Russia Releases Footage Of Sub Launching Barrage Of 4 Nuclear ICBMs
by Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge.com
Wed, 05/23/2018
On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry released footage of the Borei-class submarine Yuri Dolgoruky successfully test-firing four Bulavaintercontinental ballistic missile, the first such test for this type of submarine. The missiles were launched from the White Sea and hit designated targets at the Kura range in the Far Eastern Kamchatka region.
According to Russia’s Tass news agency, it was the first salvo fire from this type of submarines: “The test confirmed combat readiness of the Project-955 Borei strategic submarine and the Bulava missile system.”
The video published on Wednesday shows some pre-launch activities on board the Yuriy Dolgorukiy, the launching submarine. Then the submarine is shown firing four Bulava missiles at a test range in Kamchatka in quick succession.
As RT notes, previous tests of the weapon were conducted solo or in barrages of two on two occasions.
Firing missiles in a barrage is more challenging for the crew and ship, but reduces the time the submarine stays close to the surface exposed to detection and possible attack.
Russia currently has three Borei-class nuclear submarines in active service and a fourth upgraded ship – the Knyaz Vladimir – undergoing trial. Four more are being built. The Yuri Dolgoruky is the Project 955 Borey-class lead vessel. The submarine is armed with a set of Bulava sea-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles and also with torpedoes. The sub can be armed with cruise missiles. It has a full displacement of 24,000 tonnes, is about 160 meters long and 13 meters wide.
The R-30 Bulava is a solid-propellant ballistic missile developed specially for Project 955 submarines. Each can deliver 10 nuclear warheads of 150 kilotonnes each to a distance of 10,000 kilometers.
