Key Points and Summary – Russia’s Amur-class submarines were supposed to be export-ready successors to the Kilo line, with quieter hulls, optional AIP and even vertical launch cells for BrahMos cruise missiles.
-On paper, the Amur-950 and Amur-1650 offer strong littoral and blue-water capabilities, but delays, buggy combat systems and Russia’s struggling post-Ukraine industrial base have scared off customers.
Kilo-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-India chose French Scorpènes, China built its own designs, and potential buyers like Morocco and Argentina never signed. With no boats actually completed, the Amur program now looks less like a breakthrough and more like another cautionary tale of Russian defense overreach.
Russia’s Amur-Class Submarines, Why No Takers?
In August of last year, the Russian Rubin Central Design Bureau presented a model of the Amur-950 attack submarine at the Army-2024 exhibition, scheduled to be held in Kubinka, Moscow Region.
The Russians are focusing on developing the Amur-class as an export-oriented submarine, showcasing the modern Amur 950 with features like vertical launch systems for BrahMos missiles and enhanced stealth for export customers.
Meanwhile, Russia has faced delays and technical issues with the related Lada-class submarine project (Project 677), intended for the Russian Navy but plagued by problems that led to its re-evaluation.
The first Lada-class submarine, the Kronshtadt, was launched in 2018, but the overall program has seen significant delays.
The Amur class has seen no foreign sales completed yet, although Russia was pushing hard for India to purchase them. Morocco is also reportedly interested.
Meet The Export Focused Amur-class Submarine
Russia’s Rubin Central Design Bureau has unveiled the Amur-950, a new cruise-missile submarine designed specifically for export customers.
It is a heavily modernized version of the Kilo-class and is advertised as an export version of the Lada-class.
Russian Kilo-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Kilo-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
It includes a single-hull design, enhanced stealth, and vertical launch systems for BrahMos missiles. It can also remain submerged for longer periods. The Amur 950 also has an option for air-independent propulsion (AIP).
The Amur class is designed to operate in both shallow and deep waters, in all weather conditions. Its endurance, stealth, and firepower. I can conduct a variety of missions, including coastal defense, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), intelligence gathering, and support for special operations.
The name “Amur” is derived from the Amur River in eastern Russia. The class comes in two distinct variants, the Amur-1650 and the Amur-950.
The Amur-950 is the smaller of the two, with a surface displacement of approximately 1,065 tons and a length of about 56.8 meters. It is designed for shorter missions and features a crew of 19.
One notable feature is the inclusion of 10 vertical launch system (VLS) cells, which enable salvo fire against multiple predesignated targets. Sonar signatures of these submarines are several times lower than those of the older Kilo-class submarines. It is designed as a capable littoral boat.
The Amur-1650 is larger and intended for more extended missions. It has a surface displacement of around 1,765 tons and a length of 66.8 meters.
With a crew of 35, it is designed for longer missions and offers greater endurance and payload capacity. The Amur-1650 is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes capable of launching torpedoes, mines, and potentially cruise missiles.
The Amur’s Stealth Properties
The Amur-class submarine is designed with significantly improved acoustic stealth compared to its predecessors, particularly the Kilo class, making it quieter and more challenging to detect.
Kilo-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Its stealth capabilities are enhanced by features such as a single-hull design, improved anechoic tiles, a low-noise propulsion system, an option for air-independent propulsion (AIP) to extend submerged endurance, and new-generation electronic warfare systems. The Amur class is also built on a modern design with improved combat systems.
India and Morocco: Potential Buyers?
The design is export, particularly for customers like the Indian Navy, with whom Russia has offered joint development of the Amur 1650 (an export version of the Lada-class). They also worked together in a joint collaboration between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya on the BrahMos missiles.
Morocco is in discussions with Russia to potentially acquire the Amur-1650 diesel-electric submarine, though no deal has been finalized.
This would significantly boost Morocco’s naval power, but it faces competition from French and German offers. The potential purchase is part of Morocco’s broader military modernization efforts and is viewed in the context of regional defense competition.
Why Hasn’t Russia Sold Any?
Russia has not sold any Amur-class submarines because the project has faced significant delays, and potential buyers have been dissatisfied with the slow progress and technical issues, leading them to choose other options.
While the Amur-class has shown promise, its export has been hampered by the lack of units built and by technical problems, such as issues with the combat management and sonar systems, which have created a perception of unreliability.
Technical Problems Have Slowed Production
The combat management system of the Amur-class’s predecessor, the Lada-class, was reportedly incompatible with the ship’s sonar and fire control systems, leading to the system being unable to keep up and eventually crashing. This led the Russian Navy to consider further investment in the project unwise, impacting export prospects.
Lack of progress is a show-stopper. Potential buyers, such as India and Morocco, have been deterred by the project’s slow pace. India considered the Amur-1650 for its Project 75I program but ultimately chose the French Scorpène-class, partly due to concerns about the Amur-class’s completion date being no earlier than 2030.
Morocco typically buys American-built weapons, so the possibility of buying Russian-made equipment should be watched.
Argentina was approached in 2021 about purchasing the larger Amur-1650 submarine, but nothing was ever finalized.
China, which had previously signed an agreement to purchase Amur-class submarines, has since moved on to its own, more advanced Type 039 series of conventional submarines.
Russian Production Issues
The Russian submarine industry is facing broader challenges, including a lack of funds and components due to the war in Ukraine, which further hampers new construction and export potential for the Amur-class.
To date, not a single Amur-class submarine has been completed. And it has raised questions about the submarine class’s ultimate viability.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
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.
More Military
JASSM: The ‘Stealth’ Cruise Missile That Keeps Russian Generals Up at Night
The Day a B-2 Stealth Bomber Disintegrated on Takeoff
The U.S. Military’s Superpower Muscles Are Getting Old
The Mach 6.7 X-15 ‘Hypersonic Rocket Plane’ Has a Message for the U.S. Air Force
