Petersburg ran into construction difficulties and financial issues, and the sub only entered service in 2010-a whopping 13 years after manufacturing began. Delays in developing the Lada class meant Russia was forced to buy upgraded submarines of an older class.

The Russian Navy Type-636.3 submarine Rostov on Don, passing through the Straits of Bosphorus, February 2022. Overall, the Lada class-which is cropping up about 12 years behind schedule-illustrates the shortcomings of this approach, and how Russia is slowly falling behind in submarine warfare technology. Unlike most countries that build nuclear-powered submarines, Russia also builds conventional, diesel-electric subs. In the end, Moscow plans to produce at least eight of these subs, according to Naval News. Third of the Lada class of diesel-electric submarines, Velikiye Luki’s launching ceremony took place late last month, while Russia held its keel-laying ceremony all the way back in 2015. Velikiye Luki, a new Russian sub slated to join the fleet, is a sign of Moscow’s anomalous undersea force.

The new Lada class is more than a dozen years late, and will serve alongside the class it was supposed to replace for decades to come.

The submarine will join Russia’s mixed fleet of both nuclear and conventionally powered submarines.Russia has launched a new submarine, Velikiye Luki.

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