Russia’s second Lada-class submarine starts sea trials

The second Project 677 Lada-class submarine Kronstadt (B-586) built for the Russian Navy has commenced sea trials.

Admiralty Shipyards, a subsidiary of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), revealed that the sea trails started on 17 December.

Within the first stage, which will take place in the Gulf of Finland, high-speed and maneuverable tests of the submarine will be carried out. The company’s specialists will check the hydroacoustic capabilities as well as the navigation and communication capabilities, and test the lifting and mast devices. The completion of the first stage of the factory sea trials of the submarine is scheduled for the end of December this year.

The keel for the second submarine Kronstadt was laid in July 2005 and the launching ceremony was held in September 2018, 13 years after the construction started.

Delays in the Project 677 were caused by deficiencies in the performance of the lead boat. However, the defense ministry decided to resume the program, allocating funds for the construction of the second and third vessel in 2017.

Project 677 submarines are the fourth generation of the Russian Navy’s diesel-electric submarines, measuring 66.8 meters in length. They can dive to a maximum stated depth of 300 meters and can operate non-stop for 45 days with a crew of 35. They displace 1,765 tons while surfaced and have six torpedo tubes.

Lada-class submarines were expected to replace their six Improved Kilo-class predecessors but the Russian Navy has already ordered the construction of additional two Improved Kilo-class boats due to the setbacks experienced with the Lada-class subs.

The keel for the lead sub in class, Sankt-Petersburg (B-585), was laid down in December 1997 and launched in October 2004. The submarine was delivered to the Russian Navy in April 2010 and commissioned in May 2010.

The Lada-class submarines were designed at the Robin Naval Design Bureau using the latest technologies, including radar stealth technologies. Thanks to this, the submarines are almost completely silent.

The Russian Navy plans to buy a total of eight Lada-class submarines.