The Project 670 Skat submarine (NATO classification Charlie class) was a nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine built for the Soviet Navy and later operated by the Russian Navy. All Charlie I/II-class submarines are decommissioned. One Charlie-class submarine was used for testing an Oniks missile. Charlie I and its successor Charlie II-class submarines are designed by the Lazurit Central Design Bureau of Gorky.
Background The Charlie I-class submarine (Project 670 Skat) SSGN was first launched at the Krasnoye Sormovo inland shipyard at Gorkiy in 1967 with another ten following over a period of five years. The Charlie Is had two banks of four missile tubes angled upwards on each side of the bow outside the pressure hull. The tubes were covered by large outer doors and the design was to incorporate the P-120 Malakhit (SS-N-9 Siren) medium-range anti-ship missile. Due to delays in the missile development, the missile was substituted with the shorter range P-70 Ametist (SS-N-7 Starbright) submerged launch missile which itself was a development of the P-15 Termit (SS-N-2 Styx) surface-launched missile. The missiles were designed for pop up surprise attacks on high value surface targets such as aircraft carriers.
In 1972 to 1979, six improved units called the Project 670M Skat-M (Charlie II class) were built. The improved Charlie IIs were built at Gorkiy with an insert in the hull forward of the fin. The insert incorporated electronics and launch systems for targeting and firing of the longer range P-120 Malakhit anti-ship missile.
The Charlie Is and IIs returned to port for reload once they had expended their missile payloads. However, the Charlie classs secondary armament of torpedoes and sonar systems provided useful anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare capabilities in addition to their missile launch capabilities.
The last Charlie was retired in 1994. While still operational, one unit of the class was leased to the Indian Navy between 1988 and 1991 The submarine, INS Chakra was used to train Indian Navy sailors and also was used to design elements of the Arihant-class SSBN.
Boats 11 Project 670 (Charlie I) submarines were built between 1968 and 1973. K-43 was leased to the Indian Navy as Chakra from 1988 to 1992. sank near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in 1983 with 16 fatalities, but was raised and used as a harbour training hulk. On 13 September 1985, sank at her moorings. She was again raised and decommissioned. 6 Project 670M (Charlie II) submarines were built between 1973 and 1980.
All boats were scrapped between 1990 and 1994.
+Charlie I class — significant dates#ShipyardLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFleetStatus leased to India as ChakraKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyMay 9, 1964August 2, 1966November 5, 1967to Pacific (1980)Decommissioned July 30, 1992 for scrapping from January 15, 1978 K-212Krasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyFebruary 6, 1965March 20, 1968December 28, 1968to Pacific (1978)Decommissioned April 19, 1990 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyDecember 2, 1965July 31, 1968December 30, 1968NorthernDecommissioned June 24, 1991 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyNovember 25, 1966April 29, 1969October 31, 1969to Pacific (1983)Decommissioned June 30, 1992 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyJuly 14, 1966July 16, 1969December 16, 1969to Pacific (1986)Decommissioned April 19, 1990 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyDecember 29, 1967February 19, 1970September 20, 1970to Pacific (1985)Decommissioned July 30, 1992 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyApril 30, 1968March 27, 1971September 15, 1971to Pacific (1979)Decommissioned April 19, 1990 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyJanuary 17, 1969July 11, 1970December 1, 1970to Pacific (1988)Decommissioned June 30, 1992 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiySeptember 6, 1969June 4, 1971November 5, 1971to Pacific (1978)Decommissioned June 24, 1991 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyJanuary 26, 1971April 22, 1972September 15, 1972to Pacific (1977)Decommissioned 1987 for scrappingKrasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyNovember 16, 1971September 1972December 26, 1972to Pacific (1974)Decommissioned April 19, 1990 for scrapping +Charlie II class — significant dates#ShipyardLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFleetStatus Krasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyFebruary 12, 1974June 30, 1975December 29, 1975NorthernDecommissioned June 24, 1991 for scrapping Krasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyDecember 30, 1972June 1973December 30, 1973NorthernDecommissioned May 30, 1998 for scrapping Krasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyDecember 20, 1975May 6, 1977September 30, 1977NorthernDecommissioned July 5, 1992 for scrapping Krasnoye Sormovo GorkiyFebruary 7, 1977September 22, 1978December 31, 1978NorthernDecommissioned June 30, 1993 for scrapping Krasnoye Sormovo GorkiyDecember 10, 1977October 3, 1979December 30, 1979NorthernDecommissioned August 4, 1995 for scrapping Krasnoye Sormovo, GorkiyDecember 20, 1979September 16, 1980December 30, 1980NorthernDecommissioned 1996 for scrapping
References
Further reading
External links Article in Russian from Encyclopedia of Ships Article in Russian