Russia Developing ‘Carrier Killer’ Submarines

The Russian Navy is investing in two new submarines, one of which is being described by the head of Russia’s state-owned shipbuilding corporation as a “carrier killer,” according to the independent Moscow Times.

The second boat would be designed to protect Russian ballistic submarines from enemy attack.

The announcement continues an active period in Russian submarine development. Following the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, the Russian Navy, like the country’s other military services, went into decline as resources were stripped away by a collapsing economy, poor morale, and inept leadership.

Vladimir Putin ran for the Russian presidency in 2012 on the promise of rebuilding the Russian military. The Navy’s building program is part of Putin’s broader $356 billion military upgrade program, intended to run through 2020, according to the report.

In 2013 new fourth-generation class submarines were deployed by Moscow: the Borei, which carries ballistic missiles capable of striking intercontinental targets, and the Yasen-class attack boat. Both submarines are significant upgrades to previous, Soviet-era counterparts.

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