Article Posted on : - Jan 13, 2010

The Nerpa nuclear attack submarine.

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia will carry out some “additional adjustments” next month in the Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, the Russian Defence Ministry has said.

“Additional adjustments are planned for the Nerpa in February 2010 to rectify the flaws revealed during the latest tests,” a ministry official was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

The Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine was formally inducted in the Russian Navy after completing sea trials in December, 2009. The sea trials were said to be successful.

Indian Navy is expected to receive the 12,000-tonne submarine by mid-2010 for a 10-year period on lease as per a deal signed with Russia. The vessel will join Indian Navy as INS Chakra.

The submarine had met with a fatal accident in November 2008 while undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan, leaving 20 workers on board dead and some others wounded.

Originally, Russia was to deliver Nerpa to India by 2008, but the delivery was deferred due to financial woes of the shipyard which was building the submarine followed by the November mishap.