‘Club’ is an integrated missile system designed by Russian Novator Bureau. Designed to engage surface ships and submarines, the Club missile system is available in two forms, the submarine-based Club-S and ship-based Club-N. Both systems employs the same range of missiles: 3M-54E (NATO reporting name: SS-N-27 Sizzler) supersonic anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), 3M-54E1 subsonic ASCM, and 91RE1 anti-submarine ballistic missile. The eight Project 636 Kilo class diesel-electric submarines acquired by the PLA Navy in 2005~06 are all fitted with the Club-S missile system. The PLA Navy also took delivery of an unknown number of the 3M-54E and/or 3M-54E1 missile from Russia in 2005 and a test fire of the missile reportedly took place in early 2008.
The Club-S system features a highly automated fire-control system which processes the target information fed from the combat information management system or manual data input. The system calculate the firing parameters, manages pre-launch and launch procedures, and performs scheduled missile checks. All units of the system are automated and require no cooling and maintenance.
Missiles of the Club-S system are launched from the submarine’s torpedo tubes. Both 3M-54E and 3M-54E1 use a common inertial navigation with active radar guidance and both fly a low-altitude sea-skimming mission profile.
The 3M-54E is a 200km-range ASCM with a 200kg warhead. It consists of a rocket booster, a subsonic stage and a rocket-propelled supersonic second-stage, which is released 20~60km from the target. This second-stage then accelerates to Mach 3 before hitting the target. This supersonic approach capability of the 3M-54 makes it particularly suitable in penetrating the air defence of an aircraft carrier battle group.
The 3M-54E1 is a 300km-range subsonic ASCM similar to the U.S. Tomahawk in appearance and performance, with a heavier (400kg) warhead.
The PLA Navy is not known to have obtained the 91RE1 anti-submarine ballistic missile.
