Russian seamen line up on an unidentified submarine
believed to be an
Akula-class during a military parade in Vladivostok in July
The Nerpa submarine was today formally inducted into the Russian Navy with the raising of St Andrews Flag, shipyard officials said.
The
commissioning of the submarine coincided with Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin's visit to the region, but it was not clear whether he was
present at the ceremony.
The submarine will be subsequently
leased to the Indian Navy under the name INS Chakra in March under the
USD 650 million for a 10-year lease.
The 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa,
an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine belongs to the class
of the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack
submarines.
The Nerpa was to be initially leased to the Indian
Navy in mid-2009, but its delivery was delayed due to a fatal accident
killing 21 crewmen and technical staff following the release of lethal
Freon gas in the sleeping quarters, while on trial sailing in the Sea
of Japan.
Built by the Amur Shipyards in Komsomolsk-on-Amur
the submarine has 'successfully passed final trials, a Pacific Fleet
spokesman said.
"A state commission has concluded that judging
by the results of all trials, the Nerpa nuclear submarine is ready to
enter service with the Russian Navy," a Pacific Fleet official was
quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
According to earlier media
reports, an Indian crew is expected to arrive on Russia's Bolshoi Kamen
(Big Rock) port on the Pacific Coast in January for joint pre-delivery
sailing with the Russian naval crew to be followed by independent
sailing under the supervision of Russian instructors.(Original News)
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