Delta Class Russian SSBN Verkhoturye returns to service

The Russian Navy ballistic-missile submarine Verkhoturye has returned to service with the Northern Fleet after completing a refit, Fleet Spokesman Captain First Rank Vadim Serga said on Wednesday.

SSBN Verkhoturye at ceremony after refit ( Image Courtesy - navyrecognition.com )

The Verkhoturye is the second Northern Fleet Project 667 class boat to be refitted, he said.

“In August 2012, the Northern Fleet was reinforced with the Novomoskovsk submarine, which also underwent repairs and upgrade at the Severodvinsk defense shipyard,” he said.

SSBN Verkhoturye arrives at Gadzhiyevo naval base ( Image Courtesy - guardian.co.uk )

Project 667 class boats displace 12,000 tons, have a maximum diving depth of 400 meters, a cruising speed of 24 knots and a crew of 140 men. They are armed with 16 Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles.

News Courtesy - en.rian.ru

Russian Navy - Plan for two more Borei A Class SSBNs

Russia is looking to start construction for two more nuclear-powered strategic submarines of the Borei A class this year, the official Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily has reported. The construction of the Alexander Suvorov is to start July 28 - Russia's Navy Day, while for another submarine, Mikhail Kutuzov, construction will start in November. 

One submarine of the Borei A class, Knyaz Vladimir, has been under construction since July 2012. Russia plans to build eight submarines of Borei and Borei A Class until 2020 to form the core of its navy's nuclear deterrence strategy. Three of them will be of Borei and five of Borei A type.

Borei Class SSBN - Alexander Nevsky at sea trials ( Image Courtesy - en.rian.ru )

The first Borei-class submarine, Yury Dolgoruky, was put into active service on 10 Jan, 2013 in the Northern Fleet. The second Borei submarine, Alexander Nevsky, is undergoing sea trials, while third submarine Vladimir Monomakh has recently started with harbour trials. This SSBN development is progressing ahead of the schedule, five ships may be complete by 2018 itself, while the initial plan was to launch the last of these five submarine by 2020.

Borei Class -

• Yury Dolgoruky
• Alexander Nevsky
• Vladimir Monomakh

Borei A Class -

• Knyaz Vladimir
• Alexander Suvorov
• Mikhail Kutuzov

News Courtesy - en.rian.ru

Russian SSBN - Yury Dolgoruky to join fleet in September

Russia's newest ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), the Project 955 Borey class boat Yury Dolgoruky, will be handed over to the fleet in September, a source in United Shipbuilding Corporation said on Friday. 

Its sister ship, the Alexander Nevsky, will carry out a further Bulava test launch in November "as part of its state trials," he said. Alexander Nevsky is also likely to be commissioned by year’s end. Both of these SSBNs will initially join Northern Fleet, but would be subsequently moved to Pacific Fleet.

Yury Dolgoruky, at trials ( Image Courtesy - english.ruvr.ru )

The Borey class will become the mainstay of the Russian Navy's strategic nuclear deterrent force, replacing older Project 667 (NATO Delta 4) boats. The class will consist of eight boats, all armed with Bulava missiles.

News Courtesy - en.ria.ru