Tango-class submarine

Class overview
A Tango-class submarine in the North Atlantic.
Builders:	Gorky
Preceded by:	Foxtrot class
Succeeded by:	Kilo class
Completed:	18
Active:	1
Lost:	0
Retired:	14
Preserved:	3
General characteristics
Displacement:	Surfaced: 3100tons Submerged: 3800tons
Length:	91 m (298 ft 7 in)
Beam:	9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
Draught:	7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:	3 diesels delivering 4.6MW (6256shp) with 3 electric motors driving 3 shafts.
Speed:	Surfaced: 13kts Submerged: 16kts
Complement:	62 men (12 officers)
Armament:	Six 533mm (21in)bow. 24 533mm (21in) anti submarine and anti ship torpedoes or equivalent load of mines

For the pre-1914 submarines also known as the Som class in Russia, see Som class submarine.

The Russian Tango-class submarines (Project 641B Som [Catfish]) were the successors to the Foxtrot-class submarine based in the Black Sea and Northern Fleet areas. The first of the class was completed in 1972 at Gorky. A total of 18 were built in two slightly different versions. The later type was several metres longer than the first possibly because of installation of ASW missile equipment.

The bow sonar installations appear to be similar to those fitted into Soviet nuclear attack submarines. The propulsion plant was the same as the last subgroup of the Foxtrot-class submarine. The Tango class had far more battery capacity, far higher than previous conventional submarine class in the Soviet Navy. As a result, pressure hull volume increased. This allowed an underwater endurance in excess of a week before snorkeling was required.

Coupled with new armament and sensor fit, the Tango class were ideal for ambush operations against Western nuclear submarines at natural chokepoints.

Because of its all-hull rubber coating, the sub class was nicknamed "rezinka" [rubber]

Construction of this class has now stopped. One unit remains in the Black Sea Fleet but it may have been decommissioned since 2010.

Museum ships

Schematic of the Tango class
B-307, Togliatti
B-396, Moscow
B-515, Hamburg

Three 641B-class submarines operate as museum ships:

B-307, fully raised on ground - Togliatti Museum of Technology, Samara, Russia
B-396, afloat in Tushino reservoir - Moscow Navy Museum
B-515, afloat in Baakenhafen in Hamburg - museum in Hamburg

Conning towers of stricken B-319 and B-474 are on display in Polyarny and Ryazan.

Tango B-396
Torpedo Room

References

The Encyclopedia Of Warships From World War Two To The Present Day, General Editor Robert Jackson.

External links

Tango-class submarines

B-30 B-97 B-146 B-215 B-225 B-290 B-303 B-307 B-312 B-319 B-380 Gorkovsky Komsomolets B-386 B-443 B-474 B-498 B-504 B-515 B-519 B-546

List of Soviet and Russian submarines List of Soviet and Russian submarine classes

Soviet and Russian submarines after 1945

Ballistic missile nuclear submarines – SSBN	658 Hotel 667A Yankee 667B Delta I 667BD Delta II 667BDR Delta III 941 Typhoon 667BDRM Delta IV 955 Borei

Cruise missile nuclear submarines – SSGN	659 Echo I 675 Echo II 670 Charlie I 670M Charlie II 661 Papa^S 949 Oscar I 949A Oscar II

Nuclear attack submarines – SSN	627A November 671 Victor I 671RT Victor II 671RTM Victor III 705/705K Alfa 945 Sierra I 945A Sierra II 685 Mike^S 971 Akula 885 Yasen

Conventional ballistic missile submarines – SSB	AV611 Zulu IV 629 Golf

Conventional cruise missile submarines – SSG	644/665 Whiskey (missile) 651 Juliett

Conventional attack submarines – SS or SSK	611 Zulu 613 Whiskey 615 Quebec 617 Whale^S 633 Romeo 641 Foxtrot 641B Tango 877 Kilo 636 Improved Kilo 677 Lada Kalina

Auxiliary submarines – SSA	690 Bravo 940 India 1710 Beluga^S 1840 Lima^S 1910 Uniform 865 Losos Sarov^S

S Single ship of class

Tango-class submarine

Museum ships

See also

References

External links