"The sixth submarine of the Project 855 [Yasen-class] will be laid at down at [Russia's shipbuilding company] Sevmash in December 2016. A new Borey-class submarine will be laid down in July," the spokesman told RIA Novosti.
According to Russia's Naval Doctrine, Yasen-class submarines will become the main multipurpose nuclear-powered subs in the Russian Navy.
By 2020, the Russian Navy also plans to operate a total of eight Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines, which will become the mainstay of the naval component of the country's strategic nuclear deterrent.
related report World's Largest Akula-Class Nuclear Submarines to Be Recycled in Russia A total of six Project 941 (NATO reporting name Typhoon) submarines were built in the Soviet era. The remaining Severstal and Arkhangelsk submarines have been in reserve with the Russian Navy, while the Dmitry Donskoy Project 941UM was upgraded to carry Bulava ballistic missiles.
"A decision has now been made to recycle the Severstal and the Arkhangelsk at the Zvezdochka plant in Severodvinsk [Arkhangelsk Region]," the source said.
The defense industry representative noted that the vessels could have been capable of carrying 300 new Kalibr cruise missiles if they had been upgraded.
The soon-to-be-retired submarines were built in reaction to the US Navy's Ohio class nuclear-powered submarines. They allowed the Soviet Union and the United States to reach parity in terms of marine strategic nuclear forces, confirmed at the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT II) in 1979.