SEVERODVINSK. Nov 17 (Interfax) - The Knyaz Vladimir strategic submarine of Project 955A Borei-A has been launched in Severodvinsk.
The ceremony to launch the submarine is underway at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, an Interfax correspondent has reported.
The Knyaz Vladimir was designed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering. It belongs to the fourth generation of nuclear-powered subs of Project Borei-A and, has a number of systems that represent improvements over its predecessors.
The Sevmash shipyard is continuing construction on four serial hulls for submarines of Project Borei-A: the Knyaz Oleg, the Generalissimus Suvorov, the Imperator Alexander III, and the Knyaz Pozharsky.
The Navy is already operating three subs of Project 995 Borei, including the Yury Dolgoruky of the Northern Fleet and the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh of the Pacific Fleet. The subs of Projects 955 and 955A are armed with Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The naval component of Russia's strategic nuclear forces includes three subs of Project 667BDR (the Pacific Fleet), six subs of Project 667BDRM, one 941U sub (the Northern Fleet), and three subs of Project 955 Borei (one in the Northern Fleet, and two in the Pacific Fleet).
Sevmash is building five subs of Project 995A (Borei-A), including the Knyaz Vladimir.
The military said earlier that the advanced missile submarines of Project Borei would soon constitute the backbone of the Russian Navy's strategic nuclear force.