MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. The Project 955A (Borei-A) lead nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Vladimir may be delivered to the Russian Navy by May 9, a source in the shipbuilding industry told TASS on Tuesday.
"The Knyaz Vladimir is expected to be delivered to the customer by the Victory Day. Most probably, in April," the interlocutor said.
Head of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov informed on February 10 that "all the finishing work has been done and the trials are over."
The press office of the Sevmash Shipyard (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) declined to comment on this information.
The Knyaz Vladimir is the improved Project 955A strategic missile-carrying underwater cruiser, which represents the fourth generation of nuclear-powered subs built for the Russian Navy. It was floated out in November 2017. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the sub Knyaz Vladimir is less noisy and features improved maneuvering, depth and armament control systems.
All Borei-class submarines can carry 16 Bulava ballistic missiles. They are also furnished with 533mm torpedo tubes. The shipbuilders earlier planned to deliver the nuclear-powered sub Knyaz Vladimir to the Russian Navy by the end of 2019.
Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu confirmed at the ministry’s conference call on Tuesday that the delivery of the Knyaz Vladimir was planned for this year.