Lada-class submarine explained

Lada class, Russian designation Project 677 Lada (Russian: Лада, meaning "Lada", NATO reporting name St. Petersburg) is the new advanced class of diesel-electric attack submarine designed by the Russian Rubin Design Bureau. 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. 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.^{[1] [2]} 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

History

The lead boat of the class, named, was launched in October 2004 and began sea trials in November 2005. The submarine was transferred to the Russian Navy in April 2010.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.^[7] 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.^[8]

In June 2017, the Russian Navy announced it planned to order two more Lada-class submarines,^[9] and the build contract was signed in June 2019, during the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2019».^[10] One more sub was ordered in August 2020, during the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2020»,^{[11] [12]} 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 Baltic Fleet.^[13]

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.^[14] Top submerged speed is 21kn, 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

	Name	Builders	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Fleet	Status	Notes
B-585		Admiralty Shipyards	26 December 1997	28 October 2004	8 May 2010	5 February 2024^[15]	Northern	Decommissioned, to be scrapped^[16] ^[17]	Prototype. Subsequent boats are heavily redesigned.
B-586		Admiralty Shipyards	28 July 2005	20 September 2018^[18]	31 January 2024^[19] ^[20] ^[21] ^[22] ^[23]		Northern^[24] ^[25]	Active^[26] ^[27] ^[28]	Construction stopped due to multiple issues with B-585 Sankt Peterburg, resumed on 9 July 2013.
B-587		Admiralty Shipyards	19 March 2015^[29]	23 December 2022^[30]	2024		Northern	In sea trials^[31] ^[32] ^[33]	Laid down on 10 November 2006, re-laid in 2015 due to a redesign.
	Vologda	Admiralty Shipyards	12 June 2022^[34]		2025		Northern	Under construction
	Yaroslavl	Admiralty Shipyards	12 June 2022		2026		Northern	Under construction
	TBA	Admiralty Shipyards	2024		2027		Northern	Ordered

See also

• Future of the Russian Navy
• List of submarine classes in service
• Cruise missile submarine

Submarines of similar comparison

• Type 212 submarine - A class of diesel-electric attack-submarines developed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and exclusively built for the German Navy, the Italian Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy.
• Type 214 submarine - A class of export-oriented diesel-electric attack-submarines, also developed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and currently operated by the Hellenic Navy, the Portuguese Navy, the Republic of Korea Navy and the Turkish Naval Forces.
• Type 218SG submarine - A class of extensively-customised diesel-electric attack-submarines developed ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and currently operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy.
• - A class of extensively-customised diesel-electric attack-submarines developed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and currently operated by Israel.
• - A unique class of diesel-electric attack-submarines developed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and currently being built for Israel.
• - A class of export-oriented diesel-electric attack-submarines, jointly developed by Naval Group and Navantia and currently operated by the Chilean Navy, the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Indian Navy and the Brazilian Navy.
• S-80 Plus submarine - A class of conventionally-powered attack-submarines, currently being built by Navantia for the Spanish Navy.
• Blekinge-class submarine is a class of submarine developed by Kockums for the Swedish Navy
• KSS-III submarine - A class of diesel-electric attack and ballistic missile submarines, built by Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and operated by the Republic of Korea Navy.
• - A class of diesel-electric attack-submarines, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
• - A class of diesel-electric attack submarines currently being built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
• Type 039A submarine - A class of diesel-electric attack-submarines operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy (China) and being built for the navies of the Royal Thai Navy and the Pakistan Navy.

External links

• Web site: ЦКБ МТ Рубин: Главная . Ckb-rubin.ru . 29 November 2017.
• Project-677 class submarine set for final sea trials
• Web site: Amur / Lada Class - Project 677 . John . Pike . GlobalSecurity.org . 29 November 2017.
• Завершаются ходовые испытания подводной лодки "Санкт-Петербург" 24 января 2007 Russian version of the above translation
• Video about Sankt Petersburg

