The delivery of Russia’s first Borei-A class nuclear submarine Knyaz Vladimir has been postponed to 2019. The construction of the submarine began in 2012, and at first it was expected to enter service in 2017. Then it was postponed to 2018, but now it is clear that it will take even more time before the submarine is ready. That reports FlotProm.

Borei-A is an improved development of the Borei-class. The first Borei-class submarine, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, entered service in 2013, but the construction started already in 1996. There are now three operational Borei-class submarines in the Russian navy, and five Borei-A class ships are under construction.

The Borei class is a nuclear powered submarine which carries 16 Bulava intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles. They are the cornerstone in Russia’s future submarine based nuclear deterrent, replacing the Kalmar-class, Delfin-class, and Akula-class submarines (NATO-names Delta-III, Delta IV, and Typhoon).

Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov has earlier announced that Russia is also working on a Borei-B class, but that is still in early development.

Delays are a common phenomenon in Russian warship construction. Current examples include the landing ship Ivan Gren and the frigate Admiral Gorshkov. Ivan Gren will be commissioned on 9 May 2018 after being under construction since 2004. Admiral Gorshkov has been under construction since 2006. It was originally expected to enter service in 2011, but the frigate is still not ready for duty. The latest prognosis is that the navy can take over Admiral Gorshkov in August.