Russia works on design of 5th-generation submarines

Russia has started working on designing the fifth generation nuclear submarine which may go into serial production after 2020, a senior military officer said Wednesday.

"At present time, the design works are underway to create nuclear submarines of the fifth generation," Russian Navy chief Victor Chirkov told reporters on the occasion of Day of Submarine Fleet.

Chirkov said the navy will be supplied with fourth-generation submarines until 2020 but "tough laws of shipbuilding don't allow time gaps between consequent generations of the submarines" due to rapid pace of scientific and technical progress.

"This is why we require from the industry to start working on design of the next generation of the subs as soon as the design of the previous generation has been completed," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

Such approach permits Russia not to lose the technological race, the admiral added.

The newest submarines will possess enhanced stealth technology, improved communication systems and systems preventing collision with other vessels, as well as advanced weaponry, Chirkov said.

He also noted that strategic and multi-purpose submarines serving in the Pacific and Northern fleets guarantee Russia high level of security as they are a means of global military containment.