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ARKHANGELSK, August 19. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Severodvinsk-based Zvezdochka defense shipyard will repair and modernise India Navy’s diesel-electric submarine Sindukesari, the shipyard said on Tuesday.

The shipyard specialists have carried out in India the submarine’s pre-repair fault detection and agreed on the working documents, the shipyard’s press service told ITAR-TASS.

“On the basis of this package of documents, the Zvezdochka shipyard and India’s Defense Ministry will work out the terms of the Sindukesari repair contract. The contract is expected to be signed in the first half of 2015,” the press service said....

...Next summer, the Indian submarine will arrive in Severodvinsk. Sindukesari will be the sixth Russian-built Indian submarine of Project 877EKM of the Varshavyanka class to be modernised by Zvezdochka. Nevertheless, this contract will be special for the enterprise, the shipyard says, as it will be the second Sindukesari repair. The submarine was built by the Leningrad Admiralty Association (now Admiralty Wharves Shipyard) in 1988, and in 1999 - 2001, the Petersburg shipbuilders conducted medium repair and modernization of the submarine. Thus, Sindukesari will be the first vessel of the Indian group of Varshavyanka class submarines to reach the service life of 35 years with maintaining high operational and combat qualities. In September 2013, the Indian side officially said it intended to conclude a contract with Zvezdochka in 2015 - 2019 on the repair of two Project 877EKM submarines with the extension of their service life.

Zvezdochka, specializing in the repair and scrapping of nuclear-powered submarines, since 1997 has modernised on the Indian Navy order five diesel-electric submarines - Sinduvir, Sinduratna, Sindugosh, Sinduvijay and Sindurakshak. The enterprise also continues the repair and modernisation support of the Sindukirti submarine at its permanent base - Visakhapatnam city.

All these Russian-built submarines of Project 887EKM (NATO reporting name Kilo) were designed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg). They are designed for fighting enemy’s submarines and ships and defending naval bases, coastal and sea service lines, reconnaissance and patrolling missions. The displacement of these submarines is 2,300 tonnes, length - 72.6 metres, submerged speed - 19 knots (about 35 km per hour), crew - 52 people and cruising capacity - 45 days. The kilo submarine is armed with six 533-mm calibre torpedo launchers. The submarines are modernized with the installation of the Club-S modern Russian cruise missile system (designed by the Novator design bureau) with the firing range of about 200 kilometres.

MOSCOW, December 13 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Zvyozdochka shipyard said Friday that it could receive by mid-2015 at least two Indian Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines for an overhaul that would extend their service life for another 10 years.

“We are expecting the Indian side to deliver one or even two Project 877EKM (improved Kilo-class) submarines for repairs and upgrades with service life extension,” Zvyozdochka general director Vladimir Nikitin told RIA Novosti.

Russia has built 10 Kilo class submarines for India and has already overhauled five of them: INS Sindhuvir, INS Sindhuratna, INS Sindhughosh, INS Sindhuvijay and INS Sindhurakshak.

A fire on board the ill-fated Sindhurakshak in the port of Mumbai in April reportedly damaged the boat beyond repair, according to Indian navy sources.

The Indian Defense Ministry has not yet made a final decision about the future overhaul of its Russian-made Kilo-class submarines, although it has been considering fast-tracking a second midlife upgrade for the boats.

The upgrade program includes a complete overhaul of the vessels, including their hull structures, as well as improved control systems, sonar, electronic warfare systems and an integrated weapon control system. The upgrade is reported to cost about $80 million.

The overhauled Indian submarines are equipped with 3M-54 Club-S (SS-N-27) anti-ship cruise missiles, the Indian-developed USHUS sonar, the CCS-MK radio communications system and the Porpoise radar.

Russia's Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines are well-known for being extremely quiet boats, and have been purchased by China, India, Iran, Poland, Romania, Vietnam and Algeria.

NEW DELHI — Following the fire on the Indian Navy’s frontline submarine, the Indian Defence Ministry is contemplating fast-tracking a second midlife upgrade for its Russian-made Kilo-class submarines in order to extend the life of its inventory by 15 years.

After the fire on the Sindhurakshak, in which the submarine partially sank, the Navy is left with only 13 conventional submarines, including four aging German-made HDW submarines. MoD sources said talks have already begun with the Russians for a second upgrade of the Kilos.

An Indian team has visited Russia to explore the idea of an upgrade, sources said, but no details are available. The Sindhurakshak arrived in India in April after an upgrade in Russia.

Of the 13 submarines, only six or seven are operational.

