On February 3, 2024, a ceremony was held at the Production Association “Northern Machine-Building Enterprise” (NPO “Sevmash”, of the United Shipbuilding Corporation – USC) in Severodvinsk to take the newly built strategic nuclear-powered submarine cruiser K-555 “Knyaz Pozharsky”, of modified project 09552 (project 955A, code-named “Borei-A”), out of the workshop for subsequent launching into the water for the Russian Navy.
“Knyaz Pozharsky” is the fifth strategic nuclear-powered submarine cruiser (SSBN) of modified project 09552 and the eighth overall nuclear-powered submarine cruiser of the new “Borei” series.
“Knyaz Pozharsky” is being built under a contract signed on May 25, 2012, between Russia’s Ministry of Defence and USC to construct four serial SSBNs for project 955A. The fourth and final SSBN under this contract, K-555 “Knyaz Pozharsky,” was set down at NPO “Sevmash” on December 23, 2016.
The lead SBNS K-552 “Knyaz Oleg” under this contract was formally laid down at NPO “Sevmash” on July 27, 2014, launched from the company’s slipway on July 16, 2020, and delivered to the Russian Navy on December 21, 2021.
The second submarine under this contract, K-553 “Generalissimus Suvorov,” was set down at NPO “Sevmash” on December 26, 2014, launched from the company’s slipway on December 25, 2021, and delivered to the Russian Navy on December 29, 2022.
The third SSBN under this contract, K-554 “Emperor Alexander III,” was laid down at NPO “Sevmash” on December 18, 2015, launched from the slipway on December 29, 2022, and delivered to the Russian Navy on December 11, 2023.
In July 2020, Russia’s Ministry of Defence inked a contract with USC to build two more SSBNs under Project 955A. Their official keel-laying ceremonies, known as “Dmitry Donskoy” and “Knyaz Potemkin,” took place on August 23, 2021, at NPO “Sevmash.”
The lead SSBN, K-549 “Knyaz Vladimir,” was built at NPO “Sevmash” under a separate contract between USC and Russia’s Ministry of Defence dated May 25, 2012. The official keel-laying of “Knyaz Vladimir” took place on July 30, 2012, in Severodvinsk (but construction had already begun in 2009). The ship was launched from the NPO “Sevmash” slipway on November 17, 2017. “Knyaz Vladimir” from Severodvinsk underwent its maiden sea trials on November 28, 2018, and was commissioned into the Russian Navy on June 12, 2020.
Previously, NPO “Sevmash” built and delivered the first three SSBNs of project 955 (09551, “Borei”) to the Russian Navy: K-535 “Yury Dolgoruky” – transferred to the Russian Navy on January 10, 2013, K-550 “Alexander Nevsky” – transferred to the Russian Navy on December 23, 2013, and K-551 “Vladimir Monomakh” – transferred to the Russian Navy on December 19, 2014.
Of the seven nuclear-powered submarine cruisers of strategic purpose series project 955 commissioned to date, the Northern Fleet – 31st Submarine Division – includes the lead ship of project 09551 K-535 “Yury Dolgoruky” and the lead ship of modified project 09552 K-549 “Knyaz Vladimir.” The Pacific Fleet, headquartered in Vilyuchinsk – 25th Submarine Division – includes the serial submarine cruisers of project 09551 K-550 “Alexander Nevsky” and K-551 “Vladimir Monomakh,” as well as cruisers of project 09552 K-552 “Knyaz Oleg,” K-553 “Generalissimus Suvorov,” and K-554 “Emperor Alexander III.” K-554 has yet to arrive in the Pacific Fleet.
