Second Project 677 Lada-class Submarine 'Kronstadt' Launched in St Petersburg.

The second Project 677 (Lada-class; NATO reporting name: St. Petersburg-class) diesel-electric submarine ‘Kronstadt’ has been launched at the Admiralty Shipyards (a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC)) in Saint Petersburg, according to the TASS news agency.

The second Project 677 (Lada-class; NATO reporting name: St. Petersburg-class) diesel-electric submarine ‘Kronstadt’ has been launched at the Admiralty Shipyards in Saint Petersburg. Picture via our colleagues from sudostroenie.info . Many more picture on their page: http://sudostroenie.info/novosti/24407.html

"Despite construction halts and money shortages, the submarine has been launched. It should be mentioned that this lag has allowed us to use the experience of building and utilization of the [type Project 677 diesel-electric submarine] ‘Saint Petersburg’. The Project 677 underwater combatant outperforms her predecessor, the Project 636 (Improved Kilo-class) diesel-electric submarine, in a drastic manner. We believe that the Project 677 will be the future of the Navy's diesel-electric underwater component and hope for a large series of the submarines," Director General of the Admiralty Shipyards Alexander Buzakov said during the launch ceremony. He emphasized that the new submersible ship had been being built for 13 years.

"[The submarine] will pass through her mooring tests and sea trials. The ship will be handed over [to the Navy] in 2019," Director General of the Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (TsKB MT) Rubin (a subsidiary of USC), Igor Vilnit said.

The handing over of the third Project 677 diesel-electric submarine, ‘Velikiye Luki’, is scheduled for 2021. According to Buzakov, the construction of this ship will be intensified in three weeks. "The next submarine [‘Velikiye Luki’] will be handed over [to the Navy] in 2021," Buzakov said. "We are planning to sign contracts for the fourth and fifth [Project 677] submarines under the State Armament Program (GPV-2027) in 2019".

 The second Project 677 (Lada-class; NATO reporting name: St. Petersburg-class) diesel-electric submarine ‘Kronstadt’ has been launched at the Admiralty Shipyards in Saint Petersburg. Picture via our colleagues from sudostroenie.info . Many more picture on their page: http://sudostroenie.info/novosti/24407.html

The Project 677 type ship, ‘Saint Petersburg’, was laid down in 1997. Since her delivery to the Russian Navy in 2010, the submarine has been passing through operational evaluation and tests (OE&T). The ending of the OE&T is scheduled for 2019. The second ship, ‘Kronstadt’, was laid down in 2005. The construction of the submarine was then put on hold and resumed only in 2013. The Admiralty Shipyards are now building the third Project 677 submarine, ‘Velikiye Luki’. This ship was laid down in 2006; however, the construction works were suspended.

The Project 677 submarine is designed to engage surface and underwater combatants in the assigned area, strike land targets by cruise missiles, and sustain littoral anti-submarine defense. The ship is 68 m long and has a submerged displacement of 2,650 t. The submarine features a full underwater speed of 21 knots and a surface range of 6,000 nautical miles at a speed of 7 knots. The combatant is armed with six 533 mm torpedo launchers and has a 37-strong crew. Unlike underwater combatants of previous generations, the Project 677 submarine can fire cruise missiles in salvo mode against sea targets. The ship is fitted with a modern combat management system, cutting-edge sonar unit, new anti-sonar coating, and externally mounted extendable subsystems.

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