Global Security Newswire

Russia this year intends to conduct 11 ICBM trial firings, ITAR-Tass reported on Wednesday (see GSN, Dec. 21, 2011).

“Four launches will be carried out for the purpose extending service life and seven under experimental programs to test new missiles and improve existing ones with a view to piercing missile defense systems,” said Col. Oleg Koval, spokesman for the Russian strategic missile forces.

The military branch carried out four ICBM trial firings from Dec. 2, 2010, to Dec. 1 of last year. Two launches involved developmental technology, while the third was for the life extension of an existing weapon and the fourth for a separate effort.

The Dec. 27 test of a nuclear-capable RS-18 ICBM was aimed at helping keep the missile type operational for 33 years (see GSN, Jan. 3).

Missile divisions in Novosibirsk and Kozelsk are due in 2012 to begin receiving the Yars RS-24 ICBM system, according to ITAR-Tass. Koval had previously announced that a second regiment in the Teikovo missile division would adopt Yars system this year.

“In the Kozelsk division the Yars system will be deployed in silos. In the future, several more divisions will be armed with these systems,” according to Koval.

“When a second missile regiment is armed with the newest Yars systems consisting of [multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle]-ed RS-24 ICBMs, the rearmament of the Teikovo missile force with Topol-M and Yars system will on the whole be completed,” he stated.

The nuclear-ready RS-24, which entered active duty in summer of last year, is planned as the successor to Russia's RS-18 and RS-20 missiles. Both the movable RS-24 missile and the fixed-place and movable Topol-M system can defeat present or anticipated missile defenses, according to Lt. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of the strategic missile forces. Russia has for years expressed concern that its strategic nuclear forces might be the intended target of U.S. and NATO plans to establish a missile shield around Europe. The Western military bloc says the system is aimed at countering Iranian ballistic missile threats.

“The combat capability of silo-based and mobile Topol-M ICBMs is several times higher than that of Topol missiles. They can pierce any of the existing and future missile defense systems. RS-24 missiles have even better performance,” Karakayev said.

The strategic missile forces expected by the close of last year to hold 86 Topol-M and Yars systems in place. In total, the military branch holds in excess of 350 firing systems carrying varying missile forms.

The operational life of the RS-20V missile has been extended to 2026, for a total of 33 years, Karakayev said.

"This is the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile in the world at the moment," according to the strategic missile forces' media branch (ITAR-Tass, Jan. 4).