Russia's fifth-generation submarines will receive new hydroacoustic rubber coating that will be 20% thinner and much more efficient, Valery Polovinkin, science principal at the Krylov State Research Center (KSRC), told Sputnik on Monday.

"We are talking about thickness reduction of about 10-20%, which is quite significant. It's not just the formulation of substances — special channels are made in the coating. It is not just a monolith but a construction, because air is the best insulator," he said.

Polovinkin added that submarines needed better camouflage coating because no armor could beat armor-piercing projectiles.

"Unfortunately, the projectile wins the notorious battle of 'the shell hit versus the armor.' We need to hide the ships," Polovinkin explained.

Scientists at the KSRC, the main developer of the latest ship and material designs for the Russian navy, are working on polyfunctional coatings for fifth-generation submarines, the scientist said.