Summary: Developed in the early 1930s, nearly 90 Shchuka-class submarines were built, with three versions produced.

-These medium-sized attack submarines operated in both littoral and open ocean waters, engaging in significant combat, particularly in the Baltic and Black Sea. Despite suffering heavy losses, their performance was notable, especially against the Japanese Navy. After the war, some were transferred to China’s People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) for training.

-The Shchuka-class remains a significant part of Soviet naval history.

From WWII to Cold War: The Legacy of the Shchuka-Class Submarines

Before the Kilo-class and Oscar-class Submarines, the Shchuka-class was the Soviet Workhorse: During the Cold War, the Soviet Navy maintained the largest fleet of submarines in the world with as many as 370 submarines in service at its height. That included such now noteworthy boats as the Kilo -class and Oscar -class, but even before the Second World War, the Soviet Union sought to build a power fleet of undersea cruisers.

Among the most numerous was the Shchuka-class – a submarine that was the main workhorse for the Soviet Navy during the "Great Patriotic War."

Three versions of the boats – named for the Russian word for "pike" – were produced for the Soviet Navy, beginning in the early 1930s. When originally developed, the Shchuka -class submarines represented the first major Soviet naval program for attack submarines, with the vessels designed to be positioned in littoral waters as well as the open ocean. During the Second World War, the medium-sized subs were assigned for operations with the four principal Soviet Navy fleets, including the Northern Fleet, the Pacific Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, and the Baltic Fleet.

In the latter two stations, the submarines actively engaged the German Kriegsmarine but suffered heavy casualties, with almost 70 percent of their frontline subs sunk. However, though the Soviet Union only entered the war in the Pacific in the closing weeks of the conflict, in confrontations with the Imperial Japanese Navy, the performance of the Shchuka-class was considered outstanding.

Nearly 90 of the boats were built – two entering service after World War II ended – while 35 were reported lost during the conflict.

Service With The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)

Though the Shchuka-class submarines were largely obsolete by the early stages of the Cold War, at least two – along with a pair of Soviet Malutka-class (literally translated as "baby" or "little one") subs – were supplied to the newly formed People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and served as the foundation of Communist China's submarine force.

The Shchuka-class boats were largely employed for training and were reported to have been retired from service by the late 1950s. Though loaned by the Soviet Union, it is unclear if the submarines were ever returned to the Soviet Navy. All of the boats were eventually scrapped.

The conning tower of ShCh-307 – which is noted for sinking the German U-boat U-144 in the Baltic Sea in August 1941, and later the German merchant Henrietta Schulze – is now preserved at the Memorial of Victory at Poklonnaya hill in Moscow.

Shchuka-class Specs

Displacement: 558 tonnes/549.2 tons (surfaced); 689 tonnes/678.1 tons (submerged)

Length: 57.50 meters (188 feet, eight inches)

Beam: 7.15 meters (23 feet, six inches)

Armament: 6 x 533mm/21 inch tubes (4x bow, 2 x stern), 12 x torpedoes; 2 x 45mm/1/77 inch deck guns

Propulsion: 894.8kW/1,200 hp petrol; 335.6kW/450hp electric

Speed: 12.5 knots (surfaced); 6.5 knots (dived)

Complement: 50 sailors (officers and enlisted)

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Main image is Creative Commons. 

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