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Russia’s advanced Borei-A submarine to enter 2nd stage of shipbuilders’ trials — source

The nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Vladimir entered the first stage of the shipbuilders’ trials in late November 2018 and returned to the Sevmash Shipyard early 2019
Project 955A Knyaz Vladimir submarine Alexei Lipnitsky/TASS
Project 955A Knyaz Vladimir submarine
© Alexei Lipnitsky/TASS

MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. The Project 955A (Borei-A) strategic nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Knyaz Vladimir (Prince Vladimir) will enter the second stage of shipbuilders’ sea trials in late June, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Friday.

"After electromagnetic field measurements at the Sevmash Shipyard’s dockside are over, the Knyaz Vladimir will take to the sea in late June for the second stage of shipbuilders’ trials that will last several months," the source said.

The nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Vladimir entered the first stage of the shipbuilders’ trials in late November 2018 and returned to the Sevmash in early January 2019, the source said.

"The trials revealed some technical problems, which, however, will not affect the sub’s delivery to the Navy in late 2019," the source noted, adding that the missile-carrying submarine would be in service with Russia’s Northern Fleet.

TASS does not yet have an official confirmation of this information.

The Knyaz Vladimir is the improved Project 955A lead submarine. The sub was laid down at the Sevmash Shipyard in northwest Russia in July 2012 and floated out in November 2017. The submarine carries 16 R-30 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles as its main armament.

By now, the Sevmash Shipyard has built and delivered three baseline Project 955 Borei-class strategic submarines to the Navy. The Project 955 lead submarine Yuri Dolgoruky has joined the Northern Fleet while two serial-produced subs Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh are operational in Russia’s Pacific Fleet. Project 955 and improved Project 955A submarines have been developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering. The Sevmash Shipyard continues building four Project 955A submarines: the Knyaz Oleg, the Generalissimus Suvorov, the Emperor Alexander III and the Knyaz Pozharsky.