March 19th is the official day of submariners in Russia. The day is marked with big festivities in the capital of submarine building, Severodvinsk on the banks of the White Sea in Northern Russia.
The Sevmash construction yard marks the submariners’ day by announcing that they have laid the keel for yet another strategic nuclear powered submarine of the Borey-class. The sub will be the number four of the class.
On Monday this week, Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov informed that mooring trials of Russia’s first Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine Yury Dolgoruky has started, reported by BarentsObserver. The two other submarine of the Borey-class, Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash naval yard. The name of the fourth vessel is yet to be announced.
Russia is planning to build a total of eight submarines of this class by 2015, reports RIA Novosti.
The Borey-class submarine is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, 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.
The Sevmash naval yard has 27.000 employees and recently announced plans to hire 2500 new people, reported by BarentsObserver.
