A Russian Kilo II-class diesel-electric attack submarine, specifically the submarine Ufa, passed through Philippine territorial waters in the South China Sea (SCS) on its way from a joint naval drill with Malaysia to its homeport in Vladivostok, Russia. 

The presence of that specific submarine class in waters eighty nautical miles to the west of Capa Calavite in the Philippine province of Occidental Mindoro was described by the Philippine government in Manila as “very worrisome.” 

That’s because the Ufa carries an impressive weapons array. One weapon platform, in particular, is of concern to the Philippine military, which is already under siege from neighboring China, an important Russian ally. The Kalibr cruise missile system has been used by Russia with devastating impacts in the War in Ukraine. The presence of these weapons passing through Philippine waters, so near to populated areas, was a matter of worry. 

Philippine Navy ships tracked the Russian Kilo II-class diesel-electric submarine as it transited through the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The lead Philippine warship even had a “friendly” exchange with the Russian submarine commander over the radio. Yet, this pleasant interaction between two naval professionals from different nations is not happening in a vacuum. It has been some time since the Russians have had any serious presence in the South China Sea. 

Over the last several years, Moscow has strived to change this reality.

A Changing Dynamic

Just as with their increased presence in the Middle East and Africa, the Russians are making a conscious effort to wave the flag in key areas of the world that it was not as visible as its leaders would like to be. The Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean are key waterways that the Russian Navy has not significantly interacted with since the heady days of the Cold War. 

The days of Russia not engaging in the affairs of the Indo-Pacific are over. 

There has been a real investment by Moscow into bettering their naval capabilities in the Pacific. The Ufa, for example, arrived in the Indo-Pacific area in October of this year, after it left Sevastopol in Crimea, the base for Russia’s legendary Black Sea Fleet. 

Its first stop was in Kochi, India. From there is moved down to Indonesia on November 7 and Malaysia on November 20. 

Now, it is heading to the Russian Far East, where it will be permanently stationed as part of Russia’s growing naval presence in the Pacific region. 

More importantly, the Russians are seeking to show their value as a military partner to the Chinese. Beijing has been escalating its conflict with the Philippines for dominance in the South China Sea, claiming territories that legally belong to the Philippines, and terrorizing Philippine Navy patrols that dare try to exert Philippine control over the contested territories. It is obvious that Manila initially feared that the Ufa was part of some Sino-Russian force that was seeking to bully the Philippines in their territory. 

The expanded Russian Pacific Fleet is causing a degree of concern among the region’s powers. American allies, such as Japan or Taiwan, worry that the Chinese could call upon the Russian Pacific Fleet in any regional conflict they became involved in. 

While a modern navy, such as Japan’s, could probably handle the Russian Pacific Fleet, in conjunction with a larger Chinese naval move, without U.S. support, and even then it might not be so easy, the Russian Pacific Fleet could be harmful to any defense against Chinese aggression in the region.

The Specs of the Kilo II

In 2010, the Russians began to enhance their iconic Kilo-class submarines with an upgraded form known in Russia as Project 636.6, AKA the Kilo II-class. Beginning in 2010, the Russians began construction on six of these boats, starting with the Novorossiysk. The final units of this order were delivered to the Russians in 2016. 

Another six Kilo II-class subs were ordered in 2016, and these began entering service in late 2019, and the final deliveries are slated to be made next year. 

Russia’s Kilo IIs displaces 2,350 tons when at the surface and 3,100 tons when underwater. Two diesel generators and a single, seven-bladed fixed-pitch propeller power the boat, allowing for top speeds of seventeen knots when surfaced and twenty knots when submerged. These boats have a fourty-five-day endurance and a maximum diving depth of 984 feet. 

Six twenty-one-inch bow torpedo tubes that can launch torpedoes or naval mines line the hull. As noted above, the subs have been outfitted to launch Kalibr cruise missiles for long-range land attack operations or even anti-ship missions. 

These subs can carry a total of eighteen torpedoes or twenty-four naval mines. Four Kalibrs can be included in this submarine’s armaments package. These impressive submarines cut their steel teeth in battle against ISIS in Syria, when they were used to lob Kalibr missiles at ISIS targets on land. 

A Multipolar World Indeed 

It's no surprise, then, that the Philippine government found the presence of the Russian Kilo II-class Ufa in their EEZ “very troubling,” despite the rather friendly exchange between the Philippine Navy and Russian Navy officers who met in the SCS. 

The presence of this Russian submarine, and what will likely be others, could very well be a sign that Russia is expanding its military presence in an already hotly contested Indo-Pacific, and that could spell trouble for the United States and its allies, who are already feeling the squeeze in the region from China. 

About the Author

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is available for purchase wherever books are sold. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.