Russian Navy to get upgraded nuclear submarines by 2020 - commander
MOSCOW. April 8 (Interfax-AVN) - More than ten upgraded nuclear submarines will be assigned to the Russian Navy by 2020, Commander of the Russian Navy Admiral Viktor Chirkov said while visiting the Zvyozdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk, a Defense Ministry spokesman told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"More than ten nuclear submarines of projects 971, 945 and 949 are to be upgraded for the Russian Navy at the Zvyozdochka Ship-Repair Center and at the Zvezda Far East Plant," Chirkov said.
A force of modernized multirole submarines will re-enter service with the Northern and Pacific fleets' submarine force, he said.
The nuclear submarines will get modernized life support systems, hydro-acoustic and navigation equipment, and systems of control and communication. Project 971 and 945 submarines' service life will almost double and their tactical-technical characteristics will be improved, enhancing the quality of their employment, the admiral said.
Chirkov said that he had inspected the repairs and modernization of the Project 971 Leopard and Project 945 Karp multirole submarines at the Zvyozdochka Ship Repairs Center. He also heard the company management's report on further plans to repair and upgrade these nuclear submarines. Decisions were made that will help complete the modernization of the of the first Project 971 submarine and assign it to the Navy in 2015-16, and a Project 945 nuclear submarine in 2017.
