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Photo: Non-nuclear submarine St. Petersburg.
It is planned to equip Project 677 Lada diesel electric submarines Kronshtadt and Sevastopol which construction can be resumed in 2013 with new powerplants instead of traditional batteries, director general of JSC Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard Alexander Buzakov told RIA Novosti.
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Lada-Class Subs May Receive New Powerplants
09/24/2012 |
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Construction of two Lada-class submarines, Sevastopol and Kronshtadt was suspended by former Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM Vladimir Vysotsky because lead sub of the project St. Petersburg failed to prove design characteristics. Current Navy commander Viktor Chirkov told RIA Novosti that construction of that kind of subs would be resumed after elimination of all defects.
"Completion process of those two subs, I mean Sevastopol and Kronshtadt, has not started yet. Now we are forming price for them with defense ministry. We want these subs to enter State Defense Order 2013, and in the next year we'll continue works on them", Buzakov said.
The second submarine, SSK Kronshtadt can be equipped with lithium-ion batteries. It is planned to build her in 2015.
"Speaking of lithium battery, its planting is quite possible, if one believes reports and available materials. We treat this battery as a good substitute for traditional accumulators. Planting of lithium batteries does not need any redesign of the project, they can be easily put in, and the sub would stay under water longer. Manufacturers are working on such battery, and if it is completed on due time, we'll equip Kronshtadt with it", said Buzakov.
In her turn, Sevastopol can be equipped with air-independent powerplant. At present, Rubin Design Bureau is working on that program.
"Having designed such powerplant, we would be able to put it only into the third Lada-class submarine, Sevastopol. In contrast to lithium battery, air-independent powerplant requires considerable changes in submarine design. It is a radically different powerplant and a different technology. But both Lada project and air-independent powerplant are in hands of one design bureau, and Rubin will definitely cope with this challenge", said the interviewee.