05.10.2009
Source:
Construction of fourth in series newest Borei-class strategic submarine (Project 955) will be started at Sevmashpredpriyatie shipyard (Severodvinsk) on Dec 22, said to RIA Novosti Anastasia Nikitinskaya, chief of shipyard's press service on Monday.
Three submarines of this type are currently at
Sevmash in different degree of completion –
Yury Dolgoruky,
Alexander Nevsky and
Vladimir Monomakh.
"Building of the fourth
Borei will be started on Dec 22, 2009 during celebration of 70th anniversary of
Sevmash", said Nikitinskaya. It was preliminary decided to name the submarine as
Svyatitel Nikolai.
Yury Dolgoruky submarine had passed third phase of state testing and returned back to the shipyard last week. In total, before being commissioned to Russian Navy, a vessel should be put to sea for five-six times.
According to Navy command plans, strategic submarines of Project 955 are to become the basis of Russian naval strategic nuclear forces after 2018 when currently in-service subs of Project 941(
Akula, upon NATO classification –
Typhoon), 667 BDR and BRDM (
Kalmar and
Murena, upon NATO classification –
Delta III and
Delta IV) are withdrawn from operational use.
Missile strategic submarine cruiser
Yury Dolgoruky (Project 955 Borei) is developed in
Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg) and considered to be the lead ship in four generation of missile subs. Its construction started at
Sevmashpredpriyatie on Nov 2, 1996 and it was named
Yury Dolgoruky at the same time. Having length of about 170 m, width of 13.5 m and total displacement of 24 000 t, the submarine cruiser must be armed with 12
Bulava-30 missiles being developed by
Moscow Thermotechnics Institute.
Missiles of this type are capable to carry up to 10 separate-aiming nuclear modules with improved performance on overcoming ballistic missile defense. Cruising range of
Bulava missile is 8 000 km. Except for ballistic missiles, the submarine is armed with torpedo tubes. Nuclear power plant driving one propeller screw will enable to gain surface speed up to 15 knots and underwater speed up to 29 knots.
The first crew of
Yury Dolgoruky was formed in 2003 (regularily – 107 men, including 55 officers). After two-year training period in
Sosnovy Bor Navy Training Center, officers and warrant officers arrived at Severodvinsk to get acquainted with submarine equipment and facilities on the closing stage of construction, and also to conduct necessary tests along with trial team.
In April 2007
Yury Dolgoruky left the shipyard, and then the construction was finished in
Sukhona floating dock. In spring 2008 the submarine was moved to quay for factory and mooring trials. The vessel's industrial hand-over is planned on the end of 2009.
Construction cost of
Yury Dolgoruky submarine made 23 bln rub including 9 bln rub for project development and 14 bln rub for construction.
