Borei SSBN with Bulava finally enters service

First Borei Class Sub Joins Russian Navy
Posted by Paul Fiddian - Armed Forces International's Lead Reporter on 11/01/2013 - 07:30:00


The Russian Navy's first new Borei class nuclear-powered submarine has been delivered, giving the naval power a stealthier and safer new maritime capability.
The Borei class submarines take their name from Boreas - the Greek God of the winter. The Yuri Dolgorukiy is the first of eight such submarines eventually set to equip the Russian Navy and it was rolled out in 2007: five years later than originally planned.
It undertook sea trials between June 2009 and September 2010 and, between then and now, the second submarine - Alexander Nevsky - has been rolled out and commenced its own sea trials programme.
Yuri Dolgorukiy: Borei Class Submarine
557 feet long, the Yuri Dolgorukiy Borei class submarine is powered by an OK-650B nuclear reactor and has a top speed of 25 knots. There's space on board for 130 Russian Navy personnel and the Yuri Dolgorukiy's weapons complement includes 16 Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and six RPK-2 Viyuga cruise missiles, with a 5,000 mile range. Future systems upgrades are expected to raise this SLBM capability to 20 such weapons, also giving the design better launch systems and reducing its profile when in the water.
Already, though, the Yuri Dolgorukiy is said to be much quieter and stealthier than earlier Russian Navy submarine designs and it can dive to more than 1,400 feet below the surface.
A key safety feature is an escape capsule, able to accommodate the submarine's entire crew. This should help avoid a repetition of the Kursk disaster in 2000, when 118 Russian sailors perished after an onboard explosion.
First Russian Borei Sub

The official Russian Navy Yuri Dolgorukiy submarine commissioning ceremony was held on 10 January. Shortly thereafter, Dmitry Rogozin - Russia's Deputy Prime Minister - made reference to the first Russian Navy Borei sub's inauguration on Twitter, stating: ‘Tremble, bourgeoisie! You're done with!'
The Borei class submarines' arrival is just one part of the Russian Navy's modernisation plan, which will also see it get more than 50 new warships.
Image copyright Schekinov Alexey Victorovich - Courtesy Wikimedia Commons


This new SSBN with the Bulava SLBM will give Russia a new capability in their nuclear triad.

kwaigonegin said:

This new SSBN with the Bulava SLBM will give Russia a new capability in their nuclear triad.

Click to expand...

It's not really a new capability because they have had SLBMs for decades. It is just an improved capaability.

Eight of these vessels, and eight of the new Yasen SSNs (based on the same hull). The first of the Yasen SSN class, the Severodvinsk is expected to be commissioned next year, with the second, the Kazen, two years later.

Both classes (SSBN and SSN) appear to be very good designs, and eight of the SSBNs will allow them to keep at least four at sea all the time with plenty of deterrent.

I would have thought however that they would build more of the SSNs. Eight is a small number, particularly if there were ever any serious hostilities...and at one commissioned every two years, it will be 2029 before they get them all in service.

By contrast the US has already commissioned 10 of its new Virginia class and is building two of them a year. By 2025, the US will have built the full class of 30 of these very new, very mordern and quiet nuclear attack subs.

Russian submarine-builder Sevmash has begun moored tests of the third Borey-class (Project 955) ballistic missile submarine Vladimir Monomakh.



K-535 Yuriy Dolgoruki the first is attached to 31th Division/Gadzhievo/NSF with the 6 Delta IV.
The second Nevskiy it' s for the Pacific.

Here excellent French Blog on Russian/Soviet submarines