The Admiralty Shipyard (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) has launched the state trials of the Project 636.3 third diesel-electric submarine built for Russia’s Pacific Fleet. The third submarine of the series built for the Pacific Fleet entered state trials on August 16. The Shipyard’s specialists will check the operation of all the shipborne systems, mechanisms and equipment, including sonars and navigation complexes. The submarine will also carry out deep diving to assess the vessel’s control at various operational depths. After completing the state program of trials, the submarine Magadan will return to the Shipyard for its inspection and finishing.
Project 636.3 also called Varshavyanka class is an upgraded version of the Kilo-class submarines that entered into service with the Russian Navy in June 2014. The new submarine features stealth technology as well as extended cruising range and the ability to strike surface, land, and underwater targets. They are crewed by 52 submariners, have an underwater speed of 20 knots, and a cruising range of 400 miles with the ability to patrol for 45 days. The Project 636.3 submarines can launch Kalibr / Club land-attack cruise missile, anti-ship missile, and anti-submarine missile. The submarine is also armed with 533-millimeter torpedo tubes and carried a total of 18 torpedoes.
The contract for six Project 636.3 submarines for the Pacific Fleet was signed in September 2016. The series of Project 636.3 underwater combatants for the Pacific Fleet comprises three ships, namely, ‘Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy’, ‘Volkhov’, and ‘Magadan’. The launch of the fourth naval platform of the class for the Pacific fleet, ‘Ufa’, is scheduled for late 2021. In 2021, the Admiralty Shipyard will lay the fifth and sixth Improved Kilos for the formation — ‘Mozhaysk’ and ‘Yakutsk’. All the six Project 636.3 submarines are set to be delivered to the Pacific Fleet through 2024.
