Nuclear-powered submarine Yekaterinburg leaves slip dock of Zvezdochka Shipyard (photo)

Strategic nuclear-powered submarine Yekaterinburg (project 667BDRM) has left the slip dock of Ship Repair Center ‘Zvezdochka’, the system says in its press release.

The construction of Project 667BDRM Delfin-class (Delta IV) submarines commenced in 1981 at Northern Machine-Building Enterprise (Sevmash). In 1984-1990, RF Navy was expanded with seven ships of this type. As of today, RF Navy numbers six submarines of Project 667BDRM. In 1999-2012, all the ships of this project underwent interim overhaul and modernization at Zvezdochka Shipyard.

The Yekaterinburg was laid down on 17 February 1982 at the Russian Northern Machine-Building Enterprise (Sevmash). She was commissioned into the Soviet Navy in 1985. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the submarine continued to serve in the Russian Navy. Initially known only by her hull number, in February 1999 she was renamed after the city of Yekaterinburg.

Zvezdochka carried out interim overhaul and modernization of the Yekaterinburg in 2003. In June 2012, the ship was delivered to Zvezdochka (Severodvinsk) for repair and extension of the ship’s lifetime by 3 years. Under the state contract, the delivery of the submarine to RF Navy will be held in the forth quarter of 2014. 

Zvezdochka will repair and extend lifetime of all Delfin-class submarines. Nuclear-powered  ballistic missile submarine Tula will come to the shipyard in 2014. 

According to open sources, the Project 667BDRM Delfin-class (Delta IV) submarines have a length of 167m, breadth - 12 m, displacement - about 12,000 tons, maximum depth - 400 meters, underwater speed - up to 24 knots, crew - 140 people. Armaments include a D-9RM missile system (16 RSM-54 ballistic missiles) and four 533-mm torpedo tubes (18 torpedoes). The Project 667BDRM was designed by the St. Petersburg-based Rubin Marine Equipment Design Bureau. Chief designer – Sergey Kovalev. 

Severodvinsk-based Zvezdochka Shipyard (Ship Repair Center ‘Zvezdochka’) is a diversified shipbuilding enterprise. It has two covered slipways with seven shipbuilding yards, which are designed for retrofitting and construction of vessels with a launching weight of up to 18,000 tons. The firm is majority owned by Northern Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center, part of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation.