The problem is that the whole 'Borey' class cannot yet enter service because it does not have the armament to do it.
Each 'Borey' should carry from sixteen to twenty missiles 'Bulava' (only for 955U), each of which has from six to ten Mirv warheads. There are eight 'Borey' class submarines that will equip the Russian Navy within the 2020. The 'Bulava' three-stage missile, code-named Nato SS-N-30 Mace, is the naval version of the most advanced Russian ballistic missile, the SS-27 Topol-M. It can also be launched in motion. It carries up to 10 warheads Mirv, can hit targets up to eight thousand kilometers away and is designed to exclusively equip 'Borey' class nuclear submarines.
Despite the many failures due to manufacturing defects, the Russian army argues that there is no alternative to Bulava. Due to bankruptcy during testing of the new Bulava intercontinental missiles, the 'Borey' will not be able to carry out their primary task, namely nuclear deterrence.
The first 'Borey', the 'Yury Dolgorukiy' K535, joined the Northern Fleet in January last year, followed by the K-550 (Project 955A) "Aleksandr Nevskij" at the end of December. The "Vladimir Monomakh" is completing sea trials, while the fourth "Borey", the "Knyaz Vladimir" has been under construction since July 2012 at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia. Construction of the fifth nuclear-powered submarine will begin by the end of the 2014. 'Borey' class submarines will form the backbone of the Navy's strategic nuclear deterrent. They will replace the Typhoon, Delta-3 and Delta-4 class submarines.
Franco Iacch
(in the photo a moment of the launch of the first Borey)
