Vietnamese Navy commissions two Russian-made submarines

The Vietnamese Navy commissioned two more Russian-made kilo class submarines on August 1.  The submarines were named 184-Hai Phong and 185-Khanh Hoa at ceremony at the Cam Ranh Naval Base, according to the Thanh Nien News website.

The commissioning is a “major step of modernizing the navy, and the People’s Army of Vietnam in general,” Rear Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Navy Commander was cited by the website as saying.

In 2009, Vietnam ordered six Kilo or Varshavyanka class submarines from Russia for $2 billion. The first two submarines, the 182-Hanoi and 183-Ho Chi Minh, were handed over to Vietnam a year ago, according to Sputnik News. 

The remaining two submarines, being built in the Admiralty shipyard in St Petersburg, will delivered in 2016.  Russia is also expected to train Vietnamese crews and provide indispensable spare parts.

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