GLOBAL DEFENSE's video: Velikiye Luki: Russia launched its newest Lada-class submarine after 7 years of development

Velikiye Luki: Russia launched its newest Lada-class submarine, after 7 years in development Velikiye Luki, a new Russian sub slated to join the fleet, is a sign of Moscow’s anomalous undersea force. Third of the Lada class of diesel electric submarines, Velikiye Luki’s launching ceremony took place on December 2022, while Russia held its keel-laying ceremony all the way back in 2015. In the end, Moscow plans to produce at least eight of these subs, according to Naval News. Unlike most countries that build nuclear-powered submarines, Russia also builds conventional, diesel-electric subs. Overall, the Lada class which is cropping up about 12 years behind schedule illustrates the shortcomings of this approach, and how Russia is slowly falling behind in submarine warfare technology. Velikiye Luki was named after a pivotal battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, when advancing Soviets surrounded a group of German troops encircling the town of Velikiye Luki. The town garrison held out for two months before capitulating, and the battle has become a key part of the Soviet-Russian war narrative. Prior to Velikiye Luki, Russia launched two other Lada-class subs Saint Petersburg and Kronstadt. The Lada class was developed in the 1990s as the successor to the highly prosperous Project 877 class, known to NATO as the “Kilo” class. The submarines are 236 feet long with a beam of 23 feet, and have a crew of just 35. They are armed with six 533-millimeter torpedo tubes, which can accommodate guided torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and land-attack cruise missiles. Their diesel-electric engines can drive the boats to 21 knots while submerged, but require the Ladas to surface periodically. Luki # submarine # ukraine