December 21, 2003 :: London Guardian :: News
On Sunday, December 21, Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces formally deployed a new regiment of six silo-based Topol-M (SS-27) intercontinental ballistic missiles, armed with a single warhead each. Announcement of the deployment comes just ten days after a test of the SS-N-30 SLBM. The deployment supplements three additional regiments at the Tatishchevo base, bringing the total number of operationally deployed Topol-M missiles to 36. Tatishchevo is located in the Saratov region, in the southwest part of Russia, next to Kazakstan.
Ten SS-27s were first deployed in 1998; two more sets followed in 1999 and 2000. Plans were to deploy additional missiles at a rate of 10 per year were delayed by budget constraints. None were deployed since 2000, and the most recent batch consists of only 6.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who inaugurated the new regiment, described the SS-27s as a “21st-century weapon”: “This is the most advanced state-of-the-art missile in the world,” he said in remarks broadcast on Russian television. Xinhau also quotes Putin to say that Russia has made “a number of breakthroughs” in developing new 21st century weapons and will do everything in their power to continue this momentum.
The SS-27 has a range of 10,000 - 10,500km, rather high accuracy, and is said to launch must faster than its predecessors and maneuver so as to evade interception. According to Ivanov, the system has a payload capacity of up to 1.2 tons, is “the most advanced strategic missile systems produced in Russia” and enables the “fully combat ready” regiment to “meet all the demands and criteria of the Defense Ministry.”
A mobile rail version of the SS-27—-useful because difficult to target in advance—-will be operational next year, according to the head of the Strategic Rocket Forces, Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov. This mobile version would also have multiple independently targetable warheads(MIRVs)—from three to six in number, according to different sources. A sea-launched (SLBM) version of the SS-27, the SS-N-27 Bulava, is already in the development and testing stage.
Russian officials also spoke of plans, however, for yet more advanced missile. This next-generation heavy nuclear missile would be mobile and carry up to ten nuclear warheads, with a total (massive) payload weight of 4.4 tons, to enter service after 2009. By comparison, the Topol-M has a combat payload of 1.32 tons. Russia currently has deployed an estimated total of about 627, of five types of land-based missile systems—-SS-18, SS-19, SS-24, SS-25, and SS-27—with 2429 warheads, primarily nuclear. These in addition, of course, to the 212 nuclear-armed missiles of three types—the SS-N-23, SS-N-20, and SS-N-18—currently deployed on 14 nuclear submarines. The 212 SLBMs have an estimated total of 872 nuclear warheads.
Lieutenant-General Igor Khvorov, the head of Russia’s strategic aviation, also said that plans are being drawn up for a new strategic bomber that could become operational in 2014-2016, according to Interfax.
Analysis: The widespread attention focused on this deployment requires some skepticism about detail. It is worth noting that sources differ as to whether this is the fourth or fifth regiment to be deployed. While many news sources call this the fourth regiment, Janes Missiles and Rockets in November had called this anticipated deployment the fifth, and warned of potential confusion.
Additionally, the Russian Interfax news source appears to report that Russia’s next design of ICBM will be liquid-fueled. This, however, seems unlikely, given that liquid fueled missiles are a generation behind those with solid fuel.
(Article)» November 11: Janes: Fifth Topol-M deployment anticipated
» Xinhau: Putin: Russia will maintain strategic momentum
» Map and information for Tatishchevo missile base in Saratov
» More stories on: Proliferation, Russia
» Missile details: SS-N-6
