The HQ-185 Khanh Hoa has been manufactured as part of a contract forRussia to supply six Kilo-class submarines to Vietnam, signed duringPrime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s official visit to the country in 2009.
The new submarines are expected to enhance the Vietnamese navy’scapabilities in defending national territorial waters.
The HQ-182 Hanoi and HQ-183 Ho Chi Minh City vessels havebeen handed over to Vietnam, and the country is scheduled to receive thethird one, HQ-184 Hai Phong, later this year. The addition of HQ-185Khanh Hoa to the fleet will be ready by 2015.-VNA