Trials of SSK St. Petersburg Continue in 2012

03.04.2012 Trials of Project 677 lead non-nuclear submarine St. Petersburg will continue in the current year in the Barents and the White seas, reports ARMS-TASS referring to Andrei Baranov, deputy director general of Rubin Central Design Bureau for foreign economic activity.

Final tests of all onboard equipment need deep waters; such trials are impossible in the Baltic Sea.

"Deeper waters are needed, so the sub will move northward this year. All systems of SSK St. Petersburg will be tested over there and delivered to the Navy", explained Baranov.

Commenting criticism of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM Vladimir Vysotsky as to Project 677 Lada, Baranov said that lead sub St. Petersburg had joined the Navy in May 2010 and was in experimental operation.

"It's okay when lead ship of a crucially new project is actively tested before putting into full production. For instance, two first ships of the previous project spent four years in experimental operation. Through that time, the Navy had made about 30 principal and somewhat 500 minor proposals. All defects were eliminated, and Navy's proposals were implemented in serial orders", he said.

Speaking on negative comments in the press, Baranov said "they are used by interested parties with apparent view to reduce chances of the newest Russian project at global market".