Russia has built 10 Kilo-class submarines for the Indian Navy and has already overhauled five of them: the Sindhuvir, Sindhuratna, Sindhughosh and Sindhuvijay. Sindhurakshak is damaged beyond repair, Indian Navy sources said.

The Indian Navy is upgrading the four HDW Type 1500 submarines at a cost of more than $300 million. Two of the German submarines have been upgraded, while the remaining two are under refit at Naval Dockyard Mumbai.

Two of the four HDW submarines were built in the 1980s at Mazagon Docks Limited Mumbai, and the remaining two were built at HDW facilities in Germany.

After HDW was blacklisted in 1987, the assembly line of Mazagon Docks Limited was no longer used until the French Scorpene submarine project was revived in 2005.

The refit will involve replacement of the weapon control system, data link system, torpedoes and missiles on the submarines.

Since January 27, a law came into force in Russia which regulates trade navigation via the Northern Sea Route. Thus, now, this route is legally recognized to be under Russia’s control. Experts say that in several years from now, the Northern Sea Route will most likely become the main artery connecting Europe and Asia.

The political and economic importance of the Arctic region in increasing with each coming year, and it very good news for Russia that after a long break, it is starting to explore and exploit this region again. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation became its legal successor. But until recently, Russia’s authorities paid little attention to the development of the Arctic, because there were too many other problems to be solved.

Things started to change only several years ago. Recently, Russia’s authorities announced that developing the Arctic Region, and, in particular, the Northern Sea Route should be one of Russia’s top priorities.

Besides the Northern Sea Route, the main alternative way from Europe to Asia by sea is via the Suez Canal. But the Northern Sea Route is twice shorter and much safer, and, thus, it is small wonder that more and more European companies are now starting to prefer to deliver their goods to Asia by the Northern Sea Route. The main obstacle on this route is ice – but there is every reason to hope that with the current rapid development of a fleet of icebreakers in Russia, the ice cover of northern seas will soon become a minor problem. At present, several icebreakers are being built in Russia, including a nuclear one....

...The INS Sindhurakshak, which was repaired in the Russian city of Severodvinsk, will return to India by the Northern Sea Route. On the way, the submarine will be accompanied by several Russian icebreakers.

Within the last 3 years, the number of ships sailing by the North Sea Route has increased 10 times.

According to experts’ estimates, the amount of transit transport by the Northern Sea Route may reach 6 million tonnes in a year in the eastern direction, and 3 million tonnes in a year – in the western.

Russia is pinning much hope on the new port, which is now being built on the Yamal Peninsula, which is washed by the northern sea of Kara. It is expected that this port will be a relay point on the Northern Sea Route.

Six new (Project 636.3) Kilo-class diesel submarines are being built for the Russian Navy at Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg. All six, which are destined for the Black Sea Fleet, will be armed with the Kalibr-family of missiles: the SS-N-27A Sizzler anti-ship cruise missile, the SS-N-30A Sagaris land-attack cruise missile, and the 91R ASW missile. But will happen with the older Kilos?
Two 25-year-old Northern Fleet Kilos have undergone overhauls at Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center in Severodvinsk, but the overhauls apparently do not include backfitting them with the Kalibr system.
"Kaluga" arrived at the shipyard in 2002 for repairs, but without a decision on whether to repair or scrap the submarine, it remained idle for about six years. In 2008, Onega Scientific Research Technological Design Bureau drafted documentation for "medium repairs" (i.e., overhaul, which gives the submarine another 10 years of service) of the submarine, but only in 2010 was "Kaluga" finally moved into a repair hall. The submarine was rolled back out in May 2012. In 2013, the shipyard made it clear that "Kaluga" was not backfitted with the Kalibr system.
"Kaluga" was inactive so long that the crew it had in 2002 had been nearly disbanded, reduced to just a few crew members. As such, the crew of another Kilo, "Yaroslavl" (commanded by Captain 2nd Rank Oleg Mikholap), manned "Kaluga" throughout its post-overhaul sea trials (2012-2013) and transfer back to Polyarnyy (July 2013). In 2013, Mikholap was replaced by his executive officer, Captain 3rd Rank Yuriy Gusarov, as the "Yaroslavl" commanding officer; however, as "Yaroslavl" was non-operational, Gusarov's crew remained on "Kaluga". In October-November 2013, just three months after returning from the shipyard, "Kaluga" (under Gusarov's command) conducted a month-long deployment (area unknown). Gusarov and his crew remained on "Kaluga" as late as June 2014 and could still be on board.
The second Kilo to be overhauled at Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center, "Vladikavkaz", was transferred to Severodvinsk in 2008. Due to a similar "indecision-making" process, a contract for the submarine's "medium repairs" was not signed until 2011. The submarine was rolled into the repair hall in late 2011 for a nearly two-year overhaul period. The submarine rolled out of the repair hall on September 19 of this year and will be returned to the Russian Navy in late 2015.
Although neither Kilo was backfitted with the Kalibr missile system, they did receive the MGK-400V.1 sonar system, which provides improved sonar capabilities. Other upgrades were made to navigation and weapons-related components.
Next up: either "Magnitogorsk" or "Yaroslavl". "Magnitogorsk" has been performing duties in the Baltic Fleet since late 2013 (it did a similar Baltic Fleet deployment in 2012). Its return to the Northern Fleet may have been delayed until one of the Baltic Fleet's own Kilos, "Vyborg", returns to service following lengthy repairs. "Yaroslavl" has been inactive for at least two years. As with "Kaluga" and "Vladikavkaz", none of these old Kilos are expected to receive Kalibr upgrades.

