PM attends flag-hoisting ceremony for two Kilo-class submarines

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Tuesday morning attended the flag-hoisting ceremony for two Kilo-class submarines in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Tuesday morning attended the flag-hoisting ceremony for two Kilo-class submarines in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

A flag-hoisting ceremony for two Kilo-class submarines is held in Khanh Hoa Province on February 28. Photo by VNA

The ceremony was held by the High Command of Vietnam People’s Navy for two Kilo-class submarines – HQ -186 Danang and HQ-187 Ba Ria-Vung Tau at Cam Ranh Military Base.

Leaders of the Vietnam People’s Army, the Vietnam People’s Navy and other army officers were also present at the event, which marked a historical milestone of the Vietnam People’s Navy in an effort to modernise and enhance the capacity of its navy forces to defend the country's territorial waters.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the flag-hoisting ceremony for two Kilo-class submarines is held in Khanh Hoa Province on February 28. Photo by VGP

HQ-187 Ba Ria-Vung Tau arrived at Cam Ranh Port on February 20 and is the sixth and last diesel-powered 636 Kilo-class submarine that Vietnam purchased from Russia following a contract valued at nearly USD2 billion signed in 2009.

Having a displacement of 3,000-3,950 tonnes, the 73.8m long submarine can operate at a maximum depth of 300 metres and at a range of 6,000-7,500 nautical miles for 45 days and nights with 52 crew members.

With their super-low noise level, the submarine is called ‘black holes in the ocean’.

The Vietnam People’s Navy has already received five submarines: HQ-182 Hanoi, HQ 183 Ho Chi Minh, and HQ-184 Hai Phong in 2013 and 2014, HQ-185 Khanh Hoa in 2015 and HQ-186 Da Nang in 2016.