Akula-Class Subs Remain Operational

09.02.2012 Strategic nuclear-powered submarines SSBN Severstal and SSBN Arkhangelsk (Project 941 Akula, on NATO's classification – Typhoon) will remain in service in the nearest future; missiles for them are maintained operable, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky told RIA Novosti.

Project 941 submarines have the world's largest displacement – about 40,000 tons. It was earlier reported by some media agencies that those subs would be dismantled because lack of suitable missiles.

"So far, they have not been decommissioned from Russian Navy. There are still enough missiles for them as well as other colossal potentials, so the Akula-class subs will remain in operational force as nuclear weapon carriers", the admiral said.

He emphasized that the Navy is "under pressure" in that matter. "Foreign countries have even developed special programs to speed up utilization of missiles. But we have preserved some amount of those missiles and are going to use Akulas as carriers", said Vysotsky.

"Speaking of the third submarine, SSBN Dmitry Donskoy, she will remain a testing platform for SLBM Bulava", pointed out Vysotsky.