Step Aside Audi And Harley Davidson, Russia Has An Electric Submarine

The Russian navy has just inducted an all new electric submarine into their growing fleet of advanced war machines. This forewarns a new era of large undersea vehicles that can run on electrical power instead of nuclear, enhancing the submarine’s stealth capabilities

The world seemed to have gotten a little greener when Harley Davidson, the company that makes iconic motorcycles, announced the launch of their all-electric motorcycle project codenamed LiveWire. Thereafter, Audi surprised the automotive world by announcing it would be bringing a whole range of all-electric vehicles beginning with the Audi E8 e-Tron. But thumping both these companies is a complete underwater sea-vehicle, more commonly known as a submarine that runs on electricity, reported RT.

The Russian navy launched a new diesel-electric submarine, a latest addition to its Black Sea Fleet. The submarine was launched Thursday in a ceremony held in St. Petersburg. These developments are just a part of the ambitious Project 636, which will introduce many more advanced war machines that will far out-maneuver anything else in this world, declared a navy official:

“The new diesel-electric submarine Rostov-na-Donu, along with other vessels in the ongoing Project 636 series, represented modernization of existing Russian submarine technology. The outside remains the same, but inside is completely different: a new torpedo defense system, new acoustic technology and new radio-electric equipment.”

The Rostov-na-Donu will join its sibling, the Novorossiysk, for Black Sea duties. The development of these submarines have a very specific function: work in tandem with surface-based forces and neutralize any threat that may arise from enemy’s anti-submarine aircraft. Quite recently, the United States had tested an anti-missile defense system. The Project 636 works on similar principals, but can have much more proactive (and sinister) duties than what they are currently deployed for.

As well as covering the Black Sea, the new sub is also set to assist Russian naval activities in the neighboring Mediterranean Sea. Perhaps they will also work in assisting Russia in exerting its might wherever needed. A total of six new diesel-electric submarines will be inducted in the Black Sea fleet under Project 636.

Why the need for an electric submarine? These vessels are designed to combine a high level of stealth with the ability to detect and attack enemy craft from a long range. Submarines have traditionally had a big identification signature that modern ships and enemy submarines can easily spot from miles away. This makes sneaking up on the enemy a near impossible task, reported U.S. Naval Institute.

But electric submarines have a very small identification footprint that can be almost impossible to spot. Moreover, owing to silenced internals, these submarines can easily detect and attack enemy craft from a long range.

[Image Credit |RIA Novosti]