Submarines of the Soviet Navy were developed by numbered "projects", which were sometimes but not always given names. During the Cold War, NATO nations referred to these classes by NATO reporting names, based on intelligence data, which did not always correspond with the projects. See:
List of NATO reporting names for ballistic missile submarines List of NATO reporting names for guided missile submarines List of NATO reporting names for hunter-killer and experimental submarines
The NATO reporting names were based on the British (and later American) habit of naming submarines with a letter of the alphabet indicating the class, followed by a serial number of that class. The names are the radiotelephonic alphabet call sign of a letter of the alphabet. For security purposes, the "pennant numbers" of Soviet submarines were not sequential, any more than those of Soviet surface vessels were.
Most Russian (and Soviet) submarines had no "personal" name, but were only known by a number, prefixed by letters identifying the boat's type at a higher level than her class. Those letters included: К (K): крейсерская (kreyserskaya, "cruiser") ТК (TK): тяжёлая крейсерская (tyazholaya kreyserskaya, "heavy cruiser") Б (B): большая (bolshaya, "large") С (S): средняя (srednyaya, "medium") М (M): малая (malaya, "small")
Any of those prefixes could have С (S) added to the end, standing for специальная (spetsialnaya) and meaning "designed for special missions":
New weapon, engines and armament testing Submarines for long-range radio communications Target submarines for anti-submarine training Rescue service submarines Covert operations
Diesel-electric Russo-Japanese War
single unit/one off unit (class of its own)Showell, p. 22, 23, 29
World War I era
Narval-class submarine
Amerikansky Golland (Holland 602GF/602L type)
World War II era ProjectSeriesImageBuiltAssignment Series I 6 large positional submarine Series II, XI, XIII, XIII-1938 25 Minelayers Series III, V, V-bis, V-bis-2, X, X-1938 86 Medium-sized patrol submarines. Serie IV 3 Squadron submarines. Malyutka-class submarine Series VI, VI-bis, XII, XV 110 Small submarines for coastal patrols. S-class submarine Series IX, IX-bis 41 Medium submarines, built using German project (early version of Type IX). K-class submarine Serie XIV 11Cruiser submarines with combined arms.TS-class submarine 3 Former submarines of the Royal Romanian Navy: Rechinul (TS-1), Marsuinul (TS-2) and Delfinul (TS-3)
Post-World War II era Attack submarines ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment611Zulu class26Large oceanic submarines613Whiskey class215Medium multi-purpose submarines615Quebec class30Small submarines with full-diesel propulsion617Whale class1Experimental submarines which had a Walter engine fuelled by high test peroxide (HTP)633Romeo class20Medium submarines641Foxtrot class75Large oceanic submarines641B Cом (Som, catfish)Tango class18Large oceanic submarines690 Кефаль (Kefal, mullet)Bravo class 4Target submarine for torpedo exercises877, 877E, 877EKM, 877V, 877LPMB, 877EK Палтус (Paltus, halibut)Kilo class43Large submarines636, 636М Варшавянка (Varshavyanka, after Warsaw Pact)Improved Kilo class30Large submarines677 Лада (Lada, goddess of love)St. Petersburg3Large submarines1650 Амур (the Amur River)0Modification of Lada class for export865 Пиранья (Piran'ya, piranha)Losos class (Salmon)2Midget submarines
Guided missile submarines ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignmentP613Whiskey Single Cylinder1 × SS-N-3 cruise missile644Whiskey Twin Cylinder2 × SS-N-3 cruise missile665Whiskey Long Bin4 × SS-N-3 cruise missile651Juliett16Four SS-N-3 Shaddock (P-5 or P-6), or SS-N-12 Sandbox (P-500 4K-80 Basalt)
Ballistic missile submarines ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignmentV611, 611AVZulu 6629, 609, 601, 605, 619Golf 243 × Project 629 boats D-1 launch system with R-11FM missiles
Auxiliary submarines ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment940 Ленок (Lenok)India22 × Poseidon class DSRV's1710 Макрель (Makrel, mackerel)Beluga1It was an experimental vessel used for testing propulsion systems, hull forms, and boundary-layer control techniques.1840Lima1Large special. It was used for trying out new technologies, research, or special mission support
Nuclear-powered Attack submarines First generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment627 Кит, 645 Кит-ЖМТ (Kit, whale)November14First soviet submarines powered by nuclear reactor
Second generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment671, 671B, 671K, 671R Ёрш (Yorsh, ruffe)Victor I16671RTVictor II7671RTM Щука (Shchuka, pike)Victor III25
Third generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment705, 705K Лира (Lira, lyre)Alfa7945 Барракуда (Barrakuda, barracuda)Sierra I2945A Кондор (Kondor, condor)Sierra II2685 Плавник (Plavnik, fin)Mike1Record submergence depth of 1,020 metres (3,350 feet)
Fourth generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignmentProject 971 Щука-Б (Shchuka-B, Pike-B)Akula15Project 885 Ясень (Yasen, ash)Severodvinsk4Planned 12
Guided missile submarines First generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment659Echo I5675Echo II29
Second generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment661 Анчар (Anchar, upas)Papa1Fastest speed ever recorded for a submerged vehicle at 44.7 knots667AT Груша (Grusha, pear)Yankee Notch4667M Андромеда (Andromeda, the constellation)Yankee Sidecar1670 Скат (Skat, ray)Charlie I11670M Скат-М (Skat-M, ray)Charlie II6
Third generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment949 Гранит (Granit, granite)Oscar I2949A Антей (Antey, Antaeus)Oscar II11
Fourth generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment885 Ясень (Yasen, ash)Severodvinsk4Planned 12
Ballistic missile submarines First generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment658, 701Hotel8
Second generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment667A Навага, 667AU Налим (Navaga; Nalim, burbot)Yankee I34667AM Навага-М (Navaga-M)Yankee II1667B Мурена (Murena, eel)Delta I18667BD Мурена-М (Murena-M, eel)Delta II4667BDR Кальмар (Kal'mar, squid)Delta III14667BDRM Дельфин (Del'fin, dolphin)Delta IV7
Third generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment941 Акула; (Akula, shark)Typhoon6
Fourth generation ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment955 Борей; (Borei, Boreas)Dolgorukiy3955А Борей; (Borei, Boreas)Dolgorukiy5
Auxiliary submarines ProjectNATO reporting nameSilhouette/ImageBuiltAssignment1910 Кашалот (Kashalot, cachalot)Uniform209774 Аксон (Akson)Yankee Pod109774Yankee Stretch109780 Аксон-2 (Akson-2)Yankee Big Nose120120 Сарган (Sargan or Sarov)Sarov1
See also List of Russian naval engineers
Footnotes
Showell, Jak M. U-Boat Century, German Submarine Warfare 1906-2006. Chatham Publishing, Great Britain (2006). .
External links Bellona