September 28, 2025: Recently, the Russian Northern Fleet received another Borei-A class SSBN, making eight of these nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines in service. The Russian Navy is more than halfway through its SSBN upgrade and refurbishment program. Currently, Russia has fifteen SSBNs in service, eight of which are Borei class, with six more planned. Russia still operates seven Cold War-era Delta class SSBNs, with several undergoing refurbishment to extend their service life.

Russia has planned a major naval expansion since the 1990s, aiming to replace all remaining Cold War-era ships and add new ships and submarines. This plan faced disruptions due to financial difficulties, less efficient shipyards compared to the Soviet era, a shortage of skilled workers, and disagreements over which new ships to prioritize. There was consensus that submarines, particularly ballistic missile-carrying SSBNs, should take precedence. SSBNs are a critical component of Russia’s nuclear missile arsenal, valued more than land-based silo missiles because they are harder to detect and attack at sea. SSN nuclear attack submarines were also prioritized, some to escort and protect SSBNs, others to carry cruise or anti-ship missiles. This focus on submarines delayed the production of new surface warships.

Since the late 1990s, Russia has struggled to replace Cold War-era warships, most of which have reached the end of their useful lives. Many, though listed as in service, rarely leave port. Russian admirals recognize that without replacements, the navy risks significant decline by 2030. Refurbishing or upgrading older ships is costlier than building new ones, especially since post-1991 financial constraints limited repairs and upgrades during the 1990s.

While surface ships received minimal upgrades, submarines were prioritized for new construction, even in the 1990s, though progress slowed in the 2010s. Financial constraints have limited replacements for the Delta class SSBNs, leading to a refurbishment program to extend their service life.

The construction of eight new Borei class SSBNs was prioritized, though the first did not enter service until 2013 due to delays. Funding was secured to complete several partially built Boreis, preventing the SSBN fleet from shrinking to as few as four submarines.

The Russian economy recovered in the late 1990s, and after 2000, parliament allocated more funds to maintain a respectable surface fleet. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to a loss of warship-building expertise. Before 2014, Russia sought to address this by partnering with France to acquire modern warship-building techniques through the purchase of two Mistral amphibious assault ships and licenses to build two more in Russian shipyards. This deal aimed to transfer Western shipbuilding knowledge, but Russian efforts focused primarily on completing submarines and building surface ships for export. Quality control issues persisted, with the Navy often rejecting ships, especially submarines, that failed sea trials.

The Boreis may be the last SSBNs Russia can afford for some time. Despite allocating a significant portion of its defense budget to SSBNs, the post-Cold War naval budget continued to shrink. Financial strain worsened after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a major miscalculation impacting the entire Russian military.

Despite setbacks, work on SSBNs continues, albeit slowly. In late 2020, a Borei class SSBN conducted a multiple missile launch from the Sea of Okhotsk, firing four Bulava SLBMs that landed 5,500 kilometers away in the Chizha test range near Arkhangelsk. This followed a 2018 test where another Borei in the White Sea fired four Bulava SLBMs 6,000 kilometers to the Kura test range off Kamchatka. These tests, while impressive, fell short of a 1991 Delta IV test, where all sixteen R-29 SLBMs were launched. In 1998, a Typhoon class SSBN launched all twenty R-39 SLBMs as part of a START disarmament agreement, programmed to self-destruct shortly after launch.

The Borei class, the first post-Cold War Russian SSBN, began construction in 1996 but took 17 years to complete due to a loss of skilled shipyard workers. Soviet-era Delta IVs, built in three to four years, contrast with the eight years now required for Boreis. Delays in developing reliable Bulava SLBMs forced older Delta class SSBNs to remain in service longer, with six refurbished to compensate for their reduced seaworthiness. The eight Boreis now in service help offset this issue.

The fourth Borei, the first Borei-A, incorporated improvements like enhanced electronics, a quieter hull, and better maneuverability. Additional sonar arrays, a sleeker hull design, and a small sauna for crew morale were added, though plans for four extra SLBM tubes were scrapped due to costs. These changes aligned the Borei-A with Western SSBN designs but limited Russia to building ten Boreis.