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Pacific Fleet ready for “Yury Dolgoruky”

Russia’s Pacific Fleet is ready to take the country’s newest nuclear submarine “Yury Dolgoruky” into service as soon as all tests with the Bulava missile are completed, a Russian military analyst said.

Location

According to Igor Korotchenko, member of the Ministry of Defense’s Public Council, the naval base in Vilyuchinsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula is prepared to receive the first of Russia’s new fourth generation nuclear submarine, the Borey-class “Yury Dolgoruky”, which currently is undergoing final sea tests in Arctic Waters.

- Prior to the arrival of “Yury Dolgoruky” in Vilyuchinsk, all piers and main facilities at the base have been rebuilt, new security and communications systems have been introduced, and the training center has been modernized, Korotchenko said according to RIA Novosti.

Korotchenko said that other submarines of the new class can be put into service in the Pacific Fleet after commissioning and required testing.

The naval base in Vilyuchinsk currently has four strategic nuclear submarines of the Delta III-class.

“Yury Dolgoruky” is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in the near future, pending on the outcome of the testing of the new Bulava sea-launched ballistic missile – the submarine’s main weapon. So far, only the re-built Typhoon-class “Dmitry Donskoy” submarine has been doing tests launches of the missile. The next test launch is planned for November, and if it turns out to be a success, “Yury Dolgoruky” will probably launch its first missile later this year.

Three other Borey class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky, the Vladimir Monomakh, and Svyatitel Nikolai (St. Nicholas) are in different stages of completion. Russia is planning to build eight of these subs by 2015.