Project 636 Varshavyanka

The Project 636 design is a generally improved development of the Project 877EKM Kilo class that represents an interim design between the standard 'Kilo' and the new Lada project. The Project 636 is actively promoted for the world market by the Rosvoorouzhenie state-owned company. This submarine has improved range, firepower, acoustic characteristics and reliability. Visually distinguished by a step on the aft casing, the length of the hull is extended by two frame spacings (2 x 600 mm). The additional length permitted increasing the power of diesel-generators and mounting them on improved shock-absorbing support, and reducing twofold the main propulsion shaft speed. Owing to these improvements, the submarine speed and sea endurance were increased, while the noise level was radically decreased. The low noise level of the submarine has been achieved with the selection of quiet machinery, vibration and noise isolation and a special anti-acoustic rubber coating applied on the outer hull surface.

The Project 636 is equipped with six 533 mm forward torpedo tubes situated in the nose of the submarine and carries eighteen torpedoes with six in the torpedo tubes and twelve stored on the racks. Alternatively the torpedo tubes can deploy mines. The submarine can carry 24 mines with two in each of the six tubes and twelve on the racks. Two torpedo tubes are designed for firing remote-controlled torpedoes with a very high accuracy. All torpedo tubes and their service systems provide effective firing from periscope to operational depths. The computer-controlled torpedo system is provided with a quick-loading device. It takes only 15 seconds to prepare stand-by torpedo tubes for firing: The first salvo is fired within two minutes and the second within five minutes.

Another series of six non-nuclear submarines of Project 636 "Warszawianka" will be built for the Pacific Fleet. This is the radio "Russian news service," said the head of the ship of the Russian Navy Captain First Rank Vladimir Trapichnikov. "In the future, the Navy attempts, and, in general, they have to find the construction of six submarines of Project 636, which will go to the Pacific Fleet," - he said.

"Look (submarines), of course, will be finalized taking into account the operation of the Pacific Fleet, but, really, we reaffirm this fact, that the construction will be done in the nearest future", - he added. A series of six diesel submarines of this type was to be created for the Black Sea Fleet.

Submarines of Project 636 modified have a higher (compared to previous projects) combat effectiveness. The optimum combination of acoustic stealth and target detection range, the latest inertial navigation system, modern automated information management system, powerful high-speed torpedo, missiles provide world-class ships of this priority in the field of non-nuclear submarines.

Saint-Petersburg based Admiralty Shipyards delivered the newest diesel-electric submarine Stary Oskol to the Russian Navy. The submarine Stary Oskol of project 636.3 Varshavyanka joined the fleet of Russian Navy following the state trials in the Baltic Sea. The submarine is Varshavyanka-class, B-262. The submarine was launched on August 28, 2014 and on 25 June 2015 the state commission signed an acceptance / delivery certificate. The commissioning into service ceremony of the submarine, built for the Black Sea Fleet, was held July 3 in the framework of the International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg.

The fifth diesel-electric submarine of project 636.3 "Velikiy Novgorod" was launched in St. Petersburg on 17 March 2016 on the eve of the Day of Submariner, sixth submarine "Kolpino" is scheduled to launch in May 2016. ".. The launch of the fifth submarine is scheduled for 17 March This event is dedicated to the Day of Submariner and the 110th anniversary of Russian submarine fleet, which are marked on March 19 Launching of the sixth submarine," Kolpino ", according to a schedule to be in May," - the Command of the Russian Navy spokesman said.

According to Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, commander of the Navy, in an interview with Red Star on 18 March 2020, the construction of project 636 submarines for the Pacific Fleet is on schedule, a series of six boats will be ready in 2022. "At present, preparations are underway in the workshops of the Admiralty Shipyards for docking the blocks of two more submarines of the series - Magadan and Ufa. All three blocks of each of the ships underwent hydraulic tests. The construction of the series is on schedule and according to the contract, should be completed in 2022 year, "said the admiral. A series of six submarines of project 636 is being built at the Admiralty Shipyards for the Russian Pacific Fleet. The first ship - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - was handed over to the customer in December 2019, the second - Volkhov - launched in December 2019, undergoing factory tests.

International Sales

In the spring of 1997, the first Project 636 submarine was launched, and China became the first customer for this submarine. The last of four export Kilo-class boats for China, the second improved model Project 636 unit, was launched on 17 June 1998 and departed the Baltic aboard a heavy-lift ship on 11 December 1998, bound for the submarine base at Ning-bo. China was said to be interested in purchasing several more 636 series submarines, one of which was at that time in an unfinished state at the Krasnoye Sormovo yard in Nizhniy Novgorod, while others may be built at the Admiralteyskiye Verfi [Admiralty Shipyards] in St Petersburg.

In early June 2002 China was negotiating with Russia to purchase eight more Kilo-class Project 636 submarines for $1.6 billion, scheduled for delivery over the following five years. The contract for the building of the submarines was under competition among the Admiralteiskiye Verfi shipbuilding enterprise (St. Petersburg), the works in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the Krasnoye Sormovo enterprise (Nizhny Novgorod), and the Sevmash association (Severnaya Dvina). The first delivery was scheduled for 2005-07, and all eight submarines are scheduled to be delivered to the PLAN before 2010.

