MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry is set to sign a contract with the United Shipbuilding Corporation in August for the construction of two more Project 955A (Borei-A) nuclear-powered strategic missile-carrying submarines, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Friday.

"A decision has been made to sign a contract at the Army 2020 forum for building two more Borei-A missile-carrying submarines. Under the terms of the contract, both ships will be laid down at the Sevmash Shipyard (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) in 2021. They will be built under the existing state armament program through 2027," the source said.

These will be the ninth and tenth Borei-class subs, the source added.

The Russian Navy currently operates three baseline Project 955 Borei submarines: the Yuri Dolgoruky, the Vladimir Monomakh and the Alexander Nevsky. The improved Project 955A Borei-A lead submarine Knyaz Vladimir has completed state trials and is being prepared for its delivery to the Navy. Four more Borei-A submarines (the Knyaz Oleg, the Generalissimus Suvorov, the Emperor Alexander III and the Knyaz Pozharsky) have been laid down and are at various stages of their construction.

The Borei and Borei-A submarines have been developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering. All of them can carry 16 Bulava missiles and are also armed with 533mm torpedo tubes.

Compared to the baseline Borei series, Borei-A subs feature better acoustic stealth, maneuvering and deep-sea running capabilities and an improved armament control system.