Two kinds of new strategic missiles,
which Russian experts develop, should become a response to the
deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe. It goes about a
heavy liquid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) weighing
100 tons. The new missile will surpass the most powerful missile in the
world RS-20B Voyevoda (Satan). The second type is a solid-fuel ICBM,
which is said to replace fifth-generation Yars and Topol-M complexes.
The news was revealed Friday by the Commander of Strategic Missile
Forces of Russia, Colonel General Sergei Karakayev.
Since the potential of solid-fueled
ICBMs may not be enough to overcome the U.S. missile defense, a heavy
liquid ICBM will be able to oppose the system. Such an ICBM would create
a strategic precision weapon with non-nuclear equipment of
"practically global reach," if the United States does not refuse from
its program, ITAR-TASS quoted the commander as saying.
Karakayev condemned Washington for its
anti-Russian activities in the field of missile defense. He also said
that in the future there would be missile defense complexes deployed of
the European continent that would be able to intercept intercontinental
ballistic missiles. "We are told that this is being done against the
missile threat from Iran. However, only Russia has such missiles in
Europe," said Karakayev.
As for the new solid-fuel ICBM, it is
the first time when Russia announces its creation. According to General
Karakayev, strategic missile forces have already conducted several
launches of the prototype of this missile this year. The last launch
took place on October 24th. The missiles were launched at Kapustin Yar
range ground from a mobile launcher.
The official declined comments about the
interim results of this work, having referred to "obvious reasons." He
noted that judging by the results of the launches the creators of the
new missile were on the right track.
Next year, Russia's Strategic Missile
Forces plan to conduct 11 launches of intercontinental ballistic
missiles, Sergei Karakayev told reporters on the eve of the Day of
Missile Forces, which Russia celebrates on December 17th. This year, he
said, there were five launches conducted. Three of them were performed
in accordance with the programs to test the missile systems that are
being developed. One launch was made under combined programs, and
another one was conducted to extend the service life of missiles.
By the end of December, the official
said, the Strategic Missile Forces will have 96 launchers of new missile
Topol-M and Yars. Thus, in recent years, the share of state-of-the-art
weapons in the Strategic Missile Forces approached 30%, the official
concluded.
Sergei Karakayev also said that
although the warranty period of RS-20 Voyevoda (NATO reporting name
Satan) was overestimated 1.5 times, their extension will keep the
missile in service until 2022. Earlier, the general named different
deadlines for Voyevoda missiles to stay in service, including the years
2018 and 2026.
Russia will continue to update the
arsenal of its missile forces. In addition, by 2020, the Strategic
Missile Forces will fully switch to digital technologies for
transmitting information, said the commander.
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