What is the Russian submarine seen in the WPS?

As it awaited clear weather conditions before proceeding to its base in Vladivostok, Russia, what exactly was the Russian attack submarine that was spotted in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last week?

Citing the Philippine Navy, the Presidential Communications Office said the submarine spotted in WPS is a Kilo-class submarine, a diesel-electric attack submersible.

According to the Naval Technology website, Kilo-class submarines are considered to be “one of the quietest diesel submarines in the world."   

With a crew of 52, the Kilo is designed for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface-ship warfare, and for general reconnaissance and patrol missions. It first entered service with the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

The Kilo-class submarines can also detect other submarines at a range “three to four times greater than it can be detected itself.”

Exported widely in several continents, nine countries operate the 65 Kilo-class subs currently in service. Among these are China and Vietnam.

According to the US Naval Institute, Kilo-class submarines have six 21-inch bow torpedo tubes that can launch torpedoes or naval mines. It can carry a maximum of 18 torpedoes or 24 naval mines.

The 2,300-ton warship was designed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and the initial design progressed to Project 636 called the Improved Kilo or Kilo II submarine in 1990.

The US Naval Institute also said many Kilo-class submarines can launch the Kalibr family of missiles from their torpedo tubes for long-range land attack (3M-14) or antiship (3M-54) operations.

Kilo-class subs have a hull-mounted sonar suite, an underwater sensor capability that can be used in a wide range of operational missions.

According to the USNI, Russia’s Improved Kilo II–class submarines first conducted long-range attacks against Islamic State targets in Syria in 2015.

It has also been used to attack Ukraine since the 2022 war.

According to the National Security Council, the Russian attack sub (UFA 490) was seen traveling on the surface 80 nautical miles west off the Occidental Mindoro coast on November 28 and eventually left in the afternoon.

The submarine claimed it came from an exercise with the Royal Malaysian Navy in Kota Kinabalu.
—Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News