Alexander Nevsky (K-550)

Alexander Nevsky (K-550) History

The

Alexander Nevsky (K-550) is a relatively new ballistic missile submarine commissioned by the Russian Navy as part of a comprehensive upgrade and modernization program affecting all of Russias major services. The ship is nuclear-powered, giving it essentially unlimited underwater range, while its armament enables it to carry a nuclear payload.

This power can act both as a deterrent and as a defense against foreign and military intervention in the Russian state.

Construction of the

Nevsky began on March 19, 2004 by the shipyard Sevmash in Severodvinsk, Russia. She was launched on December 6, 2010, sea-trialed in 2011, and officially commissioned on December 23, 2013, as the second vessel in the advanced Borei-class ballistic missile submarine. This class is the first ship of its kind to be commissioned by the Russian Navy since the end of the Cold War (1947-1991). Led by Yury Dolgorukiy, the group was adopted as the successor to the Delta III and Delta IV series of ships (detailed elsewhere on this page) as well as the Soviet-era series of large Typhoons.

The lesson plan has a total of eight to ten ships.

The ship displaces 14,720 tons (short) when surfaced and 24,000 tons (short) when underwater. Its dimensions include a barrel length of 557.8 feet, a beam of 44.2 feet and a draft of 32.9 feet. Her profile is very traditional, with a rounded bow cone, forward placed sails and a ribbed stern section. Along her dorsal side and stern is the Vertical Launch System (VLS) for her primary nuclear payload, while her bow contains conventional torpedo launchers. Propulsion is provided by an OK-650B nuclear reactor and an AEU steam turbine driving a single shaft.

A top speed of 28 knots makes her a very fast submarine, and she is designed to run with care. A typical crew size is 130 officers and men.

In terms of armament, Nevsky's main combat load consisted of 16 x 3M30 "Bulava" (NATO: SS-NX-32) submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). These three-stage solid-fuel/liquid-propellant systems are approximately 40 feet tall and 6.6 feet in diameter, with a warhead mounted on top, and can accommodate up to 10 reentry vehicles, each with a nuclear yield of 150 kilotons.

The submarine also has basic torpedo launch capabilities, including six 21-inch (533 mm) diameter tubes that also support the launch of the RPK-2 Viyuga cruise missile against land/ship targets.

Despite setbacks in the Bulava missile program, the Neva missile has been pushed into service. The ship is said to have completed the successful launch of the missile in question, a big step forward for a class that is building strength.

As of this writing (2015), the Alexander Nevsky remains active in the Russian fleet.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing