Russia: pronto un nuovo test per il Bulava SS-NX-30
15/12/2008Mosca persegue l’obiettivo di sviluppare una “forza missilistica strategica” per il nuovo contesto mondiale.
MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Russia is to hold another test launch of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile this month, while the missile has already gone into full-scale production, a deputy prime minister said on Monday.
“Before the end of the year, another Bulava test [launch] will be conducted, while our defense industry enterprises have already started full-scale production,” Sergei Ivanov said.
The latest test of the sea-launched Bulava missile took place on November 28. It was launched from the Dmitry Donskoi Typhoon-class strategic nuclear-powered submarine in the White Sea, and successfully hit its designated target on the Kamchatka Peninsula about 6,700 kilometers (4,200 miles) east of Moscow.
On Friday, Russian Strategic Missile Forces Commander said that at least 13 launches of ballistic missiles will be conducted in 2009.
Guarda il video della TV russa su un precedente test del Bulava:
“We are planning to carry out 13 launches in 2009: five test launches of new missiles, three launches to confirm the extension of missiles’ service lives, and five launches of converted SS-18 Satan ICBMs under the Dnepr program to orbit various satellites,” Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov said.
Russia’s SMF conducted seven launches of ballistic missiles in 2008 and postponed two launches until next year.
Solovtsov also said the SMF would commission in 2009 systems equipped with new-generation RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles, bearing multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads.
“The elements of the first regiment equipped with this missile, comprising the command-and-control unit and a missile battalion, will be put on combat duty with the Teikovo missile division [in central Russia] in December 2009,” he said.
Solovtsov earlier said that the RS-24 ICBM, which is to replace the older SS-18 Satan and SS-19 Stiletto missiles by 2050, is expected to greatly strengthen the SMF’s strike capability, as well as that of its allies until the mid-21st century.
The missile will be deployed both in silos and on mobile platforms and together with the Topol-M single-warhead ICBM will constitute the core of Russia’s SMF in the future.
According to open sources, the total arsenal of Russia’s SMF comprises 536 ICBMs, including 306 SS-25 Topol (Sickle) missiles and 54 SS-27 Topol-M (Stalin) missiles.
Russia puts an average of three mobile and three silo-based Topol-M ballistic missile systems into operation every year.
Solovtsov said that Russia would cut the number of its strategic missile armies from three to two and strategic missile divisions from 12 to nine by 2016.
“Russia’s SMF is supposed to have two operational missile armies and nine missile divisions by January 1, 2016,” the SMF commander said.
