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Sevmash ready to float out third mega-submarine

Russia plans to commission eight nuclear powered submarines of the Borey-class. The first of the class "Yury Dolgoruky" started sea trails three years ago. Photo: Sevmash

Russia’s third strategic submarine of the Borey-class “Vladimir Monomakh” will be put on water on December 30. The navy also announces start of design work for the 5th generation submarines and a series of underwater drones.

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“The Vladimir Monomakh will be floated out on December 30 and its construction will continue as planned,” Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. 

“Vladimir Monomakh” is the third of Russia’s new giant 170 meters long nuclear powered Borey-class submarines that can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads. The troubled Bulava missile, however, is not yet accepted for duty.

The two first vessels of the class, the “Yury Dolgoruky” and the “Aleksandr Nevsky” are undergoing sea trails, sailing in and out from the Sevmash naval yard in Severodvinsk in the White Sea.

“Yury Dolgoruky is in the final phase of testing of individual systems and it is possible that the submarine will get the acceptance certificate before December 30, the navy commander said in anther interview with RIA Novosti. If so, the submarine will be the first new strategic submarine to enter service with Russia’s Northern fleet since 1992 when the last Delta-IV class submarine was delivered. “Yury Dolgoruky” will be based at Gadzhiyevo naval base on the Kola Peninsula. 

Upgrades of the infrastructure at Gadzhiyevo to support the Borey-class subs will, however, not be ready before 2013 the news agency quotes Admiral Chirkov saying. Gadzhievo is today the homeport of the two operational Delta-IV class strategic submarines.

The navy commander also announced at his summary-2013 press-conference on Wednesday that by 2020, Russia will start serial construction of autonomous underwater drones and sea robots, B-port writes. 

“After 2020, we can predict a transition to large-scale construction of unmanned underwater vehicles and marine robotic systems, development of special seabed equipment to be deployed with underwater vehicles,” Viktor Chirkov said.

He used the press-conference to widen the navy’s future horizon even more: “During the period 2021 to 2030, we start replacement of older submarines and expand with creation of strategic submarines of the fifth generation. Serial building and deployment of fifth generation starts after 2030,” Chirkov said quoted by Rossiskaya Gazeta