MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Black Sea Fleet will welcome six diesel electric submarines of Project 636 into it before 2016. The submarines are under construction at the Admiralty Shipyards (the United Shipbuilding Corporation) in St. Petersburg, Russian Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov told reporters on Wednesday.
"We expect the submarines of Project 636 to make up a full-value permanent readiness unit, which will enable the Black Sea Fleet to accomplish a broad range of missions in its zone of responsibility. The Black Sea Fleet's capacity for missions within the Russian naval force permanently deployed in the Mediterranean will also increase," he said.
The keel of the Krasnodar diesel electric submarine of Project 636 was laid at the Admiralty Shipyards on February 20, 2014, the commander noted. This is the fourth of six submarines the shipyard will build for the Black Sea Fleet.
"Alongside the delivery of six submarines, the Black Sea Fleet will be provided with new warships, six frigates of Project 11356," the commander said.
"In short, the Black Sea Fleet whose renovation is long overdue will efficiently protect stability and national security in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean," he concluded.