| Country: |
Russian Federation |
| Alternate Name: |
Bulava |
| Class: |
SLBM |
| Basing: |
Submarine launched |
| Length: |
12.1 m |
| Diameter: |
2.0 m |
| Launch Weight: |
36800 kg |
| Payload: |
75-150kT (MIRV) or 500kT |
| Warhead: |
4 to 6 MIRV |
| Propulsion: |
3-stage solid |
| Range: |
8300 km |
| Status: |
Development |
Details
Russian Designation: Bulava 30
The Russian SS-NX-30, or Bulava 30, is an intercontinental-range, submarine-launched, solid-propellant ballistic missile. Alongside the SS-27 and the RS-24, both land-based ICBMs, the Bulava represents the future of the Russian missile arsenal.
Though early reports suggested design similarities between the SS-27 and the Bulava missiles, later reports have indicated major design differences. The Bulava missile seems to be a considerably smaller missile, though it may borrow significant technologies from the SS-27. The Bulava missile is 12.1 m in length, has a diameter of 2.0 m, and weighs 36,800 kg. An alternative report suggests that the missile has a length of 13.4 m, a diameter of 1.98 m, and a launch weight of 39,000 kg.(1)
The missile is expected to carry between 4 and 6 MIRV warheads to a maximum distance of 8,300 km. Some reports have suggested that the missile will carry 10 MIRV warheads, but this arrangement seems unlikely. Each MIRV will probably carry a nuclear warhead with a yield between 75 and 150 kT.(2) An alternative version may carry a single RV with a 500 kT nuclear yield. In recent years, both the United States and Russia seem to have begun moving away from MIRV design, so it is likely that Russia will favor the single-RV, 500 kT version. Both versions are expected to carry decoys and all RVs are probably capable of in-flight maneuverability and re-targeting. The missile has certainly been designed to evade current ABM defenses, though, like all known ballistic missiles, it is still very vulnerable in the boost phase. Given the missile’s capabilities, the most appropriate defense system probably includes both European land-based defense systems and space-based systems.
The RVs have an expected accuracy around 250 to 300 m CEP.(1) If equipped with a 500 kT warhead, the missile would be an effective first-strike or counterstrike weapon, as it would be capable of destroying hardened targets (like missile silos). Given the size and payload of both the single-RV and the MIRV versions, the missile would obviously be capable of a substantial attack on soft-targets as well, thus making the missile an effective deterrent weapon.
Given the Bulava missile’s basing and range, the missile can be used against any target. Submarines also provide a unique advantage against counterstrikes, as they are difficult to find and target. The Bulava will be fitted to the Borey Class (Yuri Dolgoruky) Type 955 submarines with 12 missiles to a submarine. Currently, one Type 955 submarine has been completed and declared operational. The second submarine has been built and testing began in December 2010.(3) Up to eight Type 955 submarines are expected before production ends, though problems with the Bulava missile have slowed production of the Type 955 submarines. The missile was initially tested from a converted Type 941 submarine.(1)
As of December 2010, the Bulava missile had been tested 14 times. Among these tests, eight were failures. Because of the problems with testing, Russian engineers have been forced to push back the operational date of the missile and reconsider production methods. The two most recent launches on October 7 and 30, 2010, were both successful. Prior to the October 2010 launches, the missile was successfully tested in September 2005, December 2005, June 2007, and November 2008. Tests in September 2006, October 2006, December 2006, November 2007, September 2008, December 2008, July 2009, and December 2009 all ended in failure.(4)
Presumably, as long as the recent successes are indicative of the overall program, the missile will soon enter service aboard the new Type 955 submarines.
Footnotes
1.
Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems, Issue 50, ed. Duncan Lennox, (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, January 2009) 119.
2. Pavel Podvig, “How Many Warheads?” from Russianforces.org, 17 May 2007, available at
http://russianforces.org/blog/2007/05/how_many_warheads.shtml, accessed on 13 December 2010.
3. Pavel Podvig, “Weather Keeps Aleksandr Nevskiy Submarine in Dock,” from Russianforces.org, 2 December 2010, available at http://russianforces.org/blog/2010/11/weather_keeps_aleksandr_nevski.shtml, accessed on 13 December 2010.
4. Pavel Podvig, “Bulava: Bulava Missile Test History,” from Russianforces.org, 29 October 2010, available at http://russianforces.org/navy/slbms/bulava.shtml, accessed on 13 December 2010.
Russia to Test Another SLBM Next Week
September 21, 2004 :: News
Russia is planning to test yet another sea launched ballistic missile in the coming week, reports the Interfax news agency. The Dmitriy Donskoy nuclear submarine in the Russian Northern Fleet is expected to test launch the advanced Bulava ICBM from the White Sea. The Bulava or SS-NX-30 is the submarine-launched version of Russia’s Topol-M missile, of which there are both mobile and silo-launched versions. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-NX-30
Flight Testing of Topol-M Almost Complete
September 20, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The Russian state news agency Itar Tass reports that flight tests for the new and advanced Topol-M ICBM are nearing completion. The first deputy director and first deputy designer-general of the Moscow Institute for Thermotechnology, Aleksandr Dorofeyev, is cited as saying that, “A range of ground-based tests of the missile have been completed. All that remains to do this year is to carry out the final flight test.
Dorofeyev also commented on the testing progress for the sea-launched Bulava (SS-N-X-30), saying that all is going to plan. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-27, SS-NX-30
New Russian Sub Will Test Bulava Missile System
August 4, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Russia’s new nuclear submarine, the Dmitri Donskoy, has left for extended trials in the White Sea, reports the Interfax news agency from Russia. After these trials, it will eventually return to the shipyard, and then join the Northern Fleet. Interfax noted that when it does so, it will have had installed the latest Bulava missile system, which will then be tested from the Dmitri Donskoy. The Bulava or SS-NX-30 is the sea-launched equivalent of the SS-27 Topol-M, and is being installed on all new submarines. (Link)
» More stories on: Russia
» Missile details: SS-NX-30
Russia Plans Test of Sea-Based Version of Topol-M
June 3, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Moscow plans to conduct the first test launch of the Bulava solid fuel ICBM this year, reported the Interfax Russian news agency yesterday. The Bulava (SS-NX-30) is the submarine-launched version of Russia’s most advanced missile, the Topol-M (SS-27). (More »»»)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-27, SS-NX-30
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