Article Posted on : - Jun 18, 2012

The Zaporizhia diesel-electric submarine. A Ukrainian Navy photo

KIEV (BNS): Ukrainian Navy's sole conventional submarine Zaporizhia has undergone a day-long sea trial in the Black Sea last week.

During the trial on June 12, the submarine's diesel engines were tested at full speed. Besides, the functioning of the vessel's electric motors, battery and the sonar system were also tested at maximum speed, a senior Navy official said.

The submarine later returned to Sevastopol, the Defence Ministry said.

The diesel-electric Zaporizhia, originally built for the erstwhile USSR Navy, is the only submarine of the Ukrainian Navy and was commissioned into service in 1997.

The vessel was later refurbished and entered the sea in April this year.

The 91.3m-long submarine, with a surface speed of 16.8 knots and a submerged speed of 16 knots, is expected to rejoin the Ukrainian Navy in near future.