February21, 2008:
After many delays, Russia has finally launched the first of three new
Borei Class ballistic missile nuclear subs (SSBN, or "boomers"). When completed
next year, this one will be based in the Pacific. During the Cold War, most of
Russias SSBNs were based in the north, at several bases east of the Norwegian
border, and facing the Arctic ocean. But now Russia is spending over $350
million to expand and improve its submarine base on Kamchatka island. This will
enable its new SSBNs to threaten China, as well as the United States.
The
first of its new Borei class subs was moved to a dry dock about a year ago, for
additional work. This ship, the Yuri
Dolgoruky, was supposed to have been launched two years ago. But there were
technical problems that delayed it until now. Construction of the Yuri
Dolgoruky began twelve years ago, but money shortages, and technical issues,
slowed progress.
This
is the first new Russian boomer to be launched in 18 years, and the first new Russian
sub design since the end of the Cold War. The second ship in the class, the
Alexander Nevsky, is also nearing completion. Construction on the third, the
Vladimir Monomakh, began last year.
Russia wants to have about a dozen of these boats, to replace the current Delta
IV class SSBNs. The Delta IVs are getting old, and have only about a decade of
useful service left. Currently, it appears that the navy will get at least
eight Boreis.
The
Boreis are closer in design to the Delta IVs, than to the more recent, and much
larger, Typhoon boats. The Boreis are 558 feet long and 44 feet wide. Surface
displacement is 15,000 tons, and twelve Bulava SLBMs (Sea Launched Ballistic
Missile) are carried. Work on the Yuri Dolgoruky was delayed for several years
because the first missile being designed for it did not work out. A successful
land based missile, the Topol-M, was quickly modified for submarine use. The
Bulava was a larger missile, cutting the Boreis capacity from twenty to twelve
missiles. The boat also has four torpedo tubes, and twelve torpedoes or torpedo
tube launched missiles. The Borei also sports a huge sonar dome in the bow.
The
Boreis have a crew of 107, with half of them being officers (a common Russian
practice when it comes to high tech ships like nuclear subs). Each of these
boats will cost at least two billion dollars. This high cost, by Russian
standards, is partly because many factories that supplied parts for Russian
subs were in parts of the Soviet Union that are not now within the borders of
present day Russia. So new factories had to be built. All components of the
Boreis, and their missiles, will be built in Russia. A dozen of these boats
probably won't be completed for at least a decade.
Another
problem is the reliability of the new Bulava missile, which, within a year,
failed three of four flight tests. The
Bulava is believed to be fundamentally sound, but it could be another year, or
more, before all the kinks are worked
out. It will take that long to finish work on the Yuri Dolgoruky, which is not
unusual for a new class of SSBN, carrying a new missile.