Khanh Hoa (VNA) – The sixth and last Kilo-class submarine that Vietnam has purchased from Russia arrived at Cam Ranh military port in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on January 20.
It took over 40 days for the Netherlands’ heavy lift vessel Rolldock Storm to carry the submarine, named HQ-187 Ba Ria – Vung Tau, to Cam Ranh port from Russia.
In 2014 and 2015, Russia handed over four similar submarines to Vietnam, namely HQ-182 Hanoi, HQ-183 Ho Chi Minh City, HQ-184 Hai Phong, and HQ-185 Khanh Hoa. Later in February 2016, the fifth submarine named HQ-186 Da Nang harboured at Cam Ranh Port.
At a flag-raising ceremony for HQ-184 Hai Phong and HQ-185 Khanh Hoa in 2015, Rear Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy, said the building and development of coastal guard forces and particularly submarines fleet is normal for a marine country.
It is not an arms race but to firmly safeguard the national sea and island sovereignty and continental shelf in any circumstances, contribute to maintaining peaceful and stable environment in the region, and serve the country’s socio-economic development, he stressed.
With a displacement of 3,000-3,950 tonnes, the nearly 74m-long submarine can operate at a maximum depth of 300 meters and a range of 6,000-7,500 nautical miles for 45 days with 52 crew members.
(VNA)