Russia's state-of-the-art nuclear-powered submarine, the Emperor Alexander III, executed a successful test launch of the Bulava ballistic missile in the White Sea, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday.
Official reports confirm that the "Bulava" missile can carry a number of individually targetable hypersonic nuclear warheads and is expected to be the lynchpin of Russia's strategic nuclear forces until 2040-2045.
Submarines with Bulava are aimed to empower Russia's nuclear triad. This ship lurks below the surface of the seas and oceans, making their detection impossible until the nuke is fired – thus the possibility of pre-emptive strike by enemy becomes significantly lower.
After the Emperor Alexander III’s final test, the Russian Ministry of Defense is set to decide on the sub’s inclusion into the Navy.