LANGKAWI (Malaysia), March 17. /TASS/. Two fourth generation Project 955 Borei class strategic nuclear submarines will replace in Russia’s Pacific Fleet the old strategic nuclear submarines of Project 667BDR (Kalmar class), director general of the submarine design bureau Rubin Igor Vilnit said on Tuesday.

The submarines’ decommissioning will be phased, the head of the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering said at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA-2015) in Malaysia.

"Both series - 667BDRM (Dolphin) and 667BDR in the East have had a long life already. Submarines of the BDR project are actually at the final stage, so it is planned to deliver two Borei class subs there this year," said Vilnit.

However, he said, the Borei class submarines of Project 955 will no longer be built. "Project 955 is over. Three boats have been built and delivered to the Navy. Now Project 955A will continue Project 955," Vilnit said.

All contracts on the construction of the Borei-A class submarines of Project 955A have been concluded and the work is going on schedule, he said. A total of five such submarines are planned to be built.

Russia’s Navy currently has three Borei class submarines - the Yuri Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh boats that have been commissioned in recent years. They are armed with the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles.

According to the Russian military, Borei-class are state-of-the-art submarines, featuring characteristics superior to any submarine currently in service worldwide. The Borei-class subs are replacing outgoing nuclear subs of the previous generation and are set to become the backbone of Russia’s sea-based nuclear defences.

A Borei-class sub is 170 metres long and 13.5 metres wide, and can dive up to 450 metres. They have a compact, hydro-dynamically efficient hull for reduced broadband noise and are the first to use pump-jet propulsion among Russian submarines. Their submerged cruise speed is at least 30 knots (56 kilometres per hour). Safety measures for the subs include a rescue chamber that can host all 107 crew members.