SSBN Dmitry Donskoy sailed off to launch Bulava

28.10.2010 Nuclear-powered submarine Dmitry Donskoy left basin of JSC Sevmashpredpriyatie heading for test range in the White Sea to conduct test launch of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava scheduled on Oct 29, reports Interfax referring to a source in White Sea Naval Base.

According to the source, all submarine onboard systems will be also checked before torpedo firings coming in Nov.

In case of successful Friday's tests further launches will be continued by 4th generation Borei class lead sub Yury Dolgoruky, added the source.

Thirteen launch of SLBM Bulava held on Oct 7, 2010 was successful. The first launch was conducted in 2005; out of all tests, 5 were found effective, 6 failed, and 2 were partially successful.

SLBM Bulava is designed for destruction of critical strategic targets at enemy territory. Bulava missiles are planned to be major weapon of Akula class submarines like Dmitry Donskoy and Project 955 Borei subs (Yury Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky, Vladimir Monomakh). Presumably, Bulava will stop aging of Russian sea-based nuclear force and even change it in degree. According to the missile's general designer Yury Solomonov, neither current and prospective US ballistic missile defense (BMD) system nor being developed German, French and Japanese BMD systems would be capable to track Bulava.