The Whiskey class was the NATO reporting name of a class of diesel-electric patrol submarines that were built in the Soviet Union. The Soviet designation of this class was Project 613.

Construction of the class spanned from 1949 to 1958 and, as finalized, the boats displaced 1045 tons when surfaced and 1342 s submerged with dimensions that included a length of 76 meters, a beam of 6,3 meters, and a draught of 5 meters. A standard crew complement numbered 55 personnel.

Propulsion was conventional and involved a combination diesel-electric arrangement in which the diesel units carried the boat during surface running and the electric motors powered the boat underwater. This required the boat to surface to charge its battery packs and expel any built-up CO2 gas. Surfaced speeds reached 18 knots and submerged speeds fell to 13 knots. Operational range was out to 8580 nautical miles when surfaced and 353 miles when submerged - enough provisions were on hand to supply the crew on 30 day long patrols. As designed, the Whiskey-class was primarily intended for coastal patrolling though its role would expand throughout its service tenure.

In terms of armament, the Whiskey-class continued established attack submarine tradition by being fitted with 6 x 533mm (21") torpedo tubes arranged in four bow (forward facing) mountings and two stern (rear facing) mountings. This allowed the frontal four tubes to be used to attack forward targets and the pairing at the rear to engage trailing targets. Twelve torpedo reloads were carried though this could be substituted with twenty-two naval mines as needed.

Between 1949 and 1958 a total of 215 submarines of this type were commissioned into the Soviet Navy. The Whiskey-class was sold to various Soviet-aligned nations including Albania, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Indonesia, North Korea, and Poland.

Some Whiskey submarines were converted to guided missile submarines, with the capability to fire one to four SS-N-3 Shaddock cruise missiles. In 1956, the first prototype was ready. It was a regular Whiskey class modified with a launch tube aft of the sail containing a single SS-N-3c. This vessel was known in the West as Whiskey Single Cylinder. Between 1958 and 1960, six additional Whiskey-class submarines were converted to carry guided missiles. These boats had two missile tubes behind the sail, and were known in the west as the Whiskey Twin Cylinder, and Project 644 boats by the Soviets.

Between 1960 and 1963, six submarines received an extended sail that could contain four Shaddock missiles. These were called Whiskey Long Bin in the West and Project 665 in the Soviet Union. All guided missile variants of the Whiskey class carried the P-5/ NATO SS-N-3c Shaddock land-attack missile, and had to surface in order to fire their missiles.

Submarine S-164 laid down on 25 April 1953 at Krasnoe Sormovo Shipyard named after A.A. Zhdanov, Gorky (yard No.605) by Project 613, launched on 09 October 1953, commissioned on 12 April 1954 and was assigned to the Northern Fleet.

From 1962 to 05 August 1963, S-164 was overhauled at Baltiysky Shipyard ¹189 named after S.Ordzhonikidze, Leninrgad, and converted to Project 665 guided missile submarine, by having launch tubes for four SS-N-3 Shaddock anti-ship missiles fitted externally.

On 22 August 1966 the submarine transferred to the Baltic Fleet, and on 18 June 1967 - to the Black Sea Fleet.

On 19 April 1978 the submarine S-162 was decommissioned, excluded from the lists of the Black Sea Fleet and scrapped in Inkerman.