Russia tests new intercontinental ballistic missile

The Russian military test-fired a new ICBM from a silo in the Orenburg region, but did not provide details about the weapon.

Russian officials inspect an ICBM launch silo. Illustration photo: Sputnik.

Russian Strategic Missile Forces are testing a new-generation silo-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), General Oleg Kislov, commander of Russia’s Kapustin Yar missile testing range, said on October 18. The test included launching the missile from the Dombarovsky base in southwestern Russia to the Kura test range in the Far East, Sputnik reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not provide further information about this missile. However, General Sergey Karakeyev, commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, said that the country is developing a heavy ICBM model called the RS-28 Sarmat. The Sarmat missile is expected to enter service in 2019-2020, replacing the aging R-36M2 Voevoda complex.

Sarmat has a launch mass of nearly 110 tons, designed to overcome all current and future missile defense systems, to ensure Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence. RS-28 siloable to withstand the destructive power of 7 nuclear warheads, in order to increaseability to survive a first strike. Meanwhile, the US Minuteman III missile silo can only withstand the maximum destructive power of two nuclear warheads.

An unnamed Russian official said the Sarmat has a range of over 11,000 km, carrying 10-15 nuclear warheads with a total explosive power equivalent to 750 nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima. The warheads, with a total weight of 5 tons, will fly at a speed of 24,900 km/h, using an independent guidance system to attack many different targets. They can change direction during the re-entry phase to avoid being intercepted by enemy missiles.

Moscow also announced the completion of testing of a new missile model for the Iskander tactical ballistic missile complex at the Kapustin Yar testing range, calling it one of the most notable events in recent times.

According to VNE