Russian Navy's Khabarovsk nuclear submarine begins factory sea trials in White Sea

Published Aug 18, 08:36 AM UTC

On August 17, 2026, the Russian Navy's Project 09851 Khabarovsk nuclear submarine departed the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk to begin its first factory sea trials in the White Sea. This is the first submarine designed from inception to carry six 2M39 Poseidon nuclear-powered autonomous underwater vehicles, a 50% increase over the earlier Belgorod variant. The 10,000-tonne, 135-meter vessel features a novel forward-hull geometry, KTP-6-185SP pressurized-water reactor, and pump-jet propulsion. Construction began in July 2014, with delivery originally planned for 2020, making the program roughly six years behind schedule. After acceptance, the submarine is intended for the Pacific Fleet based in Kamchatka's Krasheninnikov Bay.