Sevmash, a division of Russia's state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), launched a new nuclear-powered cruise missile-capable attack submarine on Tuesday, July 28.
The future Ulyanovsk (Ульяновск) belongs to the Project 885M series, otherwise known as the Yasen-M-class.
Like her sisters, she will have a length of 130 metres, a hull diameter of 13 metres, a maximum rated depth of 658 metres, a maximum submerged speed of 35 knots, and space for 64 crewmembers upon her completion.
The submarine’s armament will consist of torpedoes and cruise missiles such as Zircon hypersonic missiles. Ulyanovsk's sister boat Perm will be Russia's first nuclear-powered submarine to be fitted with Zircon missiles after she enters service later this year.
Design work on the sole Project 885 submarine and the eleven Project 885M boats including Ulyanovsk is being undertaken by USC subsidiary Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau.
The Project 885 and Project 885M submarines will replace the Russian Navy’s Project 949/Oscar-class and Project 971/Akula-class boats, which were originally built in the 1980s.
