Foxtrot (class) / (Project 641)

History

The Foxtrot class submarine group became the most successful diesel-electric attack submarine product of the Soviet Union after World War II. The design was built from 1957 to 1983 and in service with foreign navies from 1958 to 2014. This class includes a total of 74 ships in service with the Soviet/Russian Navy as well as the navies of Cuba, Libya, India, Poland and Ukraine.

An isolated Ukrainian Foxtrot was taken over by Russian troops during the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea.

The Foxtrot class was formerly the Zulu class ship, which itself was replaced by the Tango class.

As the early Zulu class soon proved to be lacking in power and thus limiting combat capability, a new submarine design was immediately considered, leading to the development of Project 641 (NATO codename "Foxtrot"). About 62 ships (45 ships and 17 ships each) were reserved for the powerful Soviet underwater force, all built at Shipyard 196 (Leningrad).

Two of these batches were eventually lost in an accident, which only slightly reduced the overall strength, but not the lethality of the entire fleet.

These ships displace 2,0000 tons when surfaced and 2,515 tons when underwater. The overall length is 295 feet, the beam is 24.2 feet, and the draft is 19.3 feet. Power is provided by 3 Kolomna 2D42M diesels rated at 2,000 hp and 3 electric motors, two of the three producing 1,350 hp and the third 2,700 hp. Power is sent to 3 axes. An auxiliary engine was also carried.

Performance includes a maximum surface speed of 16 knots and a maximum diving speed of 15 knots. With a range of up to 20,000 nautical miles, it provides excellent range for the Foxtrot class. It can stay underwater for up to five days. Its crew consisted of seventy-eight people.

The armament consists of 10 torpedo tubes, 6 in the bow and 4 in the stern. Performed 22 torpedo reloads.

The

Foxtrot class was part of all four Soviet naval fleets and represented one of the more important fleets of the Cold War era. They were relatively fast and powerful, demonstrating the Soviet Union's commitment to an effective underwater attack force that few world powers could match at the time - and this was before the move to purely nuclear-powered types.

At least four Soviet Navy Foxtrots participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.

Foxtrot's designs were eventually offered to several countries allied with the Soviet Union, and the first foreign operator of the series became India. From 1968 to 1975, eight newbuildings were delivered to the Indian Navy, which were renamed the Kalvari class (all now retired). Libya followed and received six ships between 1976 and 1983, all of which are believed to be unusable (2016).

Likewise, the Cuban Navy received six ships. Poland received two former Soviet Navy Foxtrots (ORP Vilk and ORP Dzik) in the late 1980s and operated them until 2003.

The Ukrainian Navy received several ex-Soviet Navy Foxtrots, one of which (Zaporizhia) was later recaptured by the Russians in 2014 as it was in Crimean waters.

All export-oriented Foxtrot ships, except the Indian ships, were suitably equipped with less electronics and armament - putting the Soviet model one step ahead of any potential ally-turned adversary. Soviet Foxtrots ended their days as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training platforms before eventually being scrapped.

Some classes have been preserved as floating museums.

Specification

Basic

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Dimensions

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Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing