Russia To Test New Unique Project 855 Yasen Nuclear Submarine

Russia will begin tests of its new state-of-the-art multi-purpose nuclear submarine Yasen, Project 855, already in 2010. The unique submarine qualitatively differs from all of its predecessors. Moreover, Yasen will become the first submarine, which was entirely built in Russia during the post-Soviet period, Oleg Burtsev, a senior spokesman for the command of the Russian Navy said.

Photo: Russia To Test New Unique Project 855 Yasen Nuclear Submarine

The new submarine is to be launched in the beginning of May. JSC Sevmash, the company that builds all Russian submarines, is currently busy with making preparations to the landmark moment.

The submarine was named Severodvinsk. Engineers of the company said that it would be quieter and much more powerful than the USA’s Sea Wolf.

Severodvinsk is a twin-hull nuclear submarine with decreased level of acoustic field. The submarine has ten compartments. The cruiser carries an extraordinarily strong complex of arms capable of solving combat tasks with practically any type of modern surface vessels and submarines. For the first time in the history of domestic ship-building, torpedo-launching systems are located behind the compartment of the central station. The new sonar complex Irtysh was installed in the fore end of the sub. Severodvinsk has eight vertical missile-launching systems: each of the systems houses three missiles.

Anti-vessel 3M55 Onix missiles will reportedly become the basic attack weapon of the new submarine. The missile was designed to strike targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers under the condition of radio-electronic and combat resistance. The missiles are equipped with the system of artificial intelligence and can recognize all electronic images of surface vessels. They destroy the central target in a group, change their tactics and continue to destroy targets on the principle of their importance.

The new submarine will become the perfect weapon for military actions in the distant ocean zone. Official spokespeople for the Russian Navy said that the Severodvinsk would be passed into service in 2011.

Russia also plans to launch the serial production and put into service eight strategic submarines of Project 955, Borei class. The submarines will make the basis of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces after 2018. The Yury Dolgoruky submarine is currently being tested in the White Sea. JSC Sevmash is currently building three nuclear submarines. Each of them will carry up to 20 intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The Russian Navy should have 50 nuclear submarines, Oleg Burtsev believes. Russia now has about 60 strategic, multi-purpose and diesel submarines. The navies of France, Britain and the USA have nine nuclear submarines on constant combat duty.

“We should have two or three nuclear cruisers at sea as deterrent weapon. Other countries must know that Russia is always ready to respond to any attack,” Burtsev said.

Izvestia