SEVERODVINSK. April 27 (Interfax-AVN) - The first of the two diesel-electric submarines Russia's Sevmashpredpriyatiye is building for the Chinese Navy will be taken out of the plant's workshop in early May, sources in the administration of the Arkhangelsk region-based enterprise told Interfax.
"It is planned to remove the submarine (from the workshop - Interfax) on May 10," the sources said.
The finishing touches will be put to the vessel as soon as it leaves the workshop, they said.
The two submarines, the construction of which started in May 2003, will be handed over to the customer in late 2005.
Diesel-electric submarines are an export version of the Varshavyanka third-generation project (Kilo under NATO's classification). Their length is 72.6 m, width 9.9 m, water displacement 2,300 tonnes, fuel endurance 6,000 miles, submergence depth 300 m, draught 6.2 m, and width 17-20 knots.