Global Security Newswire

Russia plans in 2012 to begin assembling a line of upgraded Borei-class ballistic missile submarines, Defense and Security reported on Wednesday (see GSN, Jan. 23).

Russia so far has three Borei-class submarines -- Yuri Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh -- in various preparation phases.

"Next year we will lay down the lead submarine of project Borei-A, that is the improved Borei. This will be the fourth submarine of this project," said Rubin Andrei Dyachkov, who heads Russia's Sevmash shipyard and maritime hardware central design office.

"The state armament program for the period until 2020 makes provisions for beginning of construction of the fifth and sixth hulls in 2012," the official said.

The Russian Defense Ministry last November finalized a deal for assembling the first Borei-A submarine, referred to informally as Svyatitel Nikolay, Dyachkov said. Moscow is expected within the first three months of this year to ink deals for constructing components of the fifth and sixth Borei vessels, he said (Sergei Safronov, Defense And Security, Feb. 1).