Pravda-class submarine


Class overview
NamePravda or P class
Operators Soviet Navy
In service1935–1956
In commission- 1956
Planned4
Completed3
Cancelled1
Lost1
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 1,200 tons surfaced
  • 1,870 tons submerged
Length90.0 m (295.3 ft)
Propulsion2-shaft diesel electric, 5,400 hp (4,027 kW) diesel, 1,400 hp (1,044 kW) electric
Speed
  • surface - 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph)
  • submerged - 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph)
Range5,700 nmi (10,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h)
Test depth340 ft (100 m)
Complement54
Armament
  • 4 × bow torpedo tubes
  • 2 × stern torpedo tubes
  • (10 torpedoes)
  • 2 × 100 mm (3.9 in) guns
  • 1 × 45 mm (1.8 in) guns,

The Pravda class or P-class submarines were built for the Soviet Navy in the mid-1930s. They originally served as training ships, then later served in World War II for transport duties.[1] They were intended to operate with the surface fleet but failed to meet specifications, particularly for surface speed. The initial design envisaged 130 mm (5.1 in) guns for surface action. These boats had a long building time, being laid down in 1931 and completed in 1936.

They were double hull boats with eight compartments. Their main shortcomings were underpowered machinery, a long diving time and poor seakeeping. Weakness in hull strength had to be remedied by stiffening and weight cutting. Yakubov and Worth state that these were the least successful Soviet submarines of this era and were relegated to secondary duties upon completion. The two surviving boats had their conning towers re-built to resemble the later K class.