Article Posted on : - Jan 31, 2014

Image credit: Rostec.ru

ST. PETERSBURG (BNS): The second of six Varshavyanka class (Project 636M) diesel-electric submarines, built by Russia's Admiralty shipyard for Vietnam, has left for its home country, according to a Russian media report.

The new stealth submarine, named Ho Chi Minh City, will dock at the Cam Ranh naval base in southern Vietnam in another 45 days, the Arms-Tass news agency reported on Thursday quoting an official from the Shipyard.

Vietnam had inked a deal worth $2 billion with Russia in 2009 to buy six Varshavyanka-class (NATO reporting name Kilo-class) conventional submarines to augment its maritime prowess. The contract also entailed training of Vietnamese submarine crews in Russia.

The first submarine of the class, Hanoi, entered service with the Vietnamese Navy on January 15, this year.

The Admiralty Shipyard plans to deliver the third vessel, Hai Phong, in November this year, the news report said.

All six submarines are scheduled to be delivered to Vietnam by 2016.

An improved variant of the Kilo-class submarines, the Varshavyanka-class of subs feature advanced stealth technology, extended combat range, modern inertial navigation system and the ability to strike land, surface and underwater targets.

The submarines feature 533-milimeter torpedo tubes and are armed with torpedos, mines, and Kalibr 3M54 (NATO SS-N-27 Sizzler) cruise missiles.