It has arrived indeed. The long-awaited news about RS-24 deployment came today from Farnborough, where Vladimir Popovkin, the first deputy minister of defense, was speaking to the press (the news caught me in my French class, hence the title). Although reports about RS-24 deployment surfaced before - earlier this month and in April, this is the first time it was officially confirmed.
The RS-24 "Yars" is a MIRVed version of the mobile Topol-M missile. The first three missiles were apparently deployed at Teykovo, as it was originally planned.
It is still not clear how many warheads the missile carries - the press reports mention four, but I'm not sure if this is what Popovkin said. It