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| Petersburg SS "Sankt-Peterburg" (Image courtesy of TASS) |
[Translation of TASS news article]
SECOND PROJECT 677 SUBMARINE FOR RUSSIAN NAVY TO BE LAUNCHED IN LATE 2015
October 28, 2014
http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1538231
The second Project 677 diesel-electric submarine for the Russian Navy, "Kronshtadt", will be launched in late 2015. Admiralty Shipyards general director Aleksandr Buzakov informed TASS about this at Euronaval-2014. Previously it was reported that work on the submarine "Kronshtadt" should be completed in 2017.
"There is still a year before the launch of 'Kronshtadt'," said Buzakov. "Everything will depend on equipment delivery timelines, and not timelines for conducting factory work. When the equipment shows up, we can talk about more precise timelines for a launch," he added.
The general director reported that one quarter of the hull work on "Kronshtadt" has been completed.
Construction of a third submarine
Admiralty Shipyards has begun construction of a third Project 677 diesel-electric submarine for the Russian Navy, although a contract has not yet been signed. The submarine has been named "Sevastopol", Buzakov explained. "A final contract has not been signed, but the cost and a number of other contract parameters have been agreed to. That is to say, at the present time, several formalities are proceeding to completion. Therefore, part of the work on the submarine is already underway," Buzakov explained, noting that a small percentage of hull work has already been completed as part of the submarine's construction.
The general director noted that the first three Project 677 diesel-electric submarines will not be equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP). "This will be a series of three submarines that will not be equipped with AIP. The lead unit, "Sankt-Peterburg", is undergoing trial operations. On the other two submarines, everything will be verified in terms of quality and other parameters, which must be raised to the level of the design," Buzakov said.
AIP allows non-nuclear submarines to operate under the water for long periods without having to surface.
Project 677 (Lada) diesel-electric submarines were developed to combat surface ships and were designed for antisubmarine warfare, destruction of enemy naval bases, facilities and sea lines of communication, as well as for intelligence and patrol missions.
