Super-silent Gepard, awesome new flagship of Russia’s submarine fleet, ceremonially took to northern waters of the White Sea under navy colours today (Tuesday) at a ceremony going some way to easing the wounds of the Kursk disaster and restoring marine service morale. It has been hailed as “Russia’s first nuclear-powered submarine of the 21st century.”

        Head-of-state Vladimir Putin met the crew and sent the missile-armed, torpedo-carrying boat - named Cheetah in English - into service after successful sea and weapons trials under the blue and white Russian fleet flag of St. Andrew. The ceremony, at Severodvinsk in the Arkhangelsk region where the vessel was built, was attended by Russian Navy Fleet Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov and the chief of the Russian General Staff, Anatoly Kvashnin, RIA Novosti news agency said.

        Navy officers have already applauded the boost to pride that comes with the new vessel. Commander-in-chief Kuroyedov is on record as calling it “symbolic for the lost boat to be replaced by a new submarine,” noting that Russia was advancing to building a new fleet which “will be a tribute to the sailors who died on Kursk.”

        The 110-metre-long craft is the last in a fleet of 14 Bars series submarines to be constructed. It displaces up to 12,770 tonnes, dives to a maximum depth of 600 metres and makes a top speed below the waves of 35 knots.

        Gepard is served by a 63-strong crew and has an armament potential of 24 nuclear-tipped Granit cruise missiles with a range of up to 3,000 kilometres. It also carries a Strela anti-aircraft weapons system. Though much smaller than the wrecked Kursk, Gepard is viewed as the most formidable ship in the Russian Navy. Construction began in 1991.

        Western naval observers say the submarine’s arrival is an important step forward. U.S. experts believe Gepard may move as fast and as quietly as America’s best fully-operational boats of the Los Angeles class, and have the capacity to dive deeper and harness more firepower, according to a report on the U.S. ABCNews international website.

        The new boat is named to honour a World War 1 Russian submarine. As a comparison, its forerunner moved at 8.5 knots and submerged to a maximum depth of 50 metres. Its arsenal was two cannon, a machine-gun and 12 torpedoes.

        An official act transferring and commissioning the new boat was signed at the Sevmashpredpriyatiye industrial plant at Severodvinsk yesterday.

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