"We have discussed this issue today and we believe that the year 2021 is a realistic term," he told journalists while visiting the Zvezda Shipyard in the Russian Far East.

BOLSHOI KAMEN (Primorye Region), February 6. /TASS/. Russia’s Pacific Fleet may get four upgraded Project 949A Antey nuclear-powered submarines armed with Kalibr cruise missiles already in 2021, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Tuesday.

The Pacific Fleet may also get already this year the nuclear submarine Omsk of this Project that was earlier expected to be delivered in 2019, the deputy defense minister noted.

The Zvezda Shipyard will soon launch work to repair and upgrade Project 955 Borei-class nuclear submarines, he said.

"New Borei subs will arrive here soon. The Zvezda will provide maintenance and repairs and upgrade this grouping," the deputy defense minister said.

It was reported earlier that Antey nuclear-powered submarines would be rearmed with Kalibr cruise missiles during their heavy upgrade at the Zvezda Shipyard while their service life would be doubled. CEO of the Rubin Central Bureau for Marine Engineering Igor Vilnit told TASS that not all the submarines of this class operational in the Fleet were slated for the upgrade.

Overall, Russia has built 11 submarines of this class and now the Russian Navy operates only eight of them. Each submarine displaces 24,000 tonnes and is furnished with 24 Granit cruise missile launchers and six torpedo tubes.