In January 2006 it was reported that the Indonesian navy's decision to buy Russian-made submarines had raised suspicions. A combat training exercise in the Sulawesi Sea in mid-December 2005 was a cause of concern for the navy. A submarine from an unidentified country slipped into Indonesian waters off the shore of North Sulawesi.

In June 2006 it was reported that Russia had agreed to build two Project 636 Varshavyanka-type type submarines for Algeria. On 29 June 2006 is was reported that the Admiralty Shipyards based in St. Petersburg will build two diesel-electric submarines of the Varshavyanka (Kilo) series for Algeria. The deal is worth nearly $200 million. The contract is part of bilateral military-technical cooperation accords with the total cost of about $7 billion.

On 29 June 2007 an official with Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Russia was in talks with Venezuela on the delivery of five diesel submarines for the Venezuelan navy. "We are negotiating a contract for the purchase of five Project 636 [Kilo-class] diesel submarines [for Venezuela]," said Innokenty Nalyotov, an aide to Rosoboronexport's general director. On 05 July 2007 it was reported that Rosoboronexport had the contract for the delivery of five diesel-powered submarines of the Varshavyanka series to Venezuela almost ready. "The order has been received and the contract is almost ready. It will be initialed by yearend," a defense industry source told Interfax- AVN on Thursday. Russia will deliver subs of the Varshavyanka series instead of Amur, he said. "Three submarines will be built in St. Petersburg, with another two in the Far East. The plants are preparing to start work," the source said.

Thailand and Indonesia decided not to buy Russian diesel-electric submarines of Project 636 Varshavyanka yet. This was reported by TASS by the Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) of Russia, Mikhail Petukhov, at the exhibition LIMA 2019 in Malaysia 26 March 2019. "Diesel-electric submarines of the project 636 have decent characteristics and in many respects are not only not inferior but superior to competitors.

However, the decision to purchase this equipment is usually carried out on a tender basis and depends on a variety of both objective and subjective factors in Thailand and Indonesia, decisions were made not in favor of the Russian proposal, "said Petukhov, answering the relevant question. According to him, for Russia it did not become a tragedy. "We only regret that, unlike the specialists of the naval forces of China, India, Vietnam and a number of other countries, they are deprived of the opportunity to be convinced of the unique combat capabilities of submarines of Project 636," the deputy head of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation said.

Varshavyanka

The text of the workers' song "Varshavyanka" (Polish: Warszawianka; French: Varsovienne) is from Waclaw Swiecicki, the music goes back to a Polish freedom song. It is often referred to as the "most-sung Russian fight song." Varshavyanka ("Someone / a woman] from Warsaw") is a Russian patriotic and marching version of the famous polish revolutionary song from the late 19th century. This was a very important song during and after the October 1917 Revolution. Many such compositions became so popular that they are known by almost everyone in the post-Soviet countries. Such songs are usually called klassika - the classics.

Varshavyanka has been translated to many languages -- the German version is called "Warschawjanka", French version is called "La Varsovienne". In Spanish, a somewhat different version of the Varshavyanka titled "A las barricadas" [To the Barricades] was the anthem of the Spanish anarcho-syndicalist trade union Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT). In Greece, the Communist resistance fighters during the occupation period and during the 1941-44 civil war, a song called "anemi Thielle (winds and storms) sang the melody of the Varshavyanka uses.

There are two songs known as Warszawianka [meaning "from Warsaw"]. The patriotic song of 1831 was written by the French polonophile writer Casimir Delavigne, translated into Polish, and the music is by Karol Kurpinski. The Polish people know the first one, of 1831, by heart; it is sometimes regarded as the second Polish national anthem. The revolutionary song was written in 1879 by W. Swiecicki and sung to the Zouaves' March (1863). This one, internationally known especially through labor and communist parties, became famous in the Russian uprising of 1905. The title comes from the fact that, in the original version, Warszaw is referred to in the chorus ("Someone/a woman] from Warsaw"). The Russian begins "Vikhry vrazhdebnye voyut nad nami" ("Threatening whirlwinds blow above us"), thus the song is sometimes titled "Whirlwinds of Danger".

Diesel-electric submarines (DES) of project 636.3 "Varshavyanka", which will be laid down at the Admiralty shipyards in 2024 for the Northern Fleet, will receive the names of cities in new regions of Russia. This was reported 25 April 2023 to TASS by a source in the naval sphere. "Varshavyanki" from a series of submarines of project 636.3 for the Northern Fleet will receive the names of cities in new Russian regions. The first building will be named after Mariupol. Over time, the boats will be given the names of other cities of Donbass," the source said.

A TASS source in the military-industrial complex said that a series of six Varshavyanka diesel-electric submarines will be laid down for the Northern Fleet, the decision to build has already been made, but the contract has not been signed. According to him, the implementation of the contract will begin no earlier than 2024.