MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. All nuclear-powered submarines of the Russian Navy will be replaced by Project 885/885M (Yasen/Yasen-M) submarines within the next 10 years, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Alexander Moiseyev said.
"Regarding multipurpose submarines, the primary project going forward – the Yasen/YasenM, designed by the Malakhit Design Bureau of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) – will replace all third-generation submarines currently in the Navy’s inventory within the next decade: Projects 971, 945, and 949," Moiseyev noted in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.
According to the Navy commander, the Yasen-line submarines possess the highest combat capabilities – search, strike, and defensive. "As for ammunition, they are equipped with all the Navy’s modern missile weapons – Kalibr, Oniks, Tsikon, and naval underwater weapons. The subs can operate covertly and for extended periods in virtually any area of the ocean and, of course, pose a great threat to naval groups and land targets of any adversary," he said. Moiseyev emphasized that the Project 885/885M submarines are successfully carrying out their assigned missions as part of the submarine forces of the Northern and Pacific Fleets.
The Yasen class is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered submarine with a reduced acoustic field. They carry long-range, high-precision missiles and are capable of striking targets on land, at sea, and underwater. The upgraded Project 885M nuclear submarines embody unique, cutting-edge Russian developments in military armament, naval weapons, technical and electronic systems, and main propulsion systems. The Yasen-M project features changes and advanced technical solutions in the system’s hardware components, upgraded equipment, and materials produced by Russian companies.
The Russian Navy’s submarine forces mark the 120th anniversary of their establishment on March 19. In 1906, by decree of Emperor Nicholas II, a new class of ships – submarines – was included in the classification of naval vessels.