Bulava trials to be held early December

24.11.2009
Subsequent test launch of SLBM Bulava will be conducted early December, informs Interfax-AVN referring to the source in missile branch. The launch will be performed from SSBN Dmitry Donskoy which is to sail off Severodvinsk late Nov or early Dec to the range in White Sea, specified the source.

The sub has passed special pre-launch sea trials in Oct 26-28.

According to the source, causes of last faulty launch of Bulava have been analyzed and eliminated.

RIA Novosti previously informed referring to the source in Russian military industrial complex that the launch would be carried out today in North Sea.

Six out of eleven launches of Bulava were considered unsuccessful, one – entirely successful. Test launch planned on early December was scheduled on Oct 15, but the tests were postponed by decision of the board inquiring reasons of July failure. Yury Solomonov, general designer of Bulava resigned after the last faulty test. Cause of that accident was the defect of first stage flight control unit.

Bulava is a submarine-based intercontinental ballistic missile. It is designed for destruction of critical strategic targets at enemy territory. Bulava missiles are planned to be based on Project 941 Akula submarines (example – Dmitry Donskoy) and Project 955 Borei (Yury Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky, Vladimir Monomakh). SLBM Bulava is currently under development in Moscow Thermotechnics Institute.

Presently, Bulava passes pre-commission test launches from SSBN Dmitry Donskoy. Several launches are planned till the end of 2009. If they are satisfactory the missile will be tested on SSBN Yury Dolgoruky. Bulava missiles are manufactured at FSUE Votkinsky Zavod which produces ICBM Topol-M as well.

It is expected that Bulava will stop ageing 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 system nor being developed German, French and Japanese BMD systems will not be capable to track Bulava.

CHARACTERISTICS

Number of stages: 3
Length with warhead: 12.1 meters
Length without warhead: 11.5 meters
Diameter: 2 meters
Launch weight: 36.8 tonnes
Throw-weight: 1,150
Fuel type: solid mixture
Flight range: 8,000 km
Warhead type: multiple, nuclear, jettisonable
Number of warheads: 6
Yield: 6 x 150 kiloton
Guidance: autonomous, inertial, by on-board digital computer complex

TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy is Project 941 Akula heavy nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, lead ship of the project.

REGISTRATION

Northern Fleet, Zapadnaya Litsa

CONSTRUCTION, NAME

The sub was laid down on June 30, 1976 at Sevmashpredpriyatie Shipyard and commissioned in 1981. It joined Northern Fleet in 1982. The submarine is known as Dmitry Donskoy since October 7, 2002.

MILESTONES

In 1987 the sub entered Navy's Roll of Honor; in 1989 - Honors Board of Ministry of Defense. In 1989 it was inactivated and laid up at Sevmash for general modernization under Project 941U. In 1991 the work was shut down. Modernization under Project 941UM was pushed in 1996. On July 26, 2002 the sub was commissioned into Northern Fleet again. In 2008 it passed repair and upgrade at Sevmash shipyard. In 2009 it is expected to complete test launches of SLBM Bulava based on the submarine.

PERFORMANCE

NATO classification: SSBN Typhoon
Surface speed: 12 knots
Submerged speed: 27 knots
Operating depth: 400 meters
Endurance: 180 days
Crew: 160 men

DIMENSIONS

Surface displacement: 23,200 (28,500) tonnes
Submerged displacement: 48,000 (49,800) tonnes
Extreme length (at design waterline): 172 meters
Extreme hull beam: 23.3 meters
Mean draft (at design waterline): 11 meters

PROPULSION

Nuclear reactor; 2 water-cooled reactors OK-650, 50,000 shp each (36.7 MW)
2 screw shafts
4 steam-turbine atomic power plants, 3.2 MW each

Reserve: 2 diesel generators DG-750 (KW)
Lead-acid storage battery

ARMAMENT

6 x 533-mm torpedo tubes
22 torpedoes 53-65K, SET-65, SAET-60M, USET-80 and Vodopad rocket torpedoes
20 SLBM Bulava
8 Igla SAM launchers

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: launch of BM Bulava (Vesti TV program)