The Russian Navy has launched its new Varshavyanka-class Stary Oskol diesel-electric submarine, which is third in a series of vessels being built under project 636.3 as part of the navy’s fleet modernisation programme.
The series of six submarines will be deployed to serve in the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet following the successful completion of sea trials.
The navy has already taken delivery of Novorossiysk, the first submarine. Work on the second and fourth submarines including ‘Rostov-on-Don’ and ‘Krasnodar’ is currently in progress.
Construction on the last two submarines Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino of series is scheduled to begin next month, with the delivery of all vessels anticipated to be completed by 2016.
With an underwater speed of 20k and a cruising range of 400m, the improved variant of the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines can patrol for 45 days with 52 on-board submariners.
Features of these submarines include advanced stealth technology, extended combat range, latest inertial navigation system and the potential to strike land, surface and underwater targets.
Work on the Russian Navy’s three new submarines including the Borei-class Knyaz Oleg and Yasen-class Krasnoyarsk and the Khabarovsk is already underway at Defence shipyard Sevmash in Severodvinsk, Russia.
Russia is investing $700bn on its military rearmament programme, which includes the construction of ten Graney-class nuclear-attack submarines and 20 diesel-electric submarines, including six Varshavyanka-class crafts.
