Yury Dolgoruky to Perform Double Launch of Bulava

22.11.2011 Project 955 Borei nuclear-powered submarine SSBN Yury Dolgoruky will carry out salvo launch of ballistic missile SLBM Bulava in Dec 2011, reports ITAR-TASS referring to a source in state trial commission.

The submarine will launch two missiles from underwater position in the White Sea against the Kura Range, Kamchatka. If that launch turns out to be successful, it would be the last in the state flight development test program. After that, SLBM Bulava could be commissioned into Russian Navy.

As was previously reported, another test launch of SLBM Bulava would be held in Nov 2011; however, it was postponed. According to defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov, the ballistic missile might not be tested in the current year if weather conditions in the White Sea are bad. In this case, Bulava launch would be postponed to spring 2012 and held not later than in May. By now, there have been 17 launches of Bulava, seven of them failed. The latest test launch was carried out on Oct 28, 2011.

SLBM Bulava will become the basic weapon of newest Project 955/955A/955U Borei submarines and a core of maritime component of Russia's nuclear shield. The missile is capable to hit targets at the range up to 8,000 km and carry 6-10 nuclear warheads with yield up to 150 kiloton each. By the way, commissioning of Borei-class submarines depends on result of the Bulava tests.