Pacific Fleet Exercise: Submarine Omsk Launches P-700 Missiles
During Pacific Fleet drills, submarine Omsk launched a P-700 missile, while Krasnoyarsk fired P-800s. Analysts see the test as Russia’s signal of military presence near U.S. and Japanese bases.
During recent drills of the Russian Pacific Fleet, the nuclear-powered submarine Omsk took part in maneuvers that featured the launch of its primary weapon — the massive P-700 anti-ship missile. As highlighted by Military Watch Magazine (MWM), the P-700 remains one of the heaviest cruise missiles ever built, weighing up to seven tons with a range exceeding 500 kilometers. Back in the 1980s, its guidance system was regarded as among the most advanced of its time.
Within the exercise framework, Omsk launched a P-700 against a maritime target positioned 250 kilometers away. At the same time, the submarine Krasnoyarsk, part of the modern Yasen-M class, fired two smaller P-800 missiles at the same area.
Omsk belongs to the Oscar-II project — known in Russia as the Antey class — and is one of the few submarines still capable of carrying the P-700. Despite the missile’s age, it continues to serve as the core strike weapon for this class of submarine.
MWM stressed that Russia is simultaneously investing heavily in newer multipurpose nuclear submarines of the Yasen-M project. Eleven of these are planned, with eight already under construction.
Analysts cited by the magazine interpreted the missile launches as a clear message: Russia intends to maintain a strong military presence in waters that host key U.S. and Japanese bases, demonstrating both capability and intent in the Pacific theater.