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Russian defense contractor: fully universal submarine can’t be developed today

Russia is currently building two series of nuclear-powered submarines: strategic Borey-class underwater cruisers and Yasen-class multipurpose submarines

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The creation of a nuclear submarine that would fully combine the functions of a strategic and multipurpose underwater cruiser does not seem possible today, the CEO of the Malakhit design bureau, the developer of the Yasen-class submarines, said on Friday.

"Today there are weighty arguments, which throw into doubt the possibility of absolute universalization of submarines by the type of weapons," Malakhit CEO Dorofeyev told TASS.

Specifically, a multipurpose submarine "implies greater maneuverability compared with a strategic underwater cruiser and also lower noise at high speeds," he said.

At the same time, strategic and multipurpose nuclear submarines have largely similar electronic warfare systems, communications and many mechanical elements, the Malakhit CEO said.

"Serial and universal systems ease both personnel training and the operation of vessels," he said.

Russia is currently building two series of nuclear-powered submarines: strategic Borey-class underwater cruisers and Yasen-class multipurpose submarines developed by the Malakhit design bureau.

President of Russia’s United Ship-Building Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov said earlier that next-generation Husky-class submarines would be maximally standardized "by a number of their key elements," although their armament would be different.

The Russian Navy has also said that the focus will be made on the universal nature of using submarines and developing standardized modular platforms.