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Russia To Develop New Heavy ICBM By 2020
Moscow (RIA NOVOSTI) Jan 05, 2011 Russia's state arms procurement program through 2020 provides for the development of a new heavy ballistic missile, a leading missile designer said on Monday. The final decision should be made in 2012-13 by the expert community, not solely the Defense Ministry, said Yury Solomonov of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (MITT), the developer of the troubled Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile. "This matter is beyond the Defense Ministry's competence. It is a matter of state importance," he said. "Heavy ICBM" refers to a class of missiles with a heavy throw weight between five and nine metric tons and a length of over 35 meters, capable of delivering a large number of warheads in a single MIRV missile. Russia's Strategic Missile Forces are still armed with Soviet-era SS-18 Satan and SS-20 Saber ICBMs with an extended service life and are expected to remain in service until 2026. The SS-18 Satan is deployed with up to 10 warheads with a yield of 550 to 750 kilotons each and an operational range of up to 11,000 km (6,800 miles).
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Bulava Missile Program Faces Decision Time Moscow (RIA Novosti) Nov 08, 2010 The decision to put Russia's Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile into service will be made by the country's leadership and only after the test program is complete, a government source said on Friday. "After the three test launches planned for 2010, another series of tests will follow in the first half of 2011. A decision on the fate of the missile will only be made after that," the ... read more |
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