Russia’s Typhoon class strategic nuclear-powered submarines will remain in service with the Navy until 2019, the Navy commander said on Friday.
The world’s largest Typhoon class submarines entered service with the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. Three of the six vessels built are still in use.
“They [the Typhoon class subs] will remain in operation until 2019. They have good modernization potential,” Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said.
The Dmitry Donskoy submarine has been modernized as a test platform for Russia’s new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Two reserve vessels, the Arkhangelsk and the Severstal, are awaiting overhaul at a naval base in Severodvinsk in northern Russia. They will most likely be modernized to carry new-generation sea-based cruise missiles to match the U.S. Ohio-class submarines.
The Typhoon class subs have a maximum displacement of 33,800 tons and were built to carry 20 SS-N-20 Sturgeon solid-propellant SLBMs, all of which have been retired.
The Typhoons will be replaced in the future with the new Borey class strategic nuclear-powered submarines, which will be equipped with Bulava missiles.
