James Madison vs Kilo

The James Madison and the Kilo are both Submarine classes. The James Madison displaces 7,443 tons — 3.2x the Kilo's 2,325 tons. The James Madison reaches 16 knots vs 17 knots for the Kilo. Operational range is 99,999 nautical miles for the James Madison vs 6,000 for the Kilo. The James Madison carries a crew of 140 vs 52 for the Kilo. Submerged displacement is 8,383 tons for the James Madison vs 3,075 tons for the Kilo. The James Madison can dive to 400 m compared to 300 m for the Kilo. The James Madison was produced in 10 units vs 75 for the Kilo. The James Madison was commissioned in 1964, 16 years before the Kilo (1980).

American submarine, introduced in 1964, displaces 7,443 tons.
Profile of James Madison
Origin 🇺🇸 United States
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
Manufacturer General Dynamics Electric Boat
Year introduced 1964
Number built 10 units
Estimated unit price NA
Ex-USSR Kilo submarine, introduced in 1980, utilizes diesel-electric propulsion.
Profile of Kilo
Origin 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR
Category Submarine
Type Attack submarine
Manufacturer Rubin Design Bureau
Year introduced 1980
Number built 75 units
Estimated unit price $200 million
Displacement 7,443 tons
Maximum speed 16.0 knots
Range Unlimited
Length 130.0 m
Beam 10.0 m
Crew 140
Max depth 400 m
Propulsion 1 × S5W PWR, 2 geared steam turbines (15,000 shp (11,000 kW)), 1 shaft
Armament
  • 16 Polaris A3 or Poseidon C3 or Trident I C4 missiles
  • 4 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • 12 torpedoes
Displacement 2,325 tons
Maximum speed 17.0 knots
Range 6,000 nm at 7 knots
Length 72.6 m
Beam 9.9 m
Crew 52
Max depth 300 m
Propulsion Diesel-electric propulsion, 2 × 1000 kW diesel generators, 1 × 5,500–6,800 shp propulsion motor, 1 × fixed-pitch 6-bladed or 7-bladed propeller
Armament
  • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
  • 18 torpedoes
  • 4 Kalibr/Club land-attack cruise missile, anti-ship missile and anti-submarine missile
  • 24 mines
  • 8 9K34 Strela-3 (SA-N-8 Gremlin) or 8 9K310 Igla-1 (SA-N-10 Gimlet) surface-to-air missiles

Performance Radar Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the James Madison-class or Kilo-class?
The James Madison-class has greater displacement at 7,443 tons compared to the Kilo-class's 2,325 tons.
Which is faster, the James Madison-class or Kilo-class?
The Kilo-class is faster with a maximum speed of 17 knots compared to the James Madison-class's 16 knots.
Which has longer range, the James Madison-class or Kilo-class?
The James Madison-class is nuclear-powered with unlimited range, while the Kilo-class has a range of 6,000 nautical miles.
Which is longer, the James Madison-class or Kilo-class?
The James Madison-class is longer at 130.0 meters compared to the Kilo-class's 72.6 meters.
How many crew members do the James Madison-class and Kilo-class have?
The James Madison-class has a larger crew complement of 140 compared to the Kilo-class's 52 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the James Madison-class or Kilo-class?
The James Madison-class can dive deeper with a maximum depth of 400 meters compared to the Kilo-class's 300 meters.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the James Madison-class or Kilo-class?
The Kilo-class has been built in greater numbers with 75 vessels compared to 10 vessels of the James Madison-class.