Belgorod mega-sub falls short of its potential
Construction of the massive nuclear-powered submarine Belgorod has been completed, according to the head of the Russian Navy. (Photo: TASS)
Is the Russian Belgorod special-purpose submarine really operational? Key capabilities remain unavailable, despite positive talk from the Russian Navy.
The United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) announced on 8 July that the Project 09852 nuclear-powered special-purpose submarine Belgorod was formally accepted into the Russian Navy in a ceremony at Russia's largest shipbuilding facility, Northern Machine Building Enterprise (Sevmash) in Severodvinsk.
Belgorod is designed to carry Poseidon nuclear-powered and nuclear-tipped autonomous underwater vehicles.
At the flag-raising ceremony, Navy Commander-in-Chief Nikolay Yevmenov stressed: ‘Advanced scientific achievements and state-of-the-art construction technologies were used in the creation of the ship using the existing technical reserves. The submarine Belgorod opens up new opportunities for Russia in carrying out various research activities and makes it possible to
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