WAX2003012852 - USS FLORIDA, Bahamas, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- USS Florida launches a Tomahawk cruise missile during Giant Shadow in the waters off the coast of the Bahamas on Jan. 14, 2003. Giant Shadow is a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)/Naval Submarine Forces experiment to test the capabilities of the Navy's future guided missile submarines. Florida is one of four Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) being converted to guided missile submarines (SSGN). Giant Shadow is the first experiment under the "Sea Trial" initiative of the Chief of Naval Operations' Sea Power 21 vision and the first in a series of experiments before converting and overhauling the four SSBNs to SSGNs. The SSGNs will have the capability to support and launch up to 154 Tomahawk missiles, a significant increase in capacity as compared to other platforms. rlw/U.S. Navy UPI | License Photo

Russian nuclear powered submarine "Magadan" is at a pier at the Vilyuchinsk military base at the Kamchatka Peninsula. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov). | License Photo

President Dmitry Medvedev (C) with Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov (L) and Naval Commander Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky visit the 'St. George the Victor' nuclear powered submarine. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov) | License Photo

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, wearing a NAVY uniform, visits the 'St. George the Victor' nuclear powered submarine at the Russian Pacific Fleet submarine base at Krasheninnikov Harbor on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov) | License Photo

MOSCOW, March 23 (UPI) -- Russia is likely to place more emphasis on lighter attack submarines armed with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles in the future, military officials say.

With advances in the range and sophistication of tactical nuclear arms, Russian military leaders say low-yield nuclear warheads attached to cruise missiles fired from attack submarines make more sense than loading powerful bombs onto bigger strategic submarines, RIA Novosti reported.


"Probably, tactical nuclear weapons (on submarines) will play a key role in the future," Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev, deputy head of the Russian navy general staff, told the news service. "Their range and precision are gradually increasing."

Burtsev added: "There is no longer any need to equip missiles with powerful nuclear warheads. We can install low-yield warheads on existing cruise missiles."

An example of the kind of equipment to be favored in the future is the new Severodvinsk nuclear-powered attack submarine, to be commissioned in 2010-11, Burtsev said. It reportedly has the ability to launch long-range cruise missiles tipped with nuclear warheads, and can also battle hostile submarines and surface warships.