Notes and References

1. Web site: No Plans To Equip Russian Lada-Class Submarines With AIP-Constructor . Dorian . Archus . December 17, 2019 . Naval Post . 4 September 2020 . 23 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200923162014/https://navalnews.net/no-plans-to-equip-russian-lada-class-submarines-with-aip-constructor/ . dead .
2. Web site: Analysis 1/2: Lada-class diesel-electric submarine of project 677 for Russian Navy. 10 October 2021 .
3. Web site: Project 677 Kronstadt Assigned to Northern Fleet – SeaWaves Magazine . 2 August 2022 . 8 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220808230633/https://seawaves.com/?p=23597 . dead .
4. Web site: Russian Navy Lada-class submarine Sankt Peterburg to be decommissioned early . 19 April 2023.
5. Web site: http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=83525&cid=44 . ru:Завершены государственные испытания подводной лодки 4-го поколения "Санкт-Петербург" для ВМФ России . State tests of the 4th generation submarine "Sankt Peterburg" for the Russian Navy have been completed . ru . 22 April 2010 . ARMS-TASS . 2011-11-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111003094000/http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=83525&cid=44 . October 3, 2011.
6. Web site: Russia's Lada sub trials to be completed in 2009 . Rusnavy.com . 6 November 2009 . 30 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160113230121/http://rusnavy.com/news/navy/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=7135 . 13 January 2016 . dead.
7. News: ВМФ отказался от новейших подлодок проекта "Лада" . The navy abandoned the latest submarines of the "Lada" project . 23 November 2011 . . ru . 30 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120327200618/http://izvestia.ru/news/507580 . 27 March 2012 . live.
8. Bitzinger . Richard A. . 41288803 . A New Arms Race? Explaining Recent Southeast Asian Military Acquisitions . April 2010 . Contemporary Southeast Asia . . 32 . 1 . 53. 10.1355/CS32-1C . 154744246 .
9. Web site: Russian Navy to Order Two More Project 677 Lada-class Submarines . Navy Recognition . 29 June 2017 . 30 June 2019.
10. АО "Адмиралтейские Верфи" подписало контракт на строительство двух подводных лодок Проекта 677 "Лада" . JSC Admiralty Shipyards signed a contract for the construction of two submarines of Project 677 "Lada" . ru . . 28 June 2019 . 30 June 2019.
11. Web site: Russian Navy signs contract during Army 2020 forum for two more diesel submarines . August 25, 2020 . Navy Recognition.
12. Web site: Минфин и "Роскосмос" вступили в публичные препирательства о сокращении расходов . The Ministry of Finance and "Roscosmos" entered into a public altercation about cutting costs . ru . 25 August 2020 . Vedomosti.
13. Web site: Analysis: latest Russian Navy contracts offer development conclusions . 16 September 2020 . Navy Recognition.
14. Web site: В ходе испытаний ДЭПЛ "Санкт-Петербург" показала характеристики на порядок выше, чем у проекта 636 . During tests, diesel-electric submarines "Sankt-Peterburg" showed characteristics an order of magnitude higher than those of Project 636 . ru . December 17, 2018 . Armstrade.org . 2018-12-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181218010754/http://www.armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2018/1217/150550152/detail.shtml . 2018-12-18 . live.
15. Web site: Головную подлодку проекта "Лада" "Санкт-Петербург" вывели из состава ВМФ. 5 February 2024. TASS. ru.
16. Web site: 'Saint Petersburg' submarine launches cruise missile in Barents Sea . 17 November 2016 . TASS . 29 November 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170815135728/http://tass.com/defense/912993 . 15 August 2017 . live.
17. Web site: Project 677 lead submarine St. Petersburg passed all Russian Navy tests . Navy Recognition . 29 November 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170815140214/https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2017/august-2017-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/5473-project-677-lead-submarine-st-petersburg-passed-all-russian-navy-tests.html . 15 August 2017 . live.
18. Web site: Russia's second Lada-class submarine launched 13 years after construction start . September 20, 2018 . NavalToday.com . 2018-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180920182902/https://navaltoday.com/2018/09/20/russias-second-lada-class-submarine-launched-13-years-after-construction-start/ . 2018-09-20 . live.
19. https://ria.ru/20240103/vmf-1919582196.html?in=t
20. Web site: Russian Navy to get six submarines in 2020 for first time over past 28 years . . 23 August 2019 . 24 August 2019.
21. Web site: ВМФ анонсировал получение первых серийных подлодок проекта 677 "Лада" . The Navy announced the receipt of the first serial submarines of Project 677 "Lada" . Vedomosti . 9 February 2021 . 10 April 2021 . ru.
22. Web site: Строительство боевых кораблей основных классов для ВМФ России на 01.01.2022. 1 January 2022. ru. navy-korabel.
23. Web site: ВМФ получил дизель-электрическую подлодку проекта "Кронштадт". RIA. 31 January 2024. ru.
24. Web site: What They May Get, 2020 . 2020-01-19 . Russian Defense Policy . en . 2020-03-18.
25. Web site: Источник: Северный флот получит не менее четырех дизельных подлодок . Source: Northern Fleet will receive at least four diesel submarines . 14 April 2021 . RIA Novosti . 16 April 2021 . ru.
26. Web site: Russian Project 677 submarine Kronstadt starts sea trials. 20 December 2021 .
27. Web site: Analysis: St. Petersburg submarine expects upgrade for new arms trials - take 1 . 23 April 2020 . Navy Recognition.
28. Web site: Испытания первой серийной "Лады" близки к завершению . ФлотПром . 2023-12-22 . ru . . 2023-12-22.
29. News: http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1796279 . ru:Источник: третью подлодку типа "Лада" перезаложат в Петербурге 19 марта . Source: the third submarine of the "Lada" type will be re-laid in St. Petersburg on March 19 . ru . 27 February 2015 . 30 August 2015 . TASS . https://web.archive.org/web/20150713183203/http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1796279 . 13 July 2015 . live.
30. Web site: В Петербурге состоялся торжественный спуск на воду подлодки "Великие Луки". ru. TASS. 23 December 2022. 27 December 2022.
31. Web site: Admiralty Shipyard launches 3rd Lada-class submarine "Velikie Luki" . 23 December 2022 .
32. Web site: Russian Shipyard Cuts Steel For 3rd And 4th Lada-Class Submarines. en. navalnews.com. 14 February 2022. 14 February 2022.
33. Web site: ЦАМТО / / ДЭПЛ "Великие Луки", построенная для Балтфлота, вышла на ЗХИ в назначенные районы Балтийского моря . ЦАМТО / Центр анализа мировой торговли оружием . 2023-12-21 . ru . . 2023-12-21.
34. Web site: АО "Адмиралтейские Верфи" Заложило Две подводные лодки проекта 677 "Лада". JSC Admiralty Shipyards laid down two submarines of Project 677 Lada. Admiralty Shipyard. ru. 12 June 2022. 12 June 2022.