MOSCOW, February 1. /TASS/. The Project 955A (Borei-A) latest strategic nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Oleg arrived at Russia’s Northern Fleet during its inter-fleet transit to the Pacific Fleet for operational service, the Sevmash Shipyard’s press office reported on Tuesday.
"The Knyaz Oleg nuclear-powered submarine cruiser built at Sevmash (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) has arrived at the Northern Fleet. This is a temporary base for the Project Borei-A nuclear-powered submarine. The sub will operate in the Pacific Fleet," the press office said in a statement.
The advanced nuclear-powered submarine was inspected by Northern Fleet Commander Admiral Alexander Moiseyev and the Fleet’s commission, the press office said. "The commander assessed the nuclear sub’s condition, noted the crew’s professionalism and their desire to learn to operate the nuclear-powered underwater cruiser as quickly as possible," the statement says.
During their stay at the Northern Fleet, the submarine’s crew will undergo a basic training course and pass course tasks at sea, the Sevmash press office reported. "After the crew confirms its readiness for inter-fleet transit, the nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Oleg will head to its permanent base in the Pacific Fleet. The nuclear sub will be based in Vilyuchinsk," it specified.
The Project 955A nuclear-powered strategic sub Knyaz Oleg was delivered to the Russian Navy on December 21. On that day, the Sevmash Shipyard in Russia’s northwest also handed over the Project 885M (‘Yasen-M’) nuclear-powered submarine Novosibirsk to the Russian Navy. The delivery ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin via a video linkup. The nuclear-powered underwater cruisers became the 135th and 136th submarines built on slipways of the country’s largest shipyard.
The Knyaz Oleg is the first serial-built strategic missile submarine cruiser of the modernized Project 955A (code Borei-A). It was laid down on July 27, 2014, and floated out on July 16, 2020. As part of state trials, the nuclear-powered sub successfully test-fired a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from the White Sea towards the Kura proving ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula on October 21, 2021. 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.