Russian Navy will launch its latest diesel-electric submarine Veliky Novgorod at the Admiralty Shipyards site in Saint Petersburg on March 18, the navy’s press center confirmed.
Veliky Novgorod is the fifth vessel from the 636.3 project built by Admiralty Shipyards for the Black Sea Fleet.
According to Russian Navy, the ceremony will coincide with the 110th anniversary of the Russian Navy underwater forces and will be attended by representatives of the Russian Navy Main Command, Command Staff of the Black Sea Fleet, and Administration of St Petersburg.
The Kilo-class submarines from the 636.3 project are armed with 18 torpedoes and eight surface-to-air missiles. The navy says they can reach underwater speeds of 20 knots and have a cruising range of 400 miles (electric propulsion). The vessels can accommodate a crew of 52 submariners and can stay at sea for 45 days.
Novorossiysk was the first in the class of six submarines to join the Russian fleet in August 2014. Since then, three other Kilo-class submarines have joined the fleet while the remaining two, Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino, are yet to join.