MOSCOW, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Project 949A submarine Smolensk has carried out a test launch of a cruise missile and successfully hit its designated target during combat drills scheduled in the Barents Sea, the Northern Fleet's press service said Wednesday.

"A Granit missile was fired against a marine target at depths of about 400 kilometers in the sea. According to the flight recorder's data, the target was hit successfully," said Northern Fleet's spokesman and Captain Vadim Serga.

Built in 1990, Russia's submarine Project 949A Antey (also known as the Oscar II class submarine) displaces 24,000 tons and has an underwater speed of 32 knots with a crew of 107.

They are armed with 24 launchers of Granit cruise missiles with a range of about 500 km and six torpedo tubes.