MOSCOW, July 25. /ITAR-TASS/. India has asked Russia to upgrade two its submarines, director-general of the Rubin Central Maritime Design Bureau Igor Vilnit said on Friday.

“The Indian governments filed a request to the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation to extend the life of two Russian Kilo Class submarines (Type 877EKM),” he said.

Specialists of the Zvyozdochka ship repair centre and the Rubin design bureau are expected to leave for India to inspect the first submarine.

“We’re optimistic about military-technical cooperation with the new Indian government,” Vilnit said.

Russia and India develop military-technical cooperation since the mid 1960’s. In the mid 1990’s Russia and India signed an interstate agreement on military-technical cooperation. The ten submarines were supplied to India’s Navy from 1986 to 2000.

Indonesian Navy chief of staff Adm. Marsetio said on Wednesday that a Russian offer of second-hand Kilo-class submarines had been turned down because they were in poor condition.
“After we visited the location, we came to the conclusion that the second-hand submarines were not seaworthy,” he said.
“The submarines have been idle for two years. Their engines and other components are damaged. It will be too costly to repair them.”
Marsetio’s comments came at a display of the Navy’s latest primary weapons systems, which included warships, helicopters and missiles, at Madura Pier, Ujung, Surabaya, the Eastern Fleet headquarters.
He added that the Navy was concentrating on the building of three South Korean-made Chang Bogo-class submarines. The third submarine will be built at state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL in Surabaya as part of a transfer-of-technology from Korea.
Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was present at the display to inspect the Navy’s hardware, called for the building of 12 submarines by local shipbuilders to be sped up after the Chang Bogo project was completed.
Indonesia’s current submarines, the U-206 type KRI Cakra-401 and KRI Nanggala-402, were made by German shipyard Howaldtswerke in Kiel, Germany, and were commissioned in 1981. The Chang Bogo itself is a derivative of the German-made U-209 submarine.
“We do not want a war but if we have to fight to defend our sovereignty, then we are ready,” Yudhoyono said during his inspection.

As reported Indonesian news agency Antara, the Indonesian navy command considers the Russian proposal for the acquisition of diesel-electric submarines of Project 877 of the availability of the Russian Navy.
December 6, 2013 Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Indonesia in Jakarta that the Defense Department will send a special commission for the inspection of the proposed sale to Russian submarines of Project 877 of availability. The Minister pointed out that, depending on the results of the commission's work and analysis of financial conditions and a decision is made - to buy used boats to turn to Russia or building new submarines. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Marset Indonesia confirmed the interest of the Russian fleet in the proposal and that it will be considered the command of the Navy. Marset Admiral also said that "Indonesia should ideally have 12 submarines."
Currently, the Indonesian navy have only two German submarines built Project 209/1300, entered into service in 1981. In December 2011, Indonesia signed a contract with the South Korean association of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for the construction of three submarines of the German Project 209/1400. The first two of them are based in South Korea and should be commissioned in 2015-1016, respectively, and the third should be collected in Indonesia, with delivery in 2018. It should be noted that in the Indonesian competition for the purchase of submarines and then participated "Rosoboronexport" with a proposal to build two submarines of Project 636 on account of the Russian loan, but eventually gave way to the South Korean Russian proposal.
According bmpd, now we are talking about Indonesia sentence of two submarines of Project 877 of the availability of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, with carrying out their pre-sale repair and modernization of the production facilities of "Center of repair" asterisk "in Severodvinsk. Two boats from the SF similar scheme offered and Bangladesh, but, as already reported by our blog for the latest information Bangladesh leaning towards acquisition of two Russian-built submarines of Project 636 from the Chinese navy.

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