21.11.2008
Source:
Russia's first Borey class strategic nuclear submarine will start sea trials by the end of 2008, the Sevmash shipyard said on Thursday.
The fourth-generation
Yury Dolgoruky was built at the
Sevmash plant in northern Russia and was taken out of dry dock in April 2007. It will be equipped with
Bulava ballistic missiles upgraded from
Topol-M (SS-27) missiles.
"The [submarine's] reactor will be switched on by the end of November.
Yury Dolgoruky will go to sea by yearend," Sevmash general director Nikolai Kalistratov said.
The submarine is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107 (55 officers), a maximum depth of 450 meters (about 1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. It can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles.
Two other
Borey-class nuclear submarines, the
Alexander Nevsky and the
Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash shipyard and are expected to be completed in 2009 and 2011.
"The construction is going according to schedule," Kalistratov said.
Russia's Navy commander, Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky, said in July that the construction of new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile and attack submarines is a top priority for the Russian Navy's development.
Under the Russian State Armaments Program for 2007-2015, the Navy will receive several dozen surface ships and submarines, including five Project 955
Borey nuclear-powered strategic ballistic missile submarines equipped with the new
Bulava ballistic missiles, two Project 885
Yasen nuclear-powered attack submarines, and six Project 677
Lada diesel-electric submarines.
