MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. The Russian Pacific Fleet will receive the Varshavyanka-class last submarine Yakutsk in a series six Project 636.3 underwater cruisers in 2024, Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov said in an interview with the Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Friday.
"This year, the Admiralty Shipyard will lay the keel of two more Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarines Mozhaisk and Yakutsk for the Pacific Fleet forces," the Navy chief said.
On March 25, shipbuilders in St. Petersburg will float out the third submarine of this series, the Magadan. Another sub of this Project, the Ufa, is currently under construction. The previous two submarines of this class, the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the Volkhov have entered service with the Navy, he said.
"The entire series of six Project 636.3 conventional submarines will be built and delivered to the Pacific Fleet by 2024, which will strengthen its component of precision missile weapon carriers, the Navy chief said.
Shipbuilders earlier built a series of Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarines for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class submarines (NATO reporting name: Improved Kilo-II) are referred to the third generation of large diesel-electric underwater cruisers. They are 74 meters long and displace more than 3,900 tonnes. Due to their strong hull, the submarines have an operational depth of 240 meters and can dive to a maximum depth of 300 meters.
The submarines of this Project have an operational range of up to 7,500 miles. They are armed with Kalibr-PL cruise missiles that are launched from torpedo tubes from the sub’s submerged position.
Project 636 submarines are considered among the world’s most quietest underwater cruisers. They can develop a speed of up to 20 knots, have their sea endurance of 45 days and a crew of 52 men.