Russian Nuclear Subs' Entry Into Service Pushed Back to 2014

28.11.2013 The Russian navy will take delivery of two Borey-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines in 2014, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Naval officials had announced as recently as September that both craft, which are being phased in to replace the Pacific Fleet's obsolescent Project 667 submarines, were due to enter into service by this year.

"The Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh nuclear-powered strategic submarines will be commissioned by the navy in 2014," a ministry spokesman said.

The Alexander Nevsky, the second boat in the Borey series, was expected to join the navy this year, but recent sea trials and inspections reportedly revealed several flaws that needed to be fixed, delaying acceptance until the beginning of next year.

The spokesman said the preparation of the Alexander Nevsky for commissioning had already started.

The Vladimir Monomakh was floated out last December and has been undergoing a series of sea trials since June.

The boat will pass a series of inspections by a state acceptance commission in December to be handed over to the navy next year, the official said.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered a temporary suspension of the sea trials of the boats in September after a failed test of launch of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile, which both craft will carry.

The trials were resumed in October, and the vessels will most likely be commissioned even without additional Bulava testing.

The first Borey-class submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, was commissioned into the Northern Fleet in January.

Borey-class ballistic-missile submarines are to become the mainstay of the Navy's strategic nuclear deterrent, replacing the aging Project 941 (designated by NATO as Typhoon-class) and Project 667 (Delta-3 and Delta-4) boats. A total of eight Borey-class boats armed with Bulava ballistic missiles are to be built for the Russian navy by 2020.