Six new Russian multipurpose nuclear-powered submarines of the new fourth generation Graney-class will be built in 2011. They are going to be built at the Sevmash military naval yard in Severodvinsk city. Russian navy will have 6 nuclear submarines capable of carrying improved long range nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. The missiles can carry low-capacity tactical nuclear warheads they are supersonic, highly maneuverable and are designed to strike aircraft carriers. The missiles are also capable of hitting land targets. These supersonic missiles are designed to strike aircraft carriers of the potential enemy if Russia's security is unsecured. The missiles can be launched at the most important coastal facilities. Tactical nuclear weapons have a much shorter range compared to strategic nuclear weapons. They are intended to be used within a theatre of battle. The Severodvinsk, will be launched in 2011 and at least five others of the same type will be built by 2017.
The Severodvinsk will be quipped with long-range cruise missiles potentially capable of carrying low-capacity tactical warheads.
The Severodvinsk-class submarines are being built at the Sevmash shipyard, the center of Russian nuclear submarine production. This new attack submarine design is a derivative of the Project 971 Akula class which is more silent running than those of the Project 971 - Akula. According to American experts, it is the most advanced nuclear-powered submarine in the world. It features a cruise missile capability with eight vertical launch tubes for RKB-500 aft of the sail.
The multipurpose Severodvinsk nuclear submarine program, being built under the 855-Yasen Program, was to carry eight launching devices with 24 P-100 Onyx high-precision stealth anti-ship cruise missiles. The original idea of the "universal silos" was a design with a multi-task profile, making it possible to change the profile of weapons loaded to adjust to several missions.
- Specification on this class of submarine:
- Displacement: 11,800 tons submerged
- Dimensions: 111 x 12 x 8.4 meters/364.2 x 39.4 x 27.6 feet
- Propulsion: Steam turbines, 1 reactor (OK-650B?), 1 shaft, 43,000 shp, 31 knots
- Crew: 50
- Sonar: Irtysh-Amfora suite
Armament: 8 VLS tubes for cruise missiles, 4 25.6 inch torpedo tubes (24 torpedoes, mines, RKP-55/SS-N-21 Granat/Sampson strategic cruise missiles, RPK-7/SS-N-16 Veter/Stallion ASROC)
