CIS

Home page

CIS

Russia to Lay Down New Diesel Sub for Black Sea Fleet

16 August 2012 23:21 (UTC +04:00)

Bakuâ€“APA. The Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg will lay down on Friday a new Varshavyanka class diesel-electric submarine for Russiaâ€™s Black Sea Fleet, the company said, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti.

Stary Oskol will be the third in a series of six Varshavyanka class submarines which are expected to join the fleet by 2016. The first sub, the Novorossiisk, was laid down in August 2010, followed by Rostov-on-Don in November 2011.

The Varshavyanka class is an improved version of the Kilo class submarines, featuring advanced â€œstealthâ€ technology, extended combat range and ability to strike land, surface and underwater targets.

These submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine missions in relatively shallow waters.

The vessels, crewed by 52 submariners, have an underwater speed of 20 knots, a cruising range of 400 miles (electric propulsion) with the ability to patrol for 45 days. They are armed with 18 torpedoes and eight surface-to-air missiles.

There is only one submarine, the Alrosa, a Kilo class vessel, currently in service with the Black Sea Fleet. The Alrosa joined the Russian Navy in 1990.