Russia will begin delivering Kilo Class diesel submarines to Vietnam in 2014, Rosoboronexport representative Oleg Azizov has said.

The Kilo Class submarines, nicknamed ‘Black Holes’, are capable of evading detection and are among the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world.

The submarines are designed to take part in anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface-ship warfare, as well as reconnaissance and patrol missions.

The 350m-long vessel has a displacement of 2,300t, can carry a crew of 57 and are equipped with Club-S cruise missile systems, as well as six 533mm torpedo tubes.

The delivery follows a $3.2bn submarine contract signed by Russia and Vietnam in December 2009, according to RIA Novosti.

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