In the July 2007 START treaty data exchange, Russia gave submarines of the Project 955 class, also known as Borey, yet another name - the treaty designation of this class will be "Kasatka". If adding one more name seems confusing it is because it is. My only hope is that this name won't stick, since it is hardly used anywhere outside of the treaty context.
More significantly, the START MOU reports that the first submarine, Yuri Dolgorukiy, has 16 SLBM launchers (the missile, of course, being Bulava). Construction of the submarine was reported to be (almost) completed in April 2007. The Bulava missile, however, is not ready yet, so Yuri Dolgorukiy is listed as having 16 launchers, but no deployed missiles.
If I remember correctly, there was some uncertainty about the number of launchers on Yuri Dolgorukiy or on the next two submarines of this class that are currently under construction. As I understand it, some reports mentioned that YD has 12 launch tubes, while other submarines of this class will have full 16. I don't think this is the case - had it been, Russia would have just listed YD as carrying 12 launchers. There are no restrictions in the treaty on the number of submarine types that parties can build, so YD (had it had 12 launchers) would have been a one-of-a-kind Kasatka, while its 16-tube successors would get a different designation (say, Kasatka-M, just like Delta I and Delta II were Murena and Murena-M).
The book
Comments
We have already understood it. :-)
But what new START MOU reports about SS-24's stages weights and dimentions?
Surprisingly enough, there is nothing on RS-24 in MOU.
It was absolutely standard Topol-M... (???)
As I understand, it was not declared because the treaty does not require to do so until a certain number of flight tests.
But all notifications about new MOBILE ICBM should be given without a delay -- see ch.VII(1)(2) of START Protocol On Notifications:
http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/acda/treaties/start/notifica.htm#VIII
No?
There might be some loophole. I'll try to ask people who know.
Actually in Article VI of the Notifications, they aren't required to declare a new type until after 20 test flights:
(4) notification, no later than five days after the twentieth flight test of a prototype ICBM or prototype SLBM of a particular type or the declaration by the developing Party that the ICBM or SLBM of such particular type shall be accountable for the purposes of warhead and throw-weight attribution, or no less than 30 days in advance of the deployment of the first ICBM or SLBM of the same particular type, whichever is earlier, that the prototype ICBM or prototype SLBM shall be considered an ICBM or SLBM of a new type.
2Alexander Stukalin
Are You sure the RS-24 is just MOBILE missile?
The 20-flight-tests rule applies to declarations of throw-weight and number of warheads. As I understand, the missile itself has to be declared earlier.
An ICBM is either a mobile ICBM or it isn't. According to the Definitions Annex of START:
43. (38) The term "ICBM for mobile launchers of ICBMs" means an ICBM of a type, any one of which has been contained on, or flight-tested from, a mobile launcher of ICBMs, or has been declared an ICBM for mobile launchers of ICBMs.
So basically, if the ICBM has even touched a mobile launcher, it is a mobile ICBM which is why the Peacekeeper (MX) was a mobile ICBM when it was never deployed as a mobile ICBM. No matter what, the RS-24 will be a mobile missile.
2Victor Zhemenik:
"Are You sure the RS-24 is just MOBILE missile?"
Then why first RS-24 started from MOBILE launcher?
> Russia gave submarines of the Project 955 class, also known as Borey, yet another name - the treaty designation of this class will be "Kasatka".
A few words about Russian onomastics:
- First of all, I think the 'Borey' was the politically-influenced name, given probably just to make some flatter to the Boris Eltsin, the former president of Russian Federation (compare: 'Boris' - 'Borey'). Also, 'Borey' has a well known mean in ancient mythology and European cultural tradition, where it designate an ancient god - 'Master of North Winds', or simply 'a strong wind of North'.
- 'Kasatka' looks like more traditional for the Russian Navy name, because it continue the tradition to name the classes of Russian strategic subs in honour of strong, fast and / or dangerous marine creatures. For example, as Pavel noted above, the Delta I / II class has a name 'Murena' (Moray, Muraena helena):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muraena
... Delta III class has a name 'Kalmar' (Squid):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid
... Delta IV class has a name 'Delfin' (Dolphin):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin
... and Typhoon-class subs has a Russian class name 'Akoola' (Shark):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark
- As to 'Kasatka' (Orcinus orca, also known as Killer Whale or Blackfish), - this Russian class name, just continue the above tradition; more info about Kasatka creature:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orcinus_orca
Russian: You are mixing different kinds of designations. Kalmar, Murena, etc., and now Kasatka are not used anywhwere but in the START Treaty. Other names - Borey, Akula and others - might.
> Russian: You are mixing different kinds of designations.
- Maybe. It's too difficult to choice the most 'proper' name, when the thing has two names.... ;-)
Pavel:
As stated, the Rs. Yuri Dolgorukiy will go to sea with 16 launch tubes for the Bulava missile system. Over the last five years or so, many western and Russian new organizations specifically quoted Kremlin or Russian Naval sources stating the Yuri Dolgorukiy would have 12 missiles tubes. I wonder why the inconsistency? I sincerely doubt this was such a “secret of the state”. During the long rebuilding process from the Bark fiasco, where additional launch tubes installed? Just curious.
Frank Shuler
USA
In fact, I don't remember anyone quoting reliable sources on that. Does anybody have a link?
Pavel:
Any link is long archived and unavailable. However, here is a typical RIA Novosti article I kept as a PDF. Sorry for the direct publication; feel free to edit or delete if you feel this violates posting policy.
Frank Shuler
USA
Russia to reform strategic nuclear triad by 2016 - top general
RIA Novosti
07/07/2006 12:56 MOSCOW, July 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's armed forces will be completely equipped with new strategic nuclear weapons systems by 2016, Chief of the General Staff Yury Baluyevsky said Friday.
"We cannot have the strategic nuclear contingent by 2016 that we have today," Baluyevsky said at a meeting of the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma.
As of January 2006, Russia's Strategic Missile Forces deployed 512 land-based missile systems of four different types equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles that can carry 1,808 warheads. The country also deploys various outdated sea- and air-based nuclear missile systems.
But according to a new doctrine for the development of the armed forces, by 2016 Russia will completely modernize the naval component of the nuclear triad by deploying 12 new Bulava ballistic missiles on Project 955 Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines and equipping land-based strategic missile units with silobased and mobile Topol-M (SS-27) ballistic missiles.
[...]
Thank you. Yes, I've seen stories like this one. But I don't remember any direct quotes from officials.
Then back on September 15th 2006 you had Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov stating Russia has eight submarines with nuclear weapons at sea – five of them are ballistic missile submarines and three -multipurpose (or attack) submarines. That “official statement” was quickly disavowed. Sometimes even “official statements” can be misleading.
Frank Shuler
USA
I agree - Russian official statements are very unreliable.