The start of construction of Russia's fourth Borey-class
nuclear-powered submarine has been postponed from December to the first
quarter of next year, a Defense Ministry official said on Tuesday.
Construction of the Project 955 Svyatitel Nikolai (St. Nicholas)
ballistic-missile submarine was to begin on December 22 at the Sevmash
shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk.
The keel-laying ceremony was timed to coincide with the shipyard's 70th anniversary.
The official, who requested anonymity, stressed that the project was
not being "frozen" but simply delayed for "organizational and technical
reasons."
He did not specify the reasons.
Russia's newest Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine, the Yury
Dolgoruky, which is expected to be armed with the new Bulava
sea-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), is currently undergoing sea
trials.
The vessel is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13
meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, a maximum depth
of 450 meters (about 1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29
knots. It can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles and torpedoes.Construction costs totaled some $713 mln, including $280 mln for research and development.
Two other Borey-class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and
the Vladimir Monomakh, are in different stages of completion. Russia is
planning to build eight of these subs by 2015.
Fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines are
expected to constitute the core of Russia's modern strategic submarine
fleet.
However, the submarine's putting into service could be delayed by a
series of setbacks in the development of the troubled Bulava missile,
which has officially suffered seven failures in 12 tests.
However, some analysts suggest that in reality the number of
failures was considerably larger. For example, according to Russian
military expert Pavel Felgenhauer, of the Bulava's 12 test launches,
only one was quite successful.
The future development of the Bulava has been questioned by some
lawmakers and defense industry officials, who have suggested that all
efforts should be focused on the existing Sineva SLBM.
But the Russian military has insisted that there is no alternative
to the Bulava and pledged to continue testing the missile until it is
ready to be put in service with the Navy.
Borey-class submarines have been exclusively designed for the
Bulava, and redesigning them for the Sineva would be a major setback
for the Navy's plans. (Original News)