New nuclear sub ready for Russian navy

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SEVERODVINSK, Russia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The first of a new class of Russian ballistic missile nuclear submarine is ready to be put into service with the Russian Navy, officials said.

The hoisting of the flag on the Yury Dolgoruky submarine and the signing of the acceptance act will be held at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, the Rubin design bureau said in a statement.

A second Borey class sub, the Alexander Nevsky, is undergoing sea trials and could join Russia's Pacific Fleet in 2014, while a third, the Vladimir Monomakh, is under construction at the Sevmash shipyard, RIA Novosti reported.

Borey class strategic submarines are 580 feet long, with a hull 42 feet in diameter, and carry up to 16 multiple-warhead ballistic missiles.

A crew of 107 can take the sub to a maximum depth of about 1,500 feet and cruise at a submerged speed of about 29 knots, RIA Novosti said.

Russia is reportedly planning to build eight Borey class subs by 2020.