Russian Navy to receive Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered cruiser in 2022.

The Russian Navy will receive the Admiral Nakhimov heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser in 2022, Mikhail Budnichenko, director-general of the Sevmash Shipbuilding Company, has said. Budnichenko told TASS on the sidelines of the Army-2018 International Military-Technical Forum that the Admiral Nakhimov was undergoing a major overhaul at the Sevmash shipyard with subsequent modernization.

Project 11442 heavy nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is being upgraded to the Project 11442M configuration. 2017 picture.

"Under a contract with the United Shipbuilding Corporation the Admiral Nakhimov heavy nuclear-powered cruiser should be handed over to the fleet in 2022 despite some problems with financing. I hope and I am even confident that they will be settled soon," Budnichenko said.

He added that the Pyotr Velikiy heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser would not undergo a major overhaul with subsequent modernization at Sevmash. "The cruiser will be repaired either at the Zvyozdochka ship repair yard or the Baltic Shipyard," Budnichenko clarified.

Sevmash will hand over 13 project 955A Borei-A nuclear-powered BM submarines, which are under construction, and project 885M Yasen-M cruise- missile-carrying submarines to the Russian Navy in 2023-2024. "In accordance with the contracts the leader submarines like the project 955 Prince Vladimir and the project 885 Kazan will be handed over in 2019. The other serial submarines, which are being built under contracts with the United Shipbuilding Corporation, will be handed over in 2023-2024. 2024 is the last deadline for this program," Budnichenko emphasized.

Asked about the construction of new serial submarines of these projects, Budnichenko said, "There is a naval construction program up to the year 2050. It is approved by the Russian president. All this is prescribed in it. But the question of how fully the program will be implemented depends on the country’s economic state and capabilities." The Sevmash chief said that the upgraded project 955A and 885M submarines are "significantly more efficient" than the leader nuclear subs. "They have got new electronic weapons and new mechanisms. They can hear and see much better while being less noisy and less noticeable," Budnichenko explained.

He refused to comment if a decision to give up the construction of project 955B strategic submarines in favor of project 955A submarines had been made. "It is the prerogative of the Defense Ministry, the General Staff and the Navy. I don’t know anything about such decisions yet. I haven’t received any instructions to this effect," Budnichenko concluded.

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