Russia's new submarine Yury Dolgoruky delayed yet again

The main strategic nuclear submarine Yury Dolgoruky, designed under Project  955 Borei, will become a part of the Russian Navy only in 2013. Thus, the terms for the submarine to be passed into service have been pushed back yet again, although Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov has not clarified the reasons why.

It was previously planned that the submarine would be passed into service in September-October 2012. Until then, another date was announced - July 29, 2012. The dates would be often postponed because of the need for additional testing of Yury Dolgoruky's onboard systems.

It is expected that with the first submarine of Borei project, Russia will pass into service its new sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava, reports Neva24.

Anatoly Serdyukov said during his trip to the Kamchatka region that the second submarine of Project 955 Borei - Alexander Nevsky - would become a part of the Russian Pacific Fleet in 2014. The delay will thus make up more than a year.

The minister did not provide any information about the Yasen-class submarine either. Serdyukov said that nuclear submarine Severodvinsk of this class was still undergoing state tests, says RBC. As previously reported, Severodvinsk was supposed to be passed into service before the of 2012.

Yury Dolgoruky submarine is developed by the Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering  Rubin. The sub was built at Sevmash (Rubin and Sevmash are part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation). The state tests of the submarine, including both surface and underwater launches of ballistic missiles, were completed in December 2011. The submarine is 170 meters long, 13.5 meters wide, it can submerge at the maximum depth of 450 meters. The maximum underwater speed of the sub is 29 knots.