Revised Russian SSBN & SSGN Details from Russian Sub Expert

Pete Comment: the following Russian submarine descriptions probably started out being in Russian, then translated into French, then English. Pete has further translated some comments into more correct English.

On February 18, 2018 an Anonymous from https://www.soumarsov.eu/sous_marins.htm – commented at Submarine Matters:

Hello, Pete

The wording of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_the_Russian_Navy#Submarines is either out of date or sketchy. As you know, I follow Russian submarine matters on a daily basis. My comments on the various Russian submarine categories are:

SSBNs

There are 3 x Project 955A Boreys currently in service, one in Russia’s Northern fleet, two others in the Pacific Fleet. See https://www.soumarsov.eu/Sous-marins/Post92/955/955.htm

5 x Project 955A Boreys are under construction. The first one is expected to be in service in 2018, the last one in November 2021. But the last could be delayed until 2023-2025. See https://www.soumarsov.eu/Sous-marins/Post92/955A/955A.htm

New Project, 955B Boreys are expected to be in service from 2026. As it takes roughly 7 years to build a Borey, the first Project 955B Borey should be laid down in 2018 or 2019. But there is a fierce fight between the Rubin and Malakhit Design Bureaus to handle the 955B project engineering. Rubin is arguing for a 995A follow-on, while Malakhit advocates a common platform for SSNs, SSGNs and SSBNs.

The major overhaul schedule for the 6 x Project 667BDRM Delta IV SSBNs, is every ten years. See https://www.soumarsov.eu/Sous-marins/Post45/667BDRM/667BDRM.htm

2013 artwork celebrating laying down, on July 26, 2013, of Novosibirsk, the 3rd Yasen Project 885 SSGN. The Yasen is armed with 8 x 650mm and 2 x 533mm torpedo tubes, 8 VLS (which can take total weapons load of 32 Yakhont/Oniks ASM or 40 Kalibr-PL ASM/Land Attack)

SSGNs [often called “Multipurpose”]

Two classes are in current service, the Project 949A Antey / Oscar II and the Project 885 Yasen. NATO reporting name: "Severodvinsk”.

The Yasen was [designed by the Malakhit Design Bureau and based on the Akula SSN and Alfa SSN] The first Yasen Severodvinsk is active in the Northern Fleet (K-560). She has been in experimental service since 2011 and only in March 2016 was she fully accepted.

A follow-on class is the Project 885M Yasen-Ms.  Only 6 x Yasen-Ms are under construction at Sevmash shipyard. The first is Kazan (K-561), expected for the end of 2018. The last one, Ulyanovsk, is, at earliest, due in 2023. See https://www.soumarsov.eu/Sous-marins/Post92/885M/885M.htm
There in no follow-on announced.

Some Project 949A Oscar IIs are to be modernized in project 949AM. Modernization will allow them to deploy Kalibr-PL missiles [with ranges up to 2,500 km. At least two Oscar IIs are in Zvezda shipyard, (Eastern Siberia) including Irkutsk (K-132) modernised by 2021, and Chelyabinsk (K-442) modernised by 2023. Modernization of the 3rd and 4th Oscar IIs is yet to be announced. See https://www.soumarsov.eu/Sous-marins/Post92/949AM/949AM.htm

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov announced on February 7, 2018 that modernized Project 949A Oscar IIs, will be in service with Kalibr missiles, starting between 2018 and 2021. As far as I know Omsk is only at Zvezda shipyard(?) for repairs to her propulsion system. (those huge Oscar II subs seem to have frequent propulsion problems).

Anonymous's excellent details on Russian SSNs and SSKs will follow early next week.

Anonymous