![]() As noted by Russian state media in 2021, nuclear fuel in the submarine’s reactor will likely run out in 3-to 4 years, at which point the decision about whether to make the costly investment in restarting the reactor or to finally retire the ship will need to be made. The Russian Navy could be forced to make a difficult decision on the fate of the Dmitry Donskoi sooner than it may like. Typhoon-class submarine The Typhoon class, Soviet designation Project 941 Akula ( Russian:, meaning 'shark', NATO reporting name Typhoon ), was a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines designed and built by the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. ![]() It is a distinct possibility that the final Dmitry Donskoi could see significantly more service time in the future if its Borei successor is delayed. However, this is likely a highly optimistic assessment of Russian procurement trends. ![]() Russian state media reported in 2021 that the Dmitry Donskoi would not be retired for at least five years, or at least until a new Borei-A nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine is completed which bears the name Dmitry Donskoi as well. The Typhoon-class’s previous niche in Russia’s nuclear deterrent is now complemented (and increasingly co-opted) by the introduction of the smaller and more modern Borei-class ballistic missile submarines, the first of which joined the Russian fleet in 2013 after years of construction delays. Such a refit, even of just one of the two decommissioned Typhoons, would undoubtedly be a heavy lift for the Russian defense industry in terms of cost and expertise, but could fit in well with the Russian navy’s future plans to become an agile force capable of protecting Russia’s long Arctic coastline and maintaining Russia’s nuclear deterrent.įor now, the only Typhoon that the Russian Navy has left to work with is the Dmitry Donskoi, which is interestingly also the first of the class to be built.
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