A new nuclear-powered submarine that will soon enter service with the Russian Navy has successfully launched a ballistic missile as part of its final tests, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters.

The ministry said that Generalissimo Suvorov launched a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile in the northern part of the White Sea with a payload that reached a test site in Russia’s Kamchatka region in the Far East.

“Mace” is designed to carry a nuclear warhead.

“Generalissimus Suvorov” is the second Borei-A class submarine built. Moscow says it is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation systems, radio equipment, sonar and can carry missile systems and torpedoes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave two speeches in September in which he said he would use nuclear weapons if necessary to defend Russia in its war in Ukraine, where his troops invaded eight months ago.

The submarine “Generalissimus Suvorov” belongs to the nuclear submarines of the fourth generation.

The Generalissimus Suvorov nuclear-powered submarine was built at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk and went to the White Sea for the first time in July to test the propulsion system.

Construction of the Generalissimus Suvorov submarine began on December 26, 2014 at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, which is part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). It was launched on December 25, 2021. It is planned that the new submarine will strengthen the group of nuclear submarines of the fleet in the Pacific Ocean, reports Defenseromania.ro with reference to TASS.

The submarine “Generalissimus Suvorov” is part of the nuclear submarines of the fourth generation and belongs to the improved project 955A, developed by the St. Petersburg Central Marine Engineering Bureau “Rubin”.

The first submarine of project 955A “Prince Volodymyr” was accepted into the Russian Navy on June 12, 2020. Later, on December 21, 2021, the first serial submarine of this type, “Knyaz Oleg”, was handed over to the fleet.

Current plans of the Russian Navy provide for the construction and commissioning of 12 Borei and Borei-A class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines for the Northern and Pacific fleets (six for each fleet).

Today, five submarines of this type are in service with the two navies, of which three belong to the Pacific Fleet (K-550 “Alexander Nevsky”, K-551 “Volodymyr Monomakh” and K-552 “Knyaz Oleg”), and two Northern Fleet (K-535 Yuriy Dolgoruky and K-549 Prince Volodymyr).

Construction of the last two strategic submarines of Project 955A is planned to begin in 2023.

Borei-class and Borei-A class submarines can take on board 16 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles each.