Russia’s Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine to join navy by summer 2025 PHOTO

Russia’s Navy is set to receive its newest multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarine, the Arkhangelsk, in the summer of 2025.

The submarine, built at the Sevmash shipyard as part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, is of the Project 885M class (NATO reporting name: Yasen-M), Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

According to Vladimir Maltsov, head of the All-Russian Movement for Fleet Support, the Arkhangelsk is currently undergoing state trials.

"At present, the Arkhangelsk is undergoing state tests, and it is planned that the submarine will be handed over to the Russian Navy in the summer of 2025," Maltsov said.

In June 2024, the Arkhangelsk set sail for the first time to conduct factory sea trials. Sevmash is also constructing five submarines of the Project 885M class. The Severodvinsk, Kazan, Novosibirsk, and Krasnoyarsk — submarines from both Projects 885 and 885M — have already been delivered to the fleet.

The primary weaponry of the Yasen-M class submarines includes the Oniks and/or Kalibr-PL cruise missiles, designed for both land-attack and anti-ship roles.

Meanwhile, Russia initiated the design of nuclear-powered submarines intended to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic to Asia, aiming to cut the journey time along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) by nearly half.

Currently, Russia employs nuclear-powered icebreakers to clear the way for LNG transport along the NSR, which stretches from Murmansk in the west to the Bering Strait in the east. This route is viewed as a potential alternative to the Suez Canal, and Russia is keen to develop it further.

However, Russia faces a shortage of vessels capable of navigating thick Arctic ice, posing a challenge to its Arctic LNG 2 project, which has been sanctioned by the US due to Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. While the Arctic LNG 2 facility began production in December, it has yet to deliver LNG to final buyers.

Mikhail Kovalchuk, a key ally of President Putin, revealed the submarine project at a recent conference in St. Petersburg. The new class of nuclear-powered submarines would provide a year-round alternative to traditional gas carriers, which require icebreaker assistance.

The vessels are expected to reduce transit time on the NSR from 20 to 12 days and carry 180,000 tons of LNG. However, some experts are sceptical, questioning the feasibility of the project due to technical and logistical challenges.

By Aghakazim Guliyev