According to a source in the Military-Industrial Commission, quoted by RIA Novosti, Project 955A submarines will carry 16 Bulava SLBMs, not 20, as most reports previously stated.
Construction of the lead submarine of the Project 955A class, Knyaz Vladimir, was formally started in July 2012 (although substantial amount of work on the hull had been already done by then). Unlike the three Project 955 submarines, Knyaz Vladimir does not use components of previously build ships.
Comments
Strange. All other sources have claimed that the updated class will carry 20 SLBMs.
What a waste a submarine with displacement > Ohio class but armed with only 16 less than 40 tonne SLBMs vs ~ 50 tonne Trident D5.
I think the original 12 Grom plan made much more sense...
Makyevev needs to design a new SLBM pronto!