Russian Navy

Navy: Decision to Postpone Bulava Tests Not Made Yet

12/05/2011

Text: RIA Novosti
Photo: Launch of SLBM Bulava. i-korotchenko.livejournal.com

The decision to postpone the last in 2011 test of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava has not been made so far, reported RIA Novosti on Dec 3 referring to a high-ranking representative of Russian Navy.

The information about postponing of the missile's test launch was circulated in the last week by some media sources referring to the Navy command.

"The decision on the missile launch will be made by the Supreme Commander [the President] in December. Presently, the Navy command develops recommendations on this issue. That is a very significant matter, since Bulava would be a strategic nuclear weapon for the nearest 15-20 years", said the interviewee.

He was surprised by the fact that the press had reported about postponing of the missile's launches for 2012 before official decision.

"It is a prerogative of the Supreme Commander to decide whether to commission a weapon system. It is he to determine direction for development of nuclear triad, in particular, its maritime component", said the admiral.

To be commissioned into Russian Armed Forces, the 'submarine plus missile' complex must be tested at sea. SSBN Yury Dolgoruky has completed her tasks at sea, "so we have no doubts the submarine will be armed with this missile", the admiral added.

Early in the last week SSBN Yury Dolgoruky returned to naval base Severodvinsk having tested all mechanisms and systems before the missile's commissioning.

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