The Project 941 Akula-class heavy nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarine cruiser Dmitry Donskoi has been officially retired by the Russian Navy, primarily due to the exhaustion of its nuclear core. A source close to the Russian Navy informed TASS on Thursday, “The submarine cruiser could not continue its service due to this very problem.” Replacement of the nuclear core was not feasible considering the high expenses involved.
It had served the Russian Northern Fleet for 40 years, and in recent years, it was also used as an important testing platform for new Borei-, Borei-A-, Yasen-, and Yasen-M-class submarines. This submarine had been a lead ship in a series of six heavy nuclear-powered submarines that were missile-carrying subs, designed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering and built at Sevmash Shipyard.
The Dmitry Donskoy was launched on September 29, 1980, and commissioned on December 29, 1981, with intercontinental ballistic missiles of the D-19 strategic missile system. Having been overhauled in 2002 under Project 941UM, it has taken part in trials of the sea-based Bulava ICBM since then. In 2017, the submarine made an inter-fleet transit to the Baltic Sea to take part in Russia’s Main Naval Parade.
Of six Project 941 submarines built for the Russian Navy, three had already been disposed of using US funds. Two others, Arkhangelsk and Severstal, are now withdrawn from service and awaiting disposal.
The Typhoon class, to which the Dmitri Donskoi belongs, has a multi-hulled design comprising five inner hulls within a superstructure of two parallel main hulls. This design includes a host of advanced features for ice-breaking and under-ice travel, making it capable of operating even in Arctic waters. The Typhoon-class submarines are equipped with 20 RSM-52 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each able to carry ten independent multiple reentry vehicles with 100kt nuclear warheads.
The Russian Navy has almost 60 nuclear-powered and diesel-electric submarines at its disposal, with 10 nuclear strategic submarines and over 30 nuclear attack submarines. The Delta-IV and Delta-III class submarines are the mainstay of the strategic submarine fleet of Russia; each of these submarines is armed with 16 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads.
The world’s largest Typhoon-class submarines—not to mention the Dmitry Donskoi, played an ultracritical role for the Russian Navy. Years ago, the Dmitry Donskoi had been overhauled as a test bed for Russia’s newest Bulava missile. Two other Typhoon-class submarines, Arkhangelsk and Severstal, remain in reserve at a naval base in Severodvinsk and could be refitted to carry new-generation sea-based cruise missiles.
Russia is also modernizing its submarine force by fielding the Borey-class nuclear-powered strategic submarines armed with Bulava, or RSM-56, sea-based ballistic missiles. The lead ship in this class, Yury Dolgoruky, was removed from dry dock on April 2007, while a second and third, Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh respectively, are under construction.
The Russian Navy’s nuclear-power attack submarine fleet includes the vessels of the Oscar II class and Akula class, each equipped with 24 SS-N-19 Shipwreck long-range anti-ship cruise missiles. Shortly to be delivered to the Russian Navy will be a fourth-generation nuclear-power attack submarine, Graney class – the Severodvinsk, capable of launching different types of long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads and engaging with hostile submarines and surface warships.
The Russian Navy is represented by diesel-electric submarines of the Kilo class, which are gradually being replaced by Project 667 Lada-class submarines. The first submarine of the Lada class, the St. Petersburg, is undergoing sea trials and could enter service this year, to be followed by the production series.
The Russian Navy also has in service a number of ‘special purpose’ submarines intended to test new technologies and weaponry. Among them is the Project 20120 B-90 Sarov, a diesel-electric submarine with a nuclear reactor as an auxiliary power generator, possibly to be commissioned by the Northern Fleet as a spy vessel in northern waters.