The Kilo Class submarine was designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare in the protection of naval bases, coastal installations andsea lanes, and also for general reconnaissance and patrol missions. The Kilo is considered to be one of the quietest diesel submarines in the world. The submarine consists of six watertight compartments separated by transverse bulk heads in a pressurized double-hull. This design and the submarine's good reserve buoyancy lead to increased survivability if the submarine is holed, even with one compartment and two adjacent ballast tanks flooded.