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Russia to test fire another Bulava ICBM before yearend - Navy
11/13/2008 Source:Russia will test fire another Bulava sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile before the end of the year, a source in the Navy headquarters said on Wednesday.
The source said a Bulava missile would be launched from the submerged Dmitry Donskoi Typhoon-class nuclear submarine in northern Russia's White Sea, at a target at the Kura testing grounds on the Kamchatka Peninsula, about 6,700 kilometers (4,200 miles) east of Moscow.
"Earlier, we had some problems with the missile stage separation, but we hope this issue has been resolved," he said.
The latest test of the Bulava missile from the submerged Dmitry Donskoi on September 18 was a success.
The source reiterated that Russia is planning to adopt new Bulava missiles for service with the Navy and commission the first Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine in 2009.
The Bulava (SS-NX-30), developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, is designed for deployment on Borey-class Project 955 nuclear-powered submarines.
The first submarine in the series, the Yury Dolgoruky was built at the Sevmash plant in the northern Arkhangelsk Region and is currently undergoing sea trials.
The submarine has a length of 170 meters (580 feet), a body diameter of around 13 meters (42 feet), and a submerged speed of about 29 knots.
It will be equipped with 16 Bulava ballistic missiles, each carrying up to 10 nuclear warheads and having a range of 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles).
Two other Borey-class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash plant.
Fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines armed with Bulava missiles will form the core of Russia's fleet of modern strategic submarines.
Russia plans to build at least seven $890-million submarines of this class by 2015.