ISN SECURITY WATCH (22/12/04) - For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) has successfully test-fired on Russian territory a heavy intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20V Voevoda, classified by NATO as the SS-18 Satan. The RS-20, the heaviest in the inventory of the Russia's strategic nuclear forces, was fired today from a silo in the Urals Mountains and hit its target at the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East, more than 6'000 kilometers away. RVSN's spokesman told RIA Novosti news agency today that the test was the first in a series that RVSN has planned under orders from President Vladimir Putin to boost the effectiveness of the deployment of the Russian nuclear potential. After a thorough examination of the test-fire results, RVSN may decide to prolong the Satan missile deployment span for another year. The missiles were produced in the late 1980's. The missile that was fired today had been deployed for combat for 16 years, according to Interfax news agency. | Ah, they launched a missile that had been in a silo for 16 years, checking to see if they can get a few more years out of them. Now that "beyond warranty" story from yesterday makes sense. |
It was fired from a missile base Dombarovka in the Orenburg region, some 1'300 kilometers southeast of Moscow. Since 1991, heavy missiles were not fired from bases, as it was believed to be too dangerous. Instead, they were fired from Baikonur spacecraft and missile facilities in Northern Kazakhstan. Satan missile's range is 10'000 kilometers and it can carry 10 warheads and is believed to be able to destroy objects within an area of 500 square kilometers. On Friday, Russia will test-fire a mobile version of the Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk missile base in the northern Arkhangelsk region. An unnamed Defense Ministry official told Interfax that it would be the last test for the mobile Topol-M missile, after which it would be deployed to serve as the chief weapon for Russia's strategic missile forces. The Topol-M system has been deployed in silos since 1998. The missiles can carry up to 1'200 kilograms in warheads and have a range of about 10'000 kilometers. Reportedly able to conduct in-flight maneuvers and to avoid detection and interception, the Topol-M is sometimes presented by the Russian military as Moscow's response to the US National Missile Defense shield (NMD) program. President Putin has repeatedly called on Russia's defense forces to boost the country's strategic nuclear potential. Two months ago, he announced that Russia was developing a new nuclear missile system that no other nuclear-armed nation would possess in the near future. | Which isn't ready for prime time, otherwise they wouldn't be trying to get more mileage out of those old Satans. |
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