MOSCOW, September 26. /TASS/. Russia’s newest nuclear-powered submarine The Vladimir Monomakh (project 955) has arrived at its permanent base Viliuchinsk in the Kamchakta Peninsula.

"The submarine force of the Pacific Fleet has been reinforced by the newest strategic nuclear-powered submarine of project 955 The Vladimir Monomakh. The submarine has completed its voyage from the Northern Fleet to the Pacific Fleet to arrive at the permanent base Viliuchinsk, in the Kamchakta Peninsula," the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The Vladimir Monomakh is a third nuclear-powered submarine of project 955 Borei armed with the inter-continental ballistic missiles Bulava. The submarine began to be built in 2006. It has handed over to the Russian Navy at the end of 2014.

Borei-class submarines

Borei-class submarines have become a breakthrough project. Borei developers have managed to achieve the submarine’s maximum stealth capability by using a hydraulic propeller placed in a special ring nozzle and operating like a water pump receiving a streamflow.

The submarine’s hull is assembled of blocks while all its equipment is mounted on shock absorbers. They separate each block from the hull, thus further reducing the vessel’s noisiness level when a submarine moves under the water.

Besides, all the submarine’s sonars are united into a single automated digital system, which both locate targets and, for example, measure the ice thickness and search for ice openings.

Borei-class submarines can detect targets under the water while staying out of reach of sonars used by any of the enemy’s warships. Submarines of this class are armed with Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are their basic combat striking power. The performance characteristics of Bulava ICBMs are not disclosed and constitute a state secret.

The Russian Navy currently operates three submarines of this class:

• the Yury Dolgoruky as the project’s lead vessel operational in the Russian Navy since 2013;
• the Alexander Nevsky submarine built under the modernized Project 09551 and operational in the Russian Navy since 2013;
• the Vladimir Monomakh submarine built under the modernized Project 09551 and operational in the Russian Navy since 2014.

The next underwater missile cruisers are being built under the Project 09552 Borei-A. They are characterized by better stealth capabilities, more advanced electronic equipment and more comfortable conditions for the crew.

Borei-class submarines will make up the mainstay of the naval grouping of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces in the coming decades. At the turn of the 2020s, Russia’s Pacific Fleet will receive another two undersea missile cruisers armed with Bulava ICBMs and built under the improved Project 09552.