Article Posted on : - Nov 16, 2009

A file photo of Nerpa nuke sub.

MOSCOW (PTI): Owing to rough weather, the acceptance trials of Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine, which is to be leased to India, have been delayed by a week.

According to earlier schedule, the Nerpa submarine, currently docked in Bolshoi Kamen (Big Rock) facility of the Amur Shipyard on the Pacific Coast, was to begin two weeks of acceptance trials on Sunday for its subsequent lease to India by next March.

“There is bad weather in Bolshoi Kamen. The submarine will come out of the dock after 5-6 days, but the delivery schedule set earlier will not be affected,” Director General of Amur Shipyard Nikolai Povzyk was quoted as saying by Interfax.

He said currently ‘fine-tuning’ of various systems of the Nerpa submarine is underway, which was hit by a mishap during trials in Sea of Japan in 2008 when 20 sailors and technical staff were killed due to accidental release of toxic gas in the sleeping quarters.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had released around $ 65 million in August for the necessary technical changes and completion of the Nerpa trials by the end of this year.

According to earlier reports, after the completion of acceptance trials by the Russian navy, the Indian naval crew would undergo training and sailing under Russian instructors before the Nerpa is commissioned as INS Chakra.