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Bulava missile to be test-launched from Dmitry Donskoy nuclear sub

A field test of an advanced modification of this missile is possible

Photo ITAR-TASS/ Maxim Vorkunkov

Photo ITAR-TASS/ Maxim Vorkunkov

MOSCOW, August 28 (Itar-Tass) - An intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava will be test-launched from the Project 941 Akula nuclear-powered submarine Dmitry Donskoy in the autumn of this year, a source in the Russian defence and industrial complex told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

In turn, another source acquainted with the situation explained to Itar-Tass, “A field test of an advanced modification of this missile can be one of possible goals of the Bulava launch from Dmitry Donskoy.” “The nuclear-powered submarine Dmitry Donskoy is a well-developed testing complex, as opposed to silo-based Borei class Bulava carriers,” he added.

All previous test-launches of Bulava from the submarines Dmitry Donskoy and Yuri Dolgoruky (the Project 955 Borei head carrier of Bulava) failed, as no missiles were fired on the orders from the General Staff of the Armed Forces with the use of a new automatic control system for the missiles launches.

Director General of the Severodvinsk shipyard Sevmash Mikhail Budnichenko said at the international naval show, which was held in St. Petersburg last July, that the nuclear-powered submarine Alexander Nevsky, which is the first production Bulava carrier, will test-launch this missile. Budnichenko noted that Alexander Nevsky is planned to be put into service of the Navy on November 15. One or two more test-launches of Bulava are to be made before the end of this year, Director General of the Automation Research-and-Production Association Leonid Shalimov said last April. Thus, a Bulava test-launch from Dmitry Donskoy is to become the second test-launch of the missile this year. Last time the intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava was test-launched from the Project 955 head nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky in December 2011.

It was decided that the modernized missile carrier Dmitry Donskoy will be left in service until 2017 as a testing platform for missiles and other weaponry. Two other Project 941 warships, Severstal and Arkhangelsk, will be scrapped. During the test-launches from Dmitry Donskoy more than ten test-launches of Bulava were made. A total number of the Bulava test-launches from Yuri Dolgoruky and The Dmitry Donskoy is now 18.

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