Global Security Newswire

Russia has begun tests of a new Borei-class ballistic missile submarine in the White Sea, Russia Today reported on Monday (see GSN, Sept. 7).

Pacific Fleet sailors assigned to the Alexander Nevsky received specific preparation for operating the submarine, according to Russia Today. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last year noted the vessel was undergoing dock testing, according to a previous report (see GSN, Dec. 14, 2010).

Russia's initial Borei-class submarine, the Yuri Dolgoruky, has been used for vetting Russia's new Liner ballistic missile (see GSN, Aug. 10; Russia Today, Oct. 24). The same vessel is expected to launch a new trial flight of the Bulava ballistic missile in the White Sea before the end of the month, an official told ITAR-Tass on Monday (see GSN, Oct. 13; ITAR-Tass I, Oct. 24).

Russia's Sevmash shipyard is assembling a third Borei submarine, Vladimir Monomakh, and the country's navy hopes to receive five more vessels in the same class before the end of the decade. The submarines are individually priced at roughly $750 million, according to the shipyard, and each could be armed with between 12 and 20 multiple-warhead nuclear missiles (Russia Today).

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry and the country's Federal Nuclear Center in Sarov indicated they would pursue a number of collaborative initiatives, including efforts related to armaments, ITAR-Tass reported on Sunday. The Sarov site, 310 miles east of Moscow, hosts nuclear research and weapons production operations, according to an earlier report (ITAR-Tass II, Oct. 23).