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Russia Extends Service Life of ICBMs
Russia has extended the service life of 80 percent of the ICBMs in its Strategic Missile Troops arsenal, Interfax-AVN reported last week (see GSN, Dec. 1). “Though guaranteed service lives of 80 percent of missile systems have expired, the technical servicing and operational system that exists in the SMT, and the advanced professional skills of personnel ensure reliability and technical readiness of missile systems at a proper level,” said a report issued by the Strategic Missile Troops. Most of Russia’s mobile missile force uses the Topol missile systems, which are designed to penetrate missile defense systems. They have a range of more than 6,000 miles, a 1-ton warhead and a 45-ton launch weight, and patrol areas of more than 77,000 square miles. “As railway-based missile systems are being removed from combat duty and destroyed, the importance of the Topol missile force's contribution to the potential of the strategic nuclear forces' retaliation strike has grown considerably,” the report states. Earlier reports indicate that the Strategic Missile Troops in early 2004 had 312 Topol systems, each containing a warhead with a 559-kiloton yield. The service life of the Topol is 10 years, although it has been extended several times. From 1993 to 1996, nine regiments with 81 launchers were moved from Belarus to Russia, according to Interfax (Interfax-AVN/BBC Monitoring Dec. 5).
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