Only 8 Russian strategic submarines are combat-ready

Russia's navy has 12 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines in service, but only eight of them are combat-capable, a Russian military analyst said on Monday.

"Out of 12 vessels, Northern Fleet's Typhoon class Dmitry Donskoi submarine has been overhauled to test new Bulava sea-based ballistic missiles, six Delta-IV class units are being refitted with modernized version of the R-29RM (SS-N-23) missile, known as Sineva, and five Delta-III class submarines are deployed with the Pacific Fleet" said Mikhail Barabanov, editor-in-chief of the Moscow Defense Brief magazine.

"Submarines of the Delta-III class are being gradually decommissioned. About eight [strategic] submarines in total are considered combat-ready," the analyst said.

Read more