The Northern Fleet’s Project 971 ‘Shchuka-B’ (NATO reporting name Akula) nuclear-powered submarine Vepr has run aground after its repairs and upgrade and is set to re-enter service with the Fleet in mid-July, a source in the defense industry told TASS.
“The certificate of the acceptance/delivery of the nuclear-powered submarine will take place at the Nerpa Ship Repair Plant in the second ten-day period of July,” the source said.
The submarine encountered major issues with its propulsion systems forced the Russian Navy’s northern fleet to request a tow to the shipyard for further repair.
The nuclear-powered submarine fully completed the program of its trials and stayed at the Nerpa Shipyard for removing faults. It was earlier planned that the sub would be delivered to the Fleet in the third ten-day period of June.
The press office of the Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Center that incorporates the Nerpa Ship Repair Plant declined to comment on the source’s information for TASS.
Project 971 nuclear-powered submarines have been developed by the St. Petersburg-based Malakhit Marine Engineering Design Bureau. The submarine was built at the Sevmash Shipyard in northwestern Russia and delivered to the Russian Navy in 1995.
After their upgrade, the submarines of this Project were armed with Kalibr-PL strike missile systems
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