SSN Nerpa will be leased to India on time – Rosoboronexport

11.10.2010 SSN Nerpa will be leased to India on time, said Anatoly Isaikin, general director of Rosoboronexport summarizing the recent session of Russian-Indian intergovernmental committee on military industrial cooperation.

"Currently, the sub is undergoing trials; they are on schedule so the sub will be delivered to India in due time", he underlined.

As was previously reported by the defense ministry, Russia will lease SSN Nerpa to India for 10 years in the second half of 2010.

"Nuclear-powered attack submarine which had successfully commissioned into Russian Navy in Dec 2009 will be leased to India this summer or autumn", specified an official in defense ministry.

According to the source, "by agreement between the parties, representatives of Indian Navy and already-trained Indian crew will arrive to Nerpa's basing site near Vladivostok to hold sea trials and, probably, to test onboard arms; afterwards, Indian partners will sign the submarine acceptance certificate". "Then Indian-crewed Nerpa will head for a new homebase", said the source in defense ministry.

Shipbuilders of Amur Shipyard had successfully completed trial program of SSN Nerpa in June 2010.

Project 971 SSN Nerpa is a 3rd generation nuclear-powered submarine. Total displacement is 12,770 tons; max speed is 33 knots (61 kph); test depth is 450 meters; armament: four 533-mm torpedo tubes and four 650-mm torpedo tubes.