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SS-18 ICBMs to Remain in Russian Arsenal
Soviet-manufactured SS-18 ICBMs, the heaviest missiles in the Russian nuclear arsenal, are expected to remain in service for another 10 to 15 years, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, July 29). Most of the missiles have already served more than twice their designated lifetime, according to AP. However, Moscow maintains that the missile remains reliable. “Although more than 80 percent of missile systems have exhausted their designated lifetime, the existing maintenance and operation system of the Strategic Missile Forces allow reliability and technical readiness of missile systems to remain on the necessary level,” said Strategic Missile Forces chief Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov. He added that missiles that have been stored empty of fuel would gradually replace SS-19 nuclear missiles, deployed since 1980. The replacement missiles would then remain in service through the 2020s. Solovtsov denied criticism that the upgrades were moving too slowly. “Russia doesn’t need to compete with anyone in building up numbers of missiles and their nuclear warheads,” he said. “We have a sufficient nuclear potential to protect ourselves and our allies” (Associated Press/Pravda, Aug. 2). Meanwhile, the last of Russia’s SS-24 rail-mounted missile launchers is set to be removed from service this month, Solovtsov told Interfax. “It is unacceptable to deploy missile systems whose overhaul life has expired. One should not play with nuclear weapons as this could cause trouble,” he said (Interfax/BBC Monitoring, Aug. 2). Four SS-24 launchers and 18 SS-25 missile launchers are scheduled to be destroyed before the end of the year, Solovtsov said. “Five rail-based missile launchers have been scrapped in Bryansk this year and four others are to be scrapped before the end of the year. Nine [SS-25] missile launchers have been destroyed in Pibanshur and 18 others will have been destroyed by year’s end,” Solovtsov told Interfax. “Rail-based missile launchers and [SS-25] mobile missile complexes have been drawing increased attention from the USA,” because of the terms of the Soviet-U.S. START Treaty, he said. He added that SS-19 and SS-18 silo-based liquid fuel missiles are being eliminated without U.S. supervision (Interfax/BBC Monitoring, Aug. 3).
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