OVERVIEW: The KILO class SSK (Project 877EKM) is a single shaft, medium endurance, diesel electric powered attack submarine.

DETAILS:   These attack submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters. 

The KILO uses a teardrop shaped hull to reduce water resistance. The submarine has six watertight compartments and can survive having one compartment and two ballast tanks flooded.  The bow planes are positioned close to the midship to improve the performance of the sonar. To reduce the submarine’s acoustic signature, the flooding ports have been removed from the forebody. It also has a new gas-freeing system, and the hull is covered with anechoic tiles to reduce the risk of detection.

The propulsion plant consists of two Type 4-2DL42M diesel generator sets that power an electric motor. Only the electric motor is connected to the single shaft with one six-bladed propeller. The power plant can propel the submarine up to 10 knots on the surface and 17 knots submerged. In addition, two small auxiliary motors generating150Kw are fitted and a low powered electric motor of 95KW to run economically and slow speed operations up to 6 knots in ultra-quite mode. While submerged Project 877 class submarines can travel up to 400 nautical miles at a speed of 3 knots if the air conditioning system is not turned on. Two battery groups with each 120 cells provide 9,700 kWh at 100 Amp.

The MVU-110 combat management system can conduct two simultaneous attacks while tracking 3 additional targets manually. The bow sonar can detect a submarine target at 11+ nautical miles, a surface vessel at 43 nautical miles and a task force at 80 to 100 nautical miles.  

Specifications:

       Displacement: 2,325 tons surfaced; 3,076 tons submerged.
       Speed: 10-12 knots surfaced, 17-25 knots submerged
       Machinery: One 5900 shp electric, 2 1,34KW generators
       Endurance: 45 days; 6,000 nm surfaced @ 7 knts; 400nm @3 knts submerged
       Operational Depth: 240-250 m
       Maximum Depth:     300m	(crush depth)			 
       Complement: 52

            

NOTES: IOC: 1980 (USSR); 1986 (Algeria).  Units: Rais Hadj Mubarek (012), El Hadj Slimane (013) 
 
 
SOURCES:  China_SCS_Info. (2019, April 22). Vietnamese navy kilo submarines. Medium. https://medium.com/indo-pacific-geomill/vietnamese-navy-kilo-submarines-77ce5dc97b0b ;Kilo class patrol submarine | military-today.com. (n.d.). MILITARY TODAY - Everything About Modern Warfare. https://www.military-today.com/navy/kilo_class.htm; Project 877 (Kilo) class. (n.d.). Weaponsystems.net. https://old.weaponsystems.net/weaponsystem/GG01%20-%20Kilo%20class%20(Project%20877).html; SSK kilo class (Type 877EKM). (2020, December 2). Naval Technology | Naval Defence News & Views Updated Daily. https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/kilo877/