Russia’s
new nuclear-powered submarine, the Alexander Nevsky, has completed sea
trials, a shipbuilder said Monday. Work on the Borey-class project is
“on schedule,” the Sevmash shipyard said, without providing
any indication of when the submarine would join the navy. |
In early
September, Russia put on hold the trials of two Borey-class submarines
following an unsuccessful launch of a Bulava submarine-launched ballistic
missile (SLBM). Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also ordered
that the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh submarines, designed
to carry the Bulava, hold five additional launches of the troubled SLBM.
The Alexander Nevsky was expected to be handed over to the Navy on November
15, while the other Borey-class sub was due to be commissioned in mid-December,
Sevmash chief Mikhail Budnichenko said in July. However, the adoption
of both of those submarines depends on the success of the Bulava test
launches.
Including that latest failure, eight out of 19 or 20 test launches of
the troubled Bulava have been officially declared unsuccessful. The
Russian military has repeatedly stated that there is no alternative
to the Bulava.
The three-stage Bulava carries up to 10 MIRV warheads, has a range of
over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) and is designed for deployment on
Borey-class nuclear submarines. |
