SSBN Verkhoturye Puts Off for Trials in White Sea

22.11.2012 Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center started shipyard's sea trial program of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Verkhoturye. On Thursday, Nov 22, the sub took the White Sea after technical recovery period.

The sea trial program will be accomplished within the next 15 days.

Upon completion of trials and elimination of all found defects, the nuclear submarine will be recommissioned into Russian Navy and head for her permanent basing site.

Works on the submarine's technical recovery and 5-year service life extension started in the fall of 2010. The shipyard has repaired the sub's hull, outboard fittings, ballast tanks, mechanisms of propeller-rudder system and other onboard systems. The submarine was withdrawn from covered slipway in March 2012.

K-51 Verkhoturye nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was laid down in Feb 1981 at Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, put afloat in Jan 1984, and commissioned in Dec 1984. That was the first submarine in her class deployed in the Arctic with nuclear-headed ballistic missiles onboard in 1987.

She is a second-generation Project 667BDRM Delfin nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, lead sub in her class. Six submarines of this project still make the core of Russia's maritime nuclear deterrence force.

Performance

Surface speed: 14 knots
Submerged speed: 24 knots
Operating depth: 320 - 400 meters
Test depth: 550 - 650 meters
Endurance: 90 days
Crew: 135 - 140 men

Dimensions

Surface displacement: 11,740 tons
Submerged displacement: 18,200 tons
Extreme length (at design waterline): 167.4 meters
Extreme beam: 11.7 meters
Mean draft (at design waterline): 8.8 meters

Armament

4 x 533-mm bow torpedo tubes (12 torpedoes or 24 mines instead)
16 SLBM R-29RM launchers
MANPADS 9K310 Igla-1/9K38 Igla launcher (combat load - 8 SAMs)