December 10, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
In early 2004, Russian Colonel-General Nikolay Solovtsov, commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Troops announced that it would test a total of 10 ICBMs in the coming year. Russia now plans to do the same in 2005, reports Interfax.
Solovtsov said at a news conference today that, “In compliance with our combat training plans, we are going to launch 10 strategic missiles in 2005, which is almost the same number we launched this year.”
According to public reports tracked by Missilethreat.com, Russia has in fact conducted a total of some thirteen launches to date this year. They were as follows:
Excluding SLBM launches, there were a total of eight land-based ICBM tests this year. An additional test of the land-based Topol-M, and possibly another “heavy missile,” has been reportedly scheduled for sometime during December, but it is unclear if this will still take place.
Besides these ICBM/SLBM tests, there were at least three launches of the short-range but nuclear capable SS-21 “Tochka” in 2004: on April 2, June 3, and August 3. (Article)
» Feb. 12, 2004: Solovtsov: Ten missile launches in 2004
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