Kilo vs Le Triomphant

Overview

The Kilo and the Le Triomphant are both Submarine classes.

The Le Triomphant displaces 12,640 tons — 5.4x the Kilo's 2,325 tons. The Kilo reaches 17 knots vs 15 knots for the Le Triomphant. Operational range is 6,000 nautical miles for the Kilo vs 99,999 for the Le Triomphant. The Kilo carries a crew of 52 vs 111 for the Le Triomphant. Submerged displacement is 3,075 tons for the Kilo vs 14,335 tons for the Le Triomphant. The Le Triomphant can dive to 400 m compared to 300 m for the Kilo.

The Kilo was produced in 75 units vs 4 for the Le Triomphant. Cost per hull is $200M for the Kilo vs $3,100M for the Le Triomphant. The Kilo was commissioned in 1980, 17 years before the Le Triomphant (1997).

Kilo

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
View full Kilo details

Le Triomphant

French ballistic missile submarine, introduced in 1997, displaces 12,640 tons and carries nuclear missiles.
Profile of Le Triomphant
Origin 🇫🇷 France
Category Submarine
Type Ballistic missile submarine
Manufacturer DCNS
Year introduced 1997
Number built 4 units
Estimated unit price $3,100 million
View full Le Triomphant details

Kilo

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

Le Triomphant

Displacement 12,640 tons ◉
Maximum speed 15.0 knots ◉
Range Unlimited ◉
Length 138.0 m ◉
Beam 12.5 m ◉
Crew 111 ◉
Max depth 400 m ◉
Propulsion K15 pressurized water reactor 150 MWth with turboreductor pump-to-shaft system of 30,5 MW; two emergency diesel-powered generators SEMT Pielstick 8PA4V200 SM (700 kW (940 hp)) auxiliaries
Armament
  • 16 M45 or M51/51.3 missiles with six to ten TN 75 or TNO thermonuclear warheads
  • Four 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes for F17 torpedoes and Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles

Performance Radar Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Kilo-class or Le Triomphant-class?
The Le Triomphant-class has greater displacement at 12,640 tons compared to the Kilo-class's 2,325 tons.
Which is faster, the Kilo-class or Le Triomphant-class?
The Kilo-class is faster with a maximum speed of 17 knots compared to the Le Triomphant-class's 15 knots.
Which has longer range, the Kilo-class or Le Triomphant-class?
The Le Triomphant-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 Le Triomphant-class?
The Le Triomphant-class is longer at 138.0 meters compared to the Kilo-class's 72.6 meters.
How many crew members do the Kilo-class and Le Triomphant-class have?
The Le Triomphant-class has a larger crew complement of 111 compared to the Kilo-class's 52 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the Kilo-class or Le Triomphant-class?
The Le Triomphant-class can dive deeper with a maximum depth of 400 meters compared to the Kilo-class's 300 meters.
Which is more expensive, the Kilo-class or Le Triomphant-class?
The Le Triomphant-class is more expensive at approximately $3.1 billion per unit compared to the Kilo-class at $200 million.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Kilo-class or Le Triomphant-class?
The Kilo-class has been built in greater numbers with 75 vessels compared to 4 vessels of the Le Triomphant-class.

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