Russia New Nuclear Submarine Completes White Sea Trials

Forum Contacts RSS		RUSSIAN

RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED 08.10.2013

Russia’s new-generation nuclear-powered submarine has successfully completed the first round of sea trials in the White Sea, the manufacturer said Tuesday.

The Vladimir Monomakh, a Project 955 Borey-class submarine, spent 25 days at sea, testing all of its systems and equipment, the Sevmash shipyard said in a statement. It added that the submarine would soon conduct a final series of sea trials to be completed by year-end.

Sevmash chief Mikhail Budnichenko said in July that the Vladimir Monomakh would join the navy in mid-December. But the submarine, to be armed with the Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), had its trials put on hold earlier this month following an unsuccessful Bulava launch. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also ordered five additional launches of the troubled SLBM, a ministry spokesman said.

With the September 6 failure, eight of 19 or 20 test launches of the Bulava have been officially declared unsuccessful. However, some analysts suggest that in reality the number of failures is considerably higher. Despite several previous failures officially blamed on manufacturing faults, the Russian military has insisted that there is no alternative to the Bulava.

A total of eight Borey-class submarines are to be built for the Russian Navy by 2020. Russia’s fleet received its first such submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, in January. Borey-class submarines are to become the mainstay of the navy's strategic nuclear deterrent, replacing the aging Project 941 (NATO: Typhoon-class) and Project 667 class (Delta-3 and Delta-4) boats.

Topics: Russia, Nuclear ships

Other news:

The celebration ceremony of the first concrete installation took place at Tianvan NPP unit 4

The Chinese party was represented by officers from CNNC and JNPS.

Russia Gives Iran Control of Bushehr Nuclear Plant

Construction of the power plant began in the 1970s but was plagued by delays.

Rosatom to Be Key Contractor in Finnish NPP Project – Putin Aide

Finland currently operates four nuclear reactors in two power plants, all located on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

Hero of the day

Jacques Repussard: knowledge, independence, proximity

They told me: "Mr Repussard, we're not used to responding to anti-nuclear organisations". To which I replied: "We will not reveal any state or trade secrets, but we will not leave them without any answer".

INTERVIEW

Georgy Toshinsky
Not quite so. The authors of the concept, which was difficult to be realized in practice, turned to a clearer concept of a standing wave reactor (TP-1) that in principle allows finding the solution to the tasks stated for TWRs.

OPINION

Alexander Yakovenko
The preparatory committee for the 2015 NPT review conference took place in Geneva on April 22-May 3. Russia views strengthening the NPT regime as a crucial task and considers it a foreign policy priority.