According to recent reports, Russia’s newest nuclear-powered submarine, the Borei-class submarine Knyaz Vladimir, is expected to move to its permanent base in the Pacific Ocean in the coming weeks. The submarine, which is part of the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet, was commissioned in late 2019, and is expected to become operational in August 2020.
The Knyaz Vladimir is the first of the Borei-class submarines to be based in the Pacific Ocean, and is the first of its kind to be assigned to the region. The submarine is equipped with 16 intercontinental Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles, which are capable of delivering up to 10 nuclear warheads to a range of over 8,000 kilometers. The Bulava missile has been successfully tested several times in the last few years, and some reports suggest that the Borei-class submarines equipped with it are the most modern and deadliest nuclear submarines in the Russian Navy.
The Russian Navy is said to be in the process of modernizing and upgrading its fleets, which includes the Pacific Fleet. The Knyaz Vladimir’s deployment in the region is expected to further bolster the Russian Navy’s capabilities, particularly in the realm of nuclear deterrence.