Russia receives two nuclear submarines

30 November, 2023 Imperator Aleksandr III nuclear submarine during sea trials, 2023 The Russian Navy received the Alexander III nuclear submarine and the Krasnoyarsk multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine. The Russian media reported on this.

The Russian Navy received the seventh Project 955 Alexander III submarine and the fourth Project 885M Krasnoyarsk submarine. Both vessels have yet to undergo a flag-raising ceremony to officially enter service with the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet. Nonetheless, they have actually been handed over.

Launch of the Project 885M Krasnoyarsk multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine, July 2021.

Photo credits: Sevmash

Project 885 submarines

The Krasnoyarsk is a multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine of the modernized Project 885M Yasen-M submarine, which was laid down in 2014 and launched in July 2021, followed by factory trials. The Yasen-class submarines are designed to be armed with Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles. In addition, Russia plans to integrate 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles into the submarines of this project.

The nuclear power source allows the boat to reach a speed of 16 knots above water and move at a speed of 28 to 31 knots underwater. The maximum immersion depth is 480 meters. With a length of 130 meters and a width of 13 meters, the underwater displacement of this submarine is 13.8 thousand tons.

Its crew consists of 90 people.

A model of the Project 885M submarine

Project 955A submarines

The Alexander III is a Project 955A Borei-A strategic nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. It was laid down in 2015 and launched in December 2022. Borei-A class submarines are strategic nuclear weapons carriers, namely 16 Bulava ballistic missiles.

In addition, the submarine has 533-mm torpedo tubes capable of launching torpedoes and cruise missiles from underwater. With a length of 170 meters and a width of 13.5 meters, these submarines have an underwater displacement of 24 thousand tons. All Borei-As are characterized by a reduced level of physical fields, including electric, acoustic, infrared, and magnetic.

This makes them difficult to detect.

A model of the Project 955A submarine

Alexander III and Krasnoyarsk are fourth-generation submarines.

Meanwhile, Russia is developing two fifth-generation submarines at once: the nuclear-powered Husky and the non-nuclear Kalina.