A Russian submarine fired ballistic missiles during a military exercise Saturday, part of testing the country’s nuclear forces.
The Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine Vladimir Monomakh launched four Bulava missiles at targets on a firing range in the Arkhangelsk region in northwest Russia, the Associated Press reported.
Borei-class submarines are capable of carrying 16 Bulava missiles. They displace 24,000 tons of water when submerged, can go up to 29 nautical miles per hour (just over 33 miles per hour), and have six 533-millimeter torpedo tubes for torpedoes or SS-N-15 missiles, according to Naval-Technology.com. (RELATED: Russia And NATO Ramp Up Military Presence In The Arctic As Ice Recedes)
The Bulava missile, also known as the SS-N-30, is a variant of the land-based Topol ballistic missile. It can carry up to ten 550-kiloton nuclear warheads, has a range of up to 10,000 kilometers (roughly 6,000 miles), and is about 12 meters (just under 40 feet) in length, GlobalSecurity.org notes.
The Russian military also tested a number of other nuclear weapons delivery systems during the exercises, including Tu-160 “Blackjack” and Tu-95 “Bear” strategic bombers, cruise missiles, and other ballistic missiles, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
The exercises come as the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, often called NEW START, is slated to expire this coming February.