Lada class, Russian designation Project 677 ''Lada'' (, meaning "

Lada LadaAccording to various sources, the name Lada is derived from a Russian word for Viking longships (). (, , marketed as LADAFrom 2004 onwards Lada is marketed worldwide, including in Russia, using the all-capitals brand name written in Latin sc ...

NATO reporting name NATO uses a system of code names, called reporting names, to denote military aircraft and other equipment used by post-Soviet states, former Warsaw Pact countries, China, and other countries. The system assists military communications by providi ...

St. Petersburg) is the new advanced

class Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...

of diesel-electric

attack submarine An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants, and merchant vessels. In the Soviet Navy, Soviet and Russian Navy, Russian navies ...

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Rubin Design Bureau Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (), abbreviated as TsKB "Rubin" (), located in Saint-Petersburg, Saint Petersburg, is the largest of Russia's three main centers of submarine design, the other two being Malakhit Marine Engineerin ...

. A program to develop a "fourth generation" diesel-electric submarine, it aimed to produce a highly improved version of the Project 636 with better acoustic signature, new combat systems and possibly

air-independent propulsion Air-independent propulsion (AIP), or air-independent power, is any marine propulsion technology that allows a non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen (by surfacing or using a snorkel). AIP can augment or replace th ...

. However, in 2019, Alexander Buzakov, the head of the Admiralty Shipyard, indicated that there were no plans to equip the Lada class with an air-independent propulsion system. In July 2022 it was reported that work on an electrochemical generator to produce hydrogen from diesel fuel and oxygen was continuing and that the Rubin Central Design Bureau signed a new contract in 2019 to continue work. This was scheduled to be completed by the mid-2020s. In 2023, the decision was taken to decommission and scrap the lead ship of the class, the due to the very high costs of modernising the submarine.

History

The lead boat of the class, named , was launched in October 2004 and began

sea trial A sea trial or trial trip is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on op ...

s in November 2005. The submarine was transferred to the Russian Navy in April 2010. Another two vessels were under construction at the Admiralty Shipyard with plans to launch four to six submarines by 2015. In 2009, the Russian Navy had set out a requirement for a total of eight St. Petersburg-class submarines. However, in November 2011 the Russian Navy decided that this class of submarines would not be accepted into service, as the lead boat had fallen far short of requirements during tests. The lead boat was retained as a test vessel to experiment with various systems. The construction of the remaining boats of the class was frozen. On 27 July 2012, the Russian Navy commander-in-chief announced the resumption of the construction of the St. Petersburg-class submarines, having undergone extensive design changes. In 2013 and 2015, two further boats were re-laid and commissioning was expected in 2017 and 2018. On 20 September 2018, the first serial submarine of the class, B-858 ''Kronshtadt'', was launched at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg. Indonesia had once indicated its interest in acquiring two St. Petersburg-class submarines, but the deal fell through before 2010 due to financing issues. In June 2017, the Russian Navy announced it planned to order two more Lada-class submarines, and the build contract was signed in June 2019, during the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2019». One more sub was ordered in August 2020, during the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2020», with some speculation that all six of the submarines currently on order, or alternatively up to six of the eventual total number of Lada-class boats, might eventually be deployed with the

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Design

The project 677 St. Petersburg is a Russian diesel-electric submarine developed in the late 1990s. The submarine is designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, defense of naval bases, seashore and sea lanes, as well as for conducting reconnaissance. The class marks the first usage of a mono-hull design by the Russian navy for an attack submarine since the 1940s. Displacement is 25% lower than that of its predecessor, the , but its capabilities are greatly enhanced. Top submerged speed is , up from s for the Kilo class. The class is designed for an endurance of 45 days with a complement of 35. The submarine is equipped with automated combat control system ''Litiy'' (meaning "Lithium"). A variant designated as the project 1650 is offered as an export model.

Units

Notes

References

External links