Russian Navy Project 09851 Khabarovsk nuclear submarine to be floated in June.

The Russian Navy Khabarovsk nuclear submarine of Project 09851, which is the second carrier of Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), is likely to be floated in late June, according to Russian defense industry source. According to a Russian defense industry source, the Project 09852 submarine will be able to carry up to six Poseidon UUVs

Drawing of Russian Navy Khabarovsk nuclear submarine of Project 09851 and Poseidon UUV Unmanned Underwater Vehicle. (Picture source hisutton.com)

“The Khabarovsk will be floated in late June at the earliest. No exact date has been announced so far,” he said. The Russian Navy refused to comment. TASS has not obtained a comment from Sevmash Shipyard which builds the submarine.

The first carrier of Poseidon, the Belgorod submarine of project 09852 was floated on April 23, 2019. It has to join the Navy in September. It was initially built by project 949A, but later relaid by a special project.

In July 2014, the Russian press agency TASS has announced three new submarines - the Knyaz Oleg (Borei project), the Krasnoyarsk (Yasen project) and the Khabarovsk - were laid down at Russia’s Sevmash shipyards. 

On March 1, 2018, Putin for the first time disclosed information about prospective unmanned 2M39 underwater craft. This project remains secret but has been numerously mentioned by the media of late. Both anonymous sources and officials spoke about it. The two main carriers of the new weapon are the Belgorod nuclear submarine of project 09852 (a remake of project 949A) and the Khabarovsk submarine of new project 09851.

Russian Navy ordered 4 new Project 09851 nuclear-powered submarines which are based on Borei class ballistic missile submarines, but smaller and carrying different weapons. According to Russian military sources, the new submarine will carry 6 Poseidon nuclear-powered strategic drone submarines. It will have an unlimited range and can run at depths exceeding 1 km. These underwater drones can be armed with a nuclear warhead.