September 30, 2005 :: Itar-Tass :: News
Russia today conducted a test launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the
St. George the Victorious nuclear submarine. The missile was launched from the Sea of Okhotsk and the warheads traveled to their targets at the Chizh range near the White Sea.
The Sea of Ohtotsk is in the Pacific Ocean, near the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. The targets are said to have traveled to cape Kanin Nos, on the island of Kanin. The White Sea is in the far north, almost directly due north of Moscow.
“The RSM-50 submarine-based missile was launched from submerged position from a depth of about 30 meters,” a Defense Ministry source is quoted by
Itar Tass as saying, adding that “This is the first launch of an inter-continental ballistic missile by Russia’s Pacific Fleet this year. The previous missile launch from the same submarine was carried out on November 2, 2004.”
The
St. George is identified by the
Moscow News as a Delta-III-class submarine equipped to carry 16 R-29R nuclear-tipped missiles. The missile fired today, however, was identified as an RS-50, both of which designations refer to versions of the SS-N-18 SLBM.
The test follows upon the September 27 test of Russia’s new submarine-launched SS-NX-30, or Bulava, missile.
(Article)» Sep. 30, 2005: Moscow News on SLBM launch
» Itar Tass on missile test
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-N-20, SS-N-23, SS-NX-30
