Global Security Newswire

Concerns about the safety of a Russian submarine prompted Moscow to delay until summer the 15th test flight of its experimental Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile, the Xinhua News Agency reported (see GSN, Dec. 16, 2010).

"The launch was supposed to be done in December last year, but heavy ice in the White Sea would make it unsafe. The launch will be conducted in this summer," Interfax quoted missile designer Yuri Solomonov as saying.

The Bulava is designed to carry up to 10 nuclear warheads as far as 5,000 miles. Seven of the missile's 14 trial launches to date have been successes, including a pair of tests conducted in October.

Advancements gained in the Bulava missile's development has benefited work on land-based strategic delivery systems, the expert said.

"Approximately half of what was realized in the Bulava was applied to the RS-24 Yars missile as well," according to Solomonov.

Still, the Bulava missile's current design is not suitable for deployment on land, he said.

"It would be nonsense to say that the Bulava could be used by ground-based systems in its present form. No one is speaking about such an option," Solomonov said.

Russia would keep the land-based Topol-M missile on active duty for 20 years or longer, he said, adding the Defense Ministry would produce analyses necessary for the weapon's life extension (Xinhua News Agency, Jan. 27).