Admiralty Shipyards has held a ceremonial launch for a new Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarine in St Petersburg, Russia.

The Kilo-class submarine, Krasnodar, is the fourth in a series of six vessels being built for the Russian Navy as part of Project 636.

Novorossiysk, the lead submarine of the series, was delivered to the Russian Navy in August 2014, followed by delivery of Rostov-on-Don in December the same year.

"The vessels under Project 636 have been modified to include upgraded combat characteristics."

The third vessel, Stary Oskol, has passed state trials, while the last two submarines named Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino are currently under construction.

The vessels under Project 636 have been modified to include upgraded combat characteristics, to enhance the Russian Navy in anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface-ship warfare, general reconnaissance and patrol missions.

Considered to be one of the quietest diesel submarines in the world, the upgraded Kilo-class submarines feature six watertight compartments that are separated by transverse bulkheads in a pressurised double-hull. The submarines are also armed with torpedoes, mines, Kalibr 3M54 cruise missiles, and 533mm torpedo tubes.

The 3,100t vessels can accommodate a crew of 52, and feature advanced stealth capabilities and target detection range, newest navigation system, modern automated information management system and high-speed torpedos and missiles.

Image: The Russian Navy's new Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarine, Krasnodar. Photo: courtesy of Admiralty Shipyards.