MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Keel-laying ceremonies for two multi-role diesel-electric submarines of project 677 (Lada series) will be held at the Admiralty Shipyards (an affiliate of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, USC) later this year, the USC told TASS on Tuesday at the company’s exhibition at the State Duma timed for the company’s 15th anniversary.

The USC said that making a decision in favor of concluding a state contract for building a new series of submarines of this project was a prerogative of the Defense Ministry.

The lead submarine of the Lada series, B-585 St. Petersburg joined the Northern Fleet and entered service in September 2021. A second submarine, B-586 Kronshtadt and third one, B-587 Velikiye Luki are to be handed over to the Navy in 2022.

Project 677 belongs to the fourth generation of diesel-electric submarines, currently recognized as the most advanced non-nuclear subs in terms of combat effectiveness and other tactical and technical parameters. The Admiralty Shipyards is the sole plant that builds submarines of this class.