Russia’s New Nuclear Submarine Tests Intercontinental Missile

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Russia has successfully fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called “the Bulava” from its new strategic nuclear submarine “the Imperator Alexander III”.

This launch closely follows Russia’s withdrawal of the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which aimed to put an end to nuclear testing and pacify the relations between Russia and the US. The relations between the countries are currently at an all-time low, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to Interesting Engineering, when it comes to the nuclear front, Russia has built nuclear submarines under the 955 Borei project, the “Imperator Alexander III” being the seventh such submarine in the fleet and the fourth of the modernized variant.

NATO reportedly recognizes these submarines as the Dolgoruky class of submarines that can carry 16 Bulava ICBMs, which are each 12 meters long and have a range of 8,000 km.

The Russian defense ministry claims it had fired a Bulava missile from an underwater position in the White Sea off Russia’s northern coast, which allegedly reached its target thousands of miles away in the Kamchatka peninsula in the Russian Far East.

The Federation of American Scientists claims that the Bulava missile can carry as many as six nuclear warheads. Furthermore, the Alexander III is expected to carry a more maneuverable and quieter version of the Bulava ICBM. The Russian defense ministry said in a statement that this firing test being part of the final tests before a decision on the Bulava’s induction.

Apart from Alexander III, Russia currently has three Borei class submarines in operation, another one in final testing phases, and three in production, all being part of its plans to strengthen its naval presence.