Russia Launches Project To Create Next-Generation Nuclear Sub

[Ryan Ruck]

Russia Launches Project To Create Next-Generation Nuclear Sub

MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Russia's Navy Command has approved a project to design and build a next-generation submarine with limited displacement, Anatoly Shlemov, head of the Defense Ministry's Naval Orders, Deliveries, Armaments and Hardware Department, told Interfax.

"A submarine of this class will guarantee the combat reliability of Yury Dolgoruky-class strategic nuclear-powered missile submarines and fulfill other tasks performed by multipurpose nuclear submarines," Shlemov said.

"The displacement of this class of submarines must be 5,000-6,000 tonnes," the military said.

[Brian Baldwin]

Would this be the one mentioned above?

http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=11479353

Mar 15 2006 6:07PM
Russia to build an elite submarine group

MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax) - An elite submarine group is to be created in Russia, President Vladimir Putin said.
A fourth-generation submarine, equipped with the next-generation missile complex Bulava will be added to the Russian Navy soon. It will be the flag submarine in the elite grouping," Putin told a meeting marking the 100th anniversary of Russia's submarine fleet.
"Our main goal is to create a fleet capable of dealing with present-day threats and rebuffing any military-political pressure on our country, a fleet that would guarantee our people's naval might and security," he said.
Putin also said that "the submarine fleet's quality and technological overhaul ranks among the state's priorities." The program to upgrade weapons and build new ships serves this particular purpose," the Russian president said.

[Ryan Ruck]

Actually, I believe that the submarines referenced in your article are the new Borei (and possibly modernized Typhoon) class SSBNs. If you note that the article mentions that this new "elite submarine group" will use the new Bulava missile (submarine version of the Topol-M). Since the aforementioned subs will carry the Bulava, they will be fairly large displacement.

The submarines in my original post are said to be of limited displacement. I take it to mean that these are going to be either smaller, faster nuclear powered attack submarines or, possibly even small nuclear submarines meant for Spetsnaz/Osnaz covert ops insertions.