New submarine for the Vietnamese Navy is on it's way from Russia

Russia's Admiralty Shipyard is completing successful testing of a Project 636 diesel-electric submarine for the Vietnamese Navy.

Source: ITAR-TASS

The first two Project 636 diesel-electric submarines Varshavyanka (NATO reporting name Kilo) will be handed over to the Vietnamese Navy later this year.

The contract envisages the delivery of six of these submarines. In December 2012, the first commissioned diesel-electric submarine successfully completed the first phase of trials, during which all of its systems and mechanisms performed well.

The submarine performed 12 divings, including a deep-water one. Sea trials of the first submarine will be completed in the summer.

Acceptance tests and handover to the customer are scheduled for September.

The second commissioned submarine was launched late last year.

Outfitting work on it began in early January 2013. In March-April the submarine was due to pass dock trials, followed by sea trials.

The shipyard is now doing hull work and is testing units for the other submarines under this contract.

In February the shipyard began making the main hull of the sixth submarine in the export series.

The contract

The contract to supply Varshavyanka diesel-electric submarines to Vietnam was signed in 2009.

In addition to building the submarines, it envisages training the Vietnamese crews as well as delivering the necessary equipment and technical supplies.

According to unofficial sources, the contract is worth 2 billion dollars.

The Varshavyanka is a third-generation submarine. According to experts, its main strength is its large upgrade potential, which makes it possible to equip these submarines with new weapons, including the Club anti-ship missile system that has a considerably bigger impact zone and a broader range of types of targets.

RBTH