During his August news conference, the Russian Navy's Commander in Chief, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, confirmed that development of their new nuclear SLBM, the R-39UTTKh or 3M-91 [SS-NX-28], was being abandoned. This was the weapon designed for their new SSBN, Yuri Dolguruky.

According to the admiral, a new weapon will be designed, based on the SS-X-27 Topol-M, a smaller solid-fuel missile, and will be "70% adapted for one more arm of the service that also uses ballistic missiles." In other words, Strategic Rocket Forces.

He also stated that the new missile will have a greater range but a lighter weight, implying fewer or smaller warheads.

Construction of Yuri Dolguruky, already proceeding at a snail's pace, has been halted until the missile development program is settled in. Construction started in 1996, and was previously planned to finish in 2002.

A Navy in Crisis: Russian Navy News 1998

Russian Submariner Runs Amok
Hard Numbers on Russia's Navy
Russians Abandon Development of SS-NX-28
Cool Russian Submarine Page

BT