Bulava to be launched by SSBN Yury Dolgoruky in June

03.06.2011 Fifteenth (first in 2011) test launch of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava for the first time will be carried out by its standard carrier – newest Project 955 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Yury Dolgoruky, said official spokesman for Russian defense ministry Col. Igor Konashenkov.

Seven out of 14 earlier performed launches were successful. Previous launch of the missile was carried out on Oct 29, 2010 by SSBN Dmitry Donskoy (Project 941U). The test took place in the White Sea; all warheads were effectively delivered to the Kura Range, Kamchatka. All previous launches were held by SSBN Dmitry Donskoy as well.

"It is planned to conduct coming 15th Bulava test launch by standard carrier – SSBN Yury Dolgoruky", Konashenkov said.

As for him, defense ministry will continue Bulava flight development tests since mid-June 2011.

SLBM Bulava is expected to become the core of Russia's naval strategic nuclear force; new Bulava-designed submarines have been already laid down.

SLBM Bulava (in international contracts – RSM-56; on NATO classification – SS-NX-30) is the newest Russian three-stage solid fuel ballistic missile launched by submarines.

Bulava was designed in the Moscow Thermotechnics Institute. Its flight range is 8,000 km; launch weight is 36.8 tons; number of stages is 3; number of warheads is 6 x 150 kilotons; guidance system is inertial; throw-weight is 1,150 kg; length in launch container is 12.1 meters; length without warhead is 11.5 meters.

Bulava-carriers are modernized Project 941UM nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Dmitry Donskoy and Project 955 Borei subs – Yury Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky, Vladimir Monomakh and further ones. Totally, it is planned to build 8 submarines of this type till 2015.