Russia has announced that it will decide on the submarine to be used in further tests of its Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile by 10 December.

The exact date of the launch will depend on weather conditions in the White Sea.

“With a great degree of certainty, we can say that a Bulava will be test launched from the Borei-class nuclear-powered cruiser Yury Dolgoruky,” said a Russian Government Commission source. “A final decision will be made in the first ten days of December.”

The second stage of Bulava tests are expected to begin by the end of May 2011 if the 2010 launches are considered a success, according to RIA Novosti.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30) SLBM can carry up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of more than 8,000km.