Kilo vs Alfa

The Kilo and the Alfa are both Submarine classes. Displacement is 2,325 tons for the Kilo vs 2,300 tons for the Alfa. The Kilo reaches 17 knots vs 12 knots for the Alfa. Operational range is 6,000 nautical miles for the Kilo vs 99,999 for the Alfa. The Kilo carries a crew of 52 vs 31 for the Alfa. Submerged displacement is 3,075 tons for the Kilo vs 3,200 tons for the Alfa. The Alfa can dive to 400 m compared to 300 m for the Kilo. The Kilo was produced in 75 units vs 7 for the Alfa. The Kilo was commissioned in 1980, 9 years after the Alfa (1971).

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
Soviet nuclear attack submarine, introduced in 1971, reached a speed of 42 knots due to its titanium hull.
Profile of Alfa
Origin 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear attack submarine
Manufacturer Admiralty yard, Leningrad
Year introduced 1971
Number built 7 units
Estimated unit price NA
Displacement 2,325 tons â—‰
Maximum speed 17.0 knots â—‰
Range 6,000 nm at 7 knots â—‰
Length 72.6 m â—‰
Beam 9.9 m â—‰
Crew 52 â—‰
Max depth 300 m â—‰
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
Displacement 2,300 tons â—‰
Maximum speed 12.0 knots â—‰
Range Unlimited â—‰
Length 81.4 m â—‰
Beam 9.5 m â—‰
Crew 31 â—‰
Max depth 400 m â—‰
Propulsion OK-550 or BM-40A, 155-MWt Lead-bismuth cooled, beryllium-moderated reactor; 40,000 shp (30,000 kW) steam turbine, one shaft
Armament
  • 6 x 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • 18 SET-65 or 53-65K torpedoes
  • 20 VA-111 Shkval torpedoes
  • 24 mines

Performance Radar Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Kilo-class or Alfa-class?
The Kilo-class has greater displacement at 2,325 tons compared to the Alfa-class's 2,300 tons.
Which is faster, the Kilo-class or Alfa-class?
The Kilo-class is faster with a maximum speed of 17 knots compared to the Alfa-class's 12 knots.
Which has longer range, the Kilo-class or Alfa-class?
The Alfa-class is nuclear-powered with unlimited range, while the Kilo-class has a range of 6,000 nautical miles.
Which is longer, the Kilo-class or Alfa-class?
The Alfa-class is longer at 81.4 meters compared to the Kilo-class's 72.6 meters.
How many crew members do the Kilo-class and Alfa-class have?
The Kilo-class has a larger crew complement of 52 compared to the Alfa-class's 31 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the Kilo-class or Alfa-class?
The Alfa-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 Kilo-class or Alfa-class?
The Kilo-class has been built in greater numbers with 75 vessels compared to 7 vessels of the Alfa-class.