VietNamNet Bridge – The Voice of Russia has quoted Russian military experts as saying that the first two Russian submarines that Nga builds for Vietnam, named "Hanoi" and "Ho Chi Minh City," would take a journey to Vietnam through Africa.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited and inspected Kilo 636 submarines named "Hanoi" of the Vietnam's navy during his visit to Russia in May 2013. Photo: VNA
According to the plan, this September, Admiralty Verfi factory will hand over the Vietnamese client the first two submarines. The third submarine will be tested later this year also.
These submarines are in the contract to supply six Kilo-class submarines to Vietnam which was signed the official visit to Russia by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in 2009. Besides shipbuilding, the contract also includes the training of Vietnamese sailors and to provide necessary equipment and techniques.
The two vessels "Hanoi" and "Ho Chi Minh City" passed the factory trials and state tests excellently. The crew training will begin in late July in Saint-Petersburg.
Answering questions from a reporter of the Voice of Russia about the transport of the submarines from Russia to Vietnam, Mr. Victor Litovkin, Russian military expert said: "By letting it travel to Vietnam, why not? The submarines are capable of doing that. They have passed serious tests and at the appropriate time, they will have the well-trained Vietnamese crew. The ships can pass through the Suez Canal, and around Africa."
These submarines were built at the Admiralty Shipyard in Saint-Petersburg. In addition, with the support of the Russian Navy, Vietnam will establish a submariner training center in Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa.
Explaining to reporters of the Voice of Russia, military expert Viktor Litovkin said: the submarines are named Varshavyanka in Russia and Kilo Internationally.
Varshavyanka (Kilo) submarines are the most advanced type of the contemporary world. The length of the vessel is 74 meters, and width 10 meters. Their deepest submerging level is 300 meters, and underwater speed of up to 37 km / h. The submarine can run automatically for 45 days and nights.
The Kilo submarines are equipped with the "Club" missile complex which is capable of projecting power at a distance of 300 km. Particularly, the unique feature of this submarine is its extremely low noise. The Western experts call Varshavyanka submarines "black holes in the ocean."
According to the Voice of Russia, the main work of the Russian weapon manufacturing enterprises is accepting the orders of the Russian army first, then foreign customers. However, the submarines for Vietnam are a special case, when the foreign order is given top priority in the implementation plan.
TTXVN