Russian submarine Knyaz Vladimir

K-549 Knyaz Vladimir (Russian: АПЛ Князь Владимир) is a Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, and the first upgraded Borei-A (Project 955A) unit to enter service with the Russian Navy. The submarine is named after Prince Vladimir the Great.

Knyaz Vladmir during sea trials in February 2019
History
Russia
Name: Knyaz Vladimir
Namesake: Prince Vladimir
Builder: Sevmash
Laid down: 30 July 2012
Launched: 17 November 2017
Commissioned: 12 June 2020[1]
Status: In active service[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Borei-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 14,720 t (14,488 long tons) surfaced
  • 24,000 t (23,621 long tons) submerged
Length: 170 m (557 ft 9 in)
Beam: 13.5 m (44 ft 3 in)
Draught: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:
Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement: 130 officers and men
Armament:
  • 16 × R-30 Bulava SLBMs
  • 6 × (21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes) to fire a variety of appropriately sized weapons

History

Project 955A was developed by the Rubin Design Bureau, and the chief designer was Sergey Kovalev. The keel was expected to have been laid down in 2010 but this was delayed until July 2012 because of a price dispute between the Russian MOD and the United Shipbuilding Corporation.[2]

Knyaz Vladimir is the first unit of the Project 955A sub-class and will differ by several modifications from the previous units of the project 955. These modifications will include major structural changes, reduced acoustic signature, and more modern communication equipment. While initially reported to have four more (20 in total) launch tubes, the 955A includes 16 missile tubes same as the project 955.[3] [4]The submarine will be armed with the newest Russian submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the RSM-56 Bulava. Knyaz Vladimir and its sister ships will eventually replace the Soviet-era Delta and Typhoon-class submarines in the Russian Navy.

Knyaz Vladimir was floated out on 17 November 2017,[5] and began the first stage of factory trials by late November 2018.[6] The submarine returned back to Sevmash in early 2019 and was to begin a second stage of factory trials by late June 2019.[7] On 22 October 2019, Aleksandr Moiseyev, commander in chief of the Northern Fleet, stated that Knyaz Vladimir is expected to complete its sea trials by the end of the year. According to Moiseyev, completion of the sea trials is to be accompanied by the launch of a Bulava missile.[8] On 29 October, the submarine conducted a successful Bulava launch from a submerged position in the White Sea.[9][10]

According to TASS' defense industry sources, commissioning of the Knyaz Vladimir has been delayed until the first quarter of 2020 due to a number of detected deficiencies.[11] The following Komsomolskaya Pravda report, citing Alexei Rakhmanov, President of the USC, has specified the commissioning period as "end of January" 2020.[12]

On 28 May 2020, Knyaz Vladimir was accepted by Ministry of Defence of Russia[13] and was commissioned into service with the Russian Navy on 12 June 2020.[1]

References
  1. "В День России в состав Военно-Морского Флота торжественно принят новейший ракетный подводный крейсер стратегического назначения проекта «Борей-А» «Князь Владимир»" (Press release) (in Russian). Ministry of Defence of Russia. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  2. "Putin Attends Nuclear Sub Ceremony". Sputnik (news agency). 30 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  3. "SSBN Yury Dolgoruky completed sea trials". rusnavy.com. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  4. "Новые АПЛ "Борей-А" будут вооружены 16, а не 20 "Булавами"". ria.ru. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  5. "Russia floats out 4th Borei-class strategic nuclear submarine". TASS. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  6. "Атомный подводный ракетный крейсер «Князь Владимир» вышел на заводские ходовые испытания". bmpd.livejournal.com. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  7. "Russia's advanced Borei-A submarine to enter 2nd stage of shipbuilders' trials — source". TASS. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  8. "АПЛ "Князь Владимир" в 2019 году выполнит стрельбу "Булавой"". TASS (in Russian). 22 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  9. "Russia's First Upgraded Borei-Class Submarine Test Fires Bulava Ballistic Missile". The Diplomat. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  10. "Подводный крейсер «Князь Владимир» провел испытания ракетного комплекса «Булава»" (in Russian). Ministry of Defence (Russia). 29 October 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  11. "Источник: передача в состав ВМФ атомной подлодки "Князь Владимир" перенесена на 2020 год" (in Russian). TASS. 30 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  12. "Первую подлодку "Князь Владимир" класса "Борей-А" передадут ВМФ до конца января" (in Russian). Komsomolskaya Pravda. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  13. "Подписан приемный акт атомной подводной лодки «Князь Владимир»" (Press release) (in Russian). Sevmash. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.


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