The Russian Navy’s first Project 677 Lada-class diesel-electric submarines, Sankt Peterburg (B-585), will continue sea trials, a spokesman for the Western Military District said.
RIA Novosti cited captain first rank Vadim Serga as saying the fourth-generation submarine will undergo a series of comprehensive trials which includes deep water trials in the Barents Sea.
In November 2011, Russian daily Izvestia cited navy commanders as saying the Russian Navy had discarded the craft for service following identification of fault with various aspects of the boat such as the sonar, the command and control system, and the torpedo. The Lada-class submarines construction was then halted, until a major redesign.
Being built by Admiralty Shipyard, the Lada-class submarines are improved version of the Project 636 Kilo-class submarines, featuring much quieter, powerful propulsion and new combat systems.
The submarines can support missions including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (AsuW) operations, protection of naval bases, reconnaissance and patrol missions.
With submerged displacement capacity of 2,700t, the submarines have a maximum diving depth of 300m and can cruise at a surface speed of 10k and submerged speed of 21k.
The Russian Rubin Design Bureau-designed Lada-class boats are armed with club-S submarine launched cruise missiles, as well as six 533mm torpedo tubes to launch up to 18 torpedoes, tube-launched anti-submarine and anti-ship missiles.
Capable of defending naval bases, coastal waters and sea communication lines, the submarine features electronic support measures (ESM) system, radar warning receiver and direction finder.
Launched in October 2004, the Sankt-Petersburg was delivered to the Russian Navy in April 2010 and commissioned in May 2010.
The Russia Navy is planning to procure a total of eight Lada-class submarines, of which four to six Lada-class submarines will be built by 2015.
Image: Russian Navy’s Lada-class submarine Sankt-Peterburg. Photo: courtesy of Mike1979 Russia.
