Russia Launches New Kalibr Missile-capable Submarine

By Staff, Agencies

A new diesel-electric submarine, the Velikiye Luki vessel, was launched during a ceremony in Russia's northwestern city of Saint Petersburg on Friday. The submarine is now set to receive additional tweaks before heading for tests and, ultimately, joining the country’s navy, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The warship was built at the Admiralty Shipyards plant, which is operated by the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation [USC].

The vessel is the third submarine of the project 677 Lada diesel-electric family. These types of submarines are capable of autonomous deployment of up to 45 days, diving up to 300 meters deep and boasting an impressive speed of 21 knots while submerged. Lada-family submarines are fitted with eight 533 mm torpedo tubes, used, apart from torpedoes, for mine laying and launching Kalibr cruise missiles.

These kinds of submarines are extra-stealthy thanks to low noise emission, as well as a special coating of the vessel’s hull. Moreover, these ships are very agile, boasting a large, multi-blade propeller.

“Project 677 Lada submarines belong to a new generation of non-nuclear submarines. To date, the submarines of this project are recognized as the most modern diesel-electric boats designed for the Russian Navy,” Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov said in a statement.

“Deeply modernized equipment pieces are installed on this ship: a control system for ship hardware, an electric propulsion system, a navigation complex, and others. Admiralty Shipyards is the only plant building ships of this class in Russia.”

Earlier this year, Admiralty Shipyards laid down two other vessels of the type, the Yaroslavl and the Vologda submarines. The plant has also been working on the second vessel in the Kronshtadt series, with the submarine set to head for state tests late in December, according to the ministry.