On 12 December 2020, the Vladimir Monomakh submarine of the Project 955 Borey class a salvo launch of four Bulava missiles from the Sea of Okhotsk toward the Chizha test range. It was the first Bulava launch conducted by a submarine based in the Pacific Fleet and the second four-missile salvo launch of Bulava. The previous launch of this kind took place in May 2018, when the missiles were launched from the Yuri Dolgorukiy submarine.
Vladimir Monomakh conducted its first launch in September 2014. In November 2015 it launched two Bulava missiles. That test did not go well - one missile was said to be damaged as it was leaving the launch tube and ended up missing its target (the second one was destroyed shortly after launch, but that appears to be deliberate). Some reports suggested that Vladimir Monomakh would try to launch a salvo again in June 2016, but it departed to the Pacific Fleet in August 2016 without repeating the attempt.
The test launch followed the strategic force exercise that took place on 9 December 2020.
The launches on 12 December 2020 were the 35-38th tests of Bulava. The 34th test took place in October 2019.
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I'm still trying to understand the reasoning in Russia's decision to move to a solid propellant missile. The US has acknowledged for many years that Russian liquid propellant engines are significantly superior to those in the US. Conversely, the R-39 had numerous issues and Bulava has had an atrocious failure rate. The R-29, on the other hand, has not only proven to be extremely reliable, but demonstrates the inherent superiority--which comes down to significantly superior specific impulse--of liquid fueled propulsion systems over solids. The R-29 can do the job of the Trident II D5 with significantly reduced weight and size. Russia should be playing to its strengths. Instead, I see an unjustified need to emulate US philosophy in this area.
The navy hate liquid-fuel missiles. They may be good in terms of efficiency, but they are not exactly the safest thing to be around when you are on a submarine.
Indeed ! I believe the RU navy knows that from experience...
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