Skyrocketing costs of launching ‘new’ nuclear submarine flex muscles Russia does not have

The Severodvinsk, the flagship for the new Yasen class of large scale Russian submarines, has failed sea trials in the White Sea, revealing reactor power problems, noisy operation, untested missile equipment, faulty components and huge cost overruns that will cause further problems and setbacks for the vessel’s scheduled serial production.

A military source told Russian papers that the navy was laying most of its chips on the table with the Yasen design, saying its status as a multipurpose nuclear sub means it will be a first alert “against missile cruisers from western countries.”

But an anonymous Ministry of Defense source cited by the Russian newsire interfax said the Severodvinsk is hardly up to that task after the results of its sea trials were known.

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