President Putin Launches “Perm”, Russia’s Newest Nuclear Submarine Armed with Hypersonic Missile, Tsirkon
According to documents cited by Russian state media, Perm becomes the first nuclear-powered submarine to incorporate the 3M22 Tsirkon hypersonic missile as standard armament—a development that may shift the balance in undersea warfare dynamics across contested theatres such as the North Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a bold demonstration of maritime ambition and technological prowess, Russia has unveiled its latest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Perm—a formidable vessel equipped with the game-changing Tsirkon hypersonic missile system.
As the global race for naval supremacy intensifies, this strategic launch represents a decisive leap in Russia’s undersea strike capability.
Speaking via video link from the frigid Arctic port of Murmansk, Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over the ceremonial commissioning of the submarine, delivering the symbolic words: “I hereby authorise.”
The vessel, named after the historic industrial city of Perm in the Ural Mountains—a key region in Russia’s military-industrial complex—adds significant weight to Moscow’s underwater arsenal.
According to documents cited by Russian state media, Perm becomes the first nuclear-powered submarine to incorporate the 3M22 Tsirkon hypersonic missile as standard armament—a development that may shift the balance in undersea warfare dynamics across contested theatres such as the North Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific.
The Tsirkon missile, a hypersonic glide weapon that represents the cutting edge of Russian missile innovation, is capable of reaching staggering speeds of up to Mach 9—nine times the speed of sound.
With a reported range exceeding 1,000 kilometres, the missile can strike naval surface groups and land-based targets with high precision.
Its velocity, coupled with unpredictable flight paths and high manoeuvrability, renders it nearly invulnerable to modern missile defence systems like the US Aegis or THAAD platforms.
Moreover, its dual-capable payload—conventional or nuclear—adds a dimension of strategic ambiguity to Russia’s doctrine of escalation control.
Laid down on 29 July 2016 at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Perm is a critical milestone in Moscow’s long-term naval modernisation blueprint.
The submarine is expected to formally enter service with the Russian Northern Fleet in 2026, joining a select cadre of next-generation undersea platforms tasked with projecting power and deterring NATO forces in the High North and beyond.
As the sixth submarine in the Yasen and Yasen-M class lineage (Project 885M), Perm belongs to an elite class of multi-role attack submarines engineered for stealth, speed, and strike versatility.
Built by Sevmash—Russia’s premier nuclear submarine manufacturer—these vessels are often described as Russia’s answer to the US Navy’s Virginia-class SSNs, but with a heavier emphasis on cruise missile payload and strike endurance.
Notably, Perm is reported to feature subtle design evolutions over its predecessors, including acoustic signature reductions and improved electronic warfare suites.
During his visit to Murmansk, President Putin also toured the Arkhangelsk—another Yasen-M class submarine—and inspected the Atomflot enterprise, which oversees Russia’s strategic icebreaker fleet.
The visit underscores the Kremlin’s intent to assert maritime dominance across the increasingly contested Arctic domain, where melting ice caps are unlocking new sea lanes and heightening geopolitical competition.
To date, Sevmash has delivered four Yasen-M class submarines to the Russian Navy: Kazan (2021), Novosibirsk (2021), Krasnoyarsk (2023), and Arkhangelsk (2024).
Several others are currently in various stages of construction, including Ulyanovsk, Voronezh, and Vladivostok, with future hulls such as Bratsk reportedly on the drawing board—an indicator of Moscow’s long-haul commitment to undersea dominance.
Engineered for multi-mission roles—ranging from deep strike and anti-ship warfare to anti-submarine operations—Perm is equipped with a new-generation nuclear reactor that enables it to remain submerged for months without surfacing, providing persistent presence in remote operational theatres.
Tsirkon
The submarine can reach submerged speeds exceeding 30 knots (approximately 55 km/h) and is rated for operational depths beyond 500 metres.
Onboard, it carries a suite of advanced sonar, acoustic decoys, and electronic countermeasure systems designed to ensure survivability in contested waters, including in the face of NATO’s robust undersea surveillance network.
Stretching over 130 metres in length and displacing approximately 13,800 tonnes when submerged, Perm is a floating fortress armed with an array of heavyweight torpedoes, long-range cruise missiles—including the battle-proven Kalibr and supersonic Oniks—and state-of-the-art surveillance systems.
Its arsenal and design place it firmly among the most lethal submarines ever built by the Russian Federation.
As naval competition intensifies from the Arctic to the Indo-Pacific, the launch of Perm signals Moscow’s intent to remain a dominant force beneath the waves—where silence, speed, and surprise continue to define the ultimate deterrent.
