07.09.2009
K-18 Kareliya, Northern Fleet strategic missile submarine cruiser will put to sea for trials in Oct 2009 after modernization in Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center. That was said to ITAR-TASS in Zvezdochka press-service in Severodvinsk.
The regular crew has arrived at the submarine, and before sea trials the sub will pass mooring trials, as person in charge said. By the end of the year the submarine is to be transferred to the Navy and leave to the basing site in Polar Region, said undisclosed press-service official.
We recall, that the submarine was set afloat after completion of regular stage of repair operations in November, 2008. At that time it was 71% ready. Meanwhile, as was said in the shipyard, in the course of modernization "about 100 innovations improving performance characteristics were applied".
The 667BDRM-class submarine was constructed at
Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk and handed over to the USSR Navy in 1989. In 1994 it performed a cruise to the North Pole where national and St. Andrew's flag were planted. In 2000 Vladimir Putin was among the K-18 crew shipping out, and at the end of 2008 during online "Dialog with Vladimir Putin" the
Zvezdochka staff addressed to the Premier against the background of the
Kareliya.
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