkon or SS-N-33) is a Russian hypersonic cruise missile with a scramjet engine and nuclear capability. It’s designed for deployment from surface vessels, submarines, and aircraft.
The Zircon is reportedly capable of a top speed of Mach 9 and a range of up to 1,000 kilometers, according to the 2019 State of the Nation address by Putin. However, many Western experts at the time believed that Zircon’s firing range would fall somewhere between 400 and 500 km [215-270 nm], and its top speed would be limited to between Mach 5 and 6—still a potent weapon.
The Yasen-M’s armament includes 10 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, located in the midsection of the hull and mounted at an angle due to the presence of a large spherical sonar array in the bow.
Torpedoes From the Soviet Era, A Question Mark
It is capable of launching various types of torpedoes, including the USET-80, Fizik-2, and Case models, as well as naval mines.
But it is the Yasen-M’s torpedoes Izvestia, a Russian state-owned newspaper, raised questions about.
“There are also certain questions about the torpedo armament – it is from the Soviet era—and they will have to be resolved. The new torpedoes have not yet been fully tested—there is work to do, something to improve,” the newspaper said. “Potentially, this is a very important acquisition,” it added.
Izvestia was speaking indirectly about the disaster aboard the Kursk, a nuclear submarine that sank in 2000 after a torpedo exploded inside the ship.
A report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) stated that the Yasen-M “submarines role has changed from a hunter-killer role to that of a nuclear-guided missile submarines (SSGNs), is likely indicative of a shift in the way that Russian submarines will contribute to future campaigns.”
RUSI added that “long-range strike missions appear to be superseding sea lines of communication (SLOC) interdiction as a primary task.
“This will likely necessitate a change in how NATO manages the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) challenge in the High North, given that a strategy of barrier defense at the GIUK (Greenland–Iceland–UK) gap may actually do little to impact Russian submarines, which may have little need to traverse this barrier in order to achieve their operational ends.”
Russia plans to build 12 Yasen-M Class boats, which can reach most European capitals from the North Sea.
About the Author
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
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