Vietnam's third Kilo 636 submarine is about to be launched.

According to Interfax-AVN, citing sources in the Russian shipbuilding industry, the third submarine hull of Project 636, built at the Admiralty Shipyard (Saint-Peterburg) for the Vietnamese Navy, will be launched at the end of August.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung inspects the Hanoi submarine during his recent visit to Russia (Photo: Duc Tam/VNA)

Sources say: "The installation of the shaft, electric motors, fuel, and other systems is currently underway. The third export vessel will be launched in about two weeks. Following that, mooring trials will begin."

The contract for the supply of six Kilo 636-class diesel-electric submarines was announced by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in December 2009. The entire contract was planned to be completed by 2016.

Of these six submarines, the first two will be named "Hanoi" and "Ho Chi Minh City," respectively. The Voice of Russia reported that both have completed factory and national-level testing. Training of sailors, both onshore and at sea, began in July.

Last month, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti also quoted a press release from the Admiraltei Verfi shipyard stating that the first of six Kilo 636 submarines being built for Vietnam would be officially handed over in November 2013.

Military experts quoted by the Voice of Russia also affirmed that they have complete confidence that the Vietnamese crew will be able to steer these modern submarines back home via Africa.

According to VNA - LT