Russia Launches Sixth Varshavyanka-class Diesel-Electric Submarine

The sixth Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarine of Project 636.3 Kolpino, intended for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, was launched on Tuesday at the Admiralty Shipyard (Admiralty Wharves) in St. Petersburg.

The Kolpino submarine will be the final in a series of six non-nuclear submarines that are currently being built for the Russian Navy.

Russia will build diesel-electric submarines for the Pacific Fleet, Fifth-generation conventional submarines will be built for the Northern and Baltic fleets, Tass reported quoting Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov as saying Wednesday.

"The talk is about building a series of fifth-generation conventional submarines," he said.

"After completing the series [the Project 636.3 submarines] for the Pacific Fleet, we’ll be considering building conventional submarines of already another project for the Northern and Baltic Fleets. Of course, the talk is about the fifth generation," Fedotenkov said.

Speaking about Project 636.3 submarines, Fedotenkov said it was necessary "to develop this series."

"This series is successful: it features a strike missile complex and the anti-submarine warfare vessels’ considerably improved search capabilities. Many novelties have been introduced into this series," he said.