07.06.2012
Text:
Photo: SSBN
Yury Dolgoruky.
"Nuclear submarine
Yury Dolgoruky on June 7 will take the sea for the first time in this year. If trials are finished successfully, the sub will be commissioned at an early date", said the shipyard's official.
As for him, the trial program does not include test launch of SLBM
Bulava.
This year,
Bulava missile is planned to be launched by the next
Borei-class sub, SSBN
Alexander Nevsky. Once the test is successful, this submarine can be commissioned in this year, too.
Earlier on, defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov and ex-commander of Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky announced SSBN
Yury Dolgoruky and
Bulava missile would be put in service in the fall of 2012.
Strategic nuclear-powered submarine
Yury Dolgoruky was designed by
Rubin bureau (St. Petersburg) and is the lead sub in the series of fourth-generation ballistic missile submarines.
SSBN
Yury Dolgoruky was laid down at
Sevmash shipyard on Nov 2, 1996. Being about 170 meters long, 13.5 meters wide and displacing 24,000 tons, the sub carries sixteen R-30
Bulava ballistic missiles designed by Moscow Thermotechnics Institute.
Missiles of that type are capable to carry up to 10 nuclear independently targetable reentry vehicles with advanced performance characteristics. Firing range of
Bulava is 8,000 km. Apart from ballistic missiles, the submarine is armed with 533-mm torpedo tubes. Nuclear powerplant propelling one water jet propulsor makes possible to accelerate up to 15 knots on surface and up to 29 knots under water.
As for Russian Navy command's plans, Project 955 strategic submarines will become the key component of Russia's sea-based nuclear force since 2018, after decommission of currently operable Project 667BDRM and Project 667BDR submarines (
Delfin and
Calmar, known in NATO as
Delta IV and
Delta III respectively).
