| Country: |
Russian Federation |
| Alternate Name: |
Skiff, RSM-54, R-29RM, Shetal/Shtil |
| Class: |
SLBM |
| Basing: |
Submarine launched |
| Length: |
14.80 m |
| Diameter: |
1.90 m |
| Launch Weight: |
40300 kg |
| Payload: |
4 MIRV warheads, 2,800 kg |
| Warhead: |
Nuclear 100 kT |
| Propulsion: |
3 stage liquid |
| Range: |
8300 km |
| Status: |
Operational |
| In Service: |
1985 |
Details
Russian Designation: RSM-54, R-29RM, Shetal/Shtil
The SS-N-23 is an intercontinental-range, submarine-based, liquid propellant ballistic missile. The SS-N-23 was developed for the ‘Delta IV’ missile submarine and marks a movement away from the Soviet solid propellant missile designs. The exact reason for this change is unknown, but likely relates to disappointment in the performance of the SS-N-18 and SS-N-20 solid fuel submarine-launched missiles. Each ‘Delta IV’ is capable of carrying 16 SS-N-23 missiles and can reportedly fire its SS-N-23 missiles from a depth of 55 m while moving at a speed of 5 knots.
The SS-N-23 is a strategic asset designed to secure the Soviet Union’s nuclear force against attack. Though it lacks the destructive capabilities of the SS-N-20’s 10 Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles (MIRV) warheads, each submarine still maintains the ability to strike 64 different targets, maintaining SS-N-23 missiles as a powerful nuclear force. With sufficient range to strike major US targets without venturing through anti-submarine defenses and hidden by the stealth of nuclear submarines, a number of SS-N-23 missiles would almost certainly be successfully launched during a nuclear conflict. The yield on the warheads is too low for confident use against hardened targets, but easily sufficient to destroy military bases. It can inflict tremendous amounts of damage to a country by aiming at areas with a high population density, causing a greater loss of life than possible with a single, large warhead.
The SS-N-23 is capable of launching its 2,800 kg payload up to a range of 8,300 km (5,157 miles). This payload is capable of carrying ten 100 kT yield MIRV warheads, though only a four MIRV warhead version entered production. This limitation is likely due to restrictions placed by the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), though future models will likely use the full ten warheads. It is presumed that the SS-N-23 carries a number of decoys in the place of the six absent warheads. The system initially had an accuracy of 900 m CEP, but later versions were improved to 500 m CEP. The SS-N-23 uses an inertial navigation system coupled with stellar correction and satellite radio command guidance. The missile has a three-stage liquid propellant engine.
The SS-N-23 entered development in 1973, with the first missile testing beginning in 1983, though Russian sources claim the flight testing began in 1979.(1) The missile entered operational service aboard ‘Delta IV’ missile submarines in 1986, with 112 missiles on seven ‘Delta IV’ submarines by 1991. As of June 2002, the seven submarines were still in service, though two were in the process of being refitted. Production of SS-N-23 missiles had ceased in 1998, but was reportedly restarted in 1999.
In 1993 it was proposed to modify an SS-N-20 missile’s first stage to carry the three stages of an SS-N-23 ‘Skiff’ to make up a civil satellite launcher to be known as ‘Surf.’ This would have had the capacity to carry a 2,000 kg payload in low Earth orbit, but the project was delayed and may have been terminated.(2)
Footnotes
- Pavel Podvig, ed., Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2001).
- Duncan Lennox, Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 46 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, January 2007), 159-160.
Russia Tests RSM-50 (SS-N-18) SLBM; Second Test in Four Days
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, Link)
» 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
Russia Launches Two Submarine-Based ICBMs
September 8, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Hours after Russia announced it would conduct preemptive strikes against terrorist bases, Russia’s Northern Fleet today launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles from submarines.
According to Itar Tass, the first missile was launched from the Yekaterinburg, and the second, some two hours later, from the Borisoglebsk, both nuclear-powered Delta-IV class ballistic missile submarines. A Russian defense official is cited as saying that “In both cases the launches were carried out from the waters of the Barents Sea in the sector of the Kura training area on Kamchatka. The dummy warheads hit the targets on the training area.” The Kamchatka peninsular missile range is located on Russia’s far eastern, Pacific coast.
Update: The missile fired from the Yekaterinburg was an R-29M (SS-N-23), that fired from the Borisoglebsk was an R-29R (SS-N-18).
Update: Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov commented on September 20 that both missiles were carrying three independently targetable warheads, all six of which successfully hit their targets. (Article, Link)
» Sep. 8, 2004: Xinhau on SLBM launches
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-N-18 Mod 3, SS-N-23
Russia Tests SS-N-23 and SS-18 Ballistic Missiles
June 29, 2004 :: Express India :: News
Russia today successfully tested a submarine launched RSM-54 (SS-N-23 or “Skiff”) ballistic missile from the Yekaterinburg Delta IV-class missile submarine submerged in the Barents Sea. The missile traveled some 7,000 km before reaching its target, the Kura testing ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula, located on Russia’s Pacific coast. The missile’s flight across Russia lasted only some 28 minutes. The SS-N-23 missile tested today was the same type as those which failed to launch during naval exercises attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February.
In addition, Russia also launched an SS-18, or RS-20, intercontinental ballistic missile. The SS-18 or “Satan” missile was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-18 Mod 4, SS-N-23
