Vietnam's Kilo 636 submarine has a Pump-jet propulsion system.
The pump-jet (also known as water-jet) propulsion system seems to only be found on Russia's Kilo 877 Alrosa submarines, but in fact it is not.
In the Russian Navy there is a very special Project 877 Kilo submarine, that is, instead of using a traditional propeller, it is equipped with a water jet engine.
The advantage of this type of engine is that the submarine runs very smoothly, can operate better in shallow water or improve the ability to maneuver in short distances. This is also a common design on modern nuclear attack submarines.
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| Water jet propulsion system on the Russian Navy's Kilo 877 Alrosa submarine |
However, only the Alrosa is equipped with a water jet propulsion system, the remaining Kilo submarines all return to the traditional propeller design, including the 636.1 for export or the 636.3 serving in the Russian Navy.
But surprisingly, the Russians have recently released a special document about the two submarine classes. The notable information is that both versions 636.1 and 636.3 are equipped with two small water jet engines on the side.
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| Kilo 636.1 submarine side jet engine for export |
According to the technical description, the Kilo 636 submarine is equipped with a total of 4 propulsion engines. The largest engine has a capacity of 5.5 MW at 500 rpm.
When the ship is running at low speed below 3 knots, the main engine is turned off and the main propeller shaft uses a smaller engine. The last two engines are to run the water jet system installed on both sides of the hull near the main propeller.
This auxiliary water jet propulsion system is used to maneuver the ship at very low speeds, or to maintain position in the current at sea to help divers enter and exit the ship from the torpedo tube.
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| Illustration drawing of engines equipped for Kilo 636 submarine |
It should be reiterated once again that this is a common design applied to all domestic and export versions of the Kilo 636 submarine, which means that all 6 Vietnamese Kilo 636.1 submarines have this propulsion mechanism available.
The above superior features have earned the Kilo 636 submarine the nickname Black Hole of the Ocean. Perhaps it still has many hidden technical parameters that will only be gradually revealed by the Russians during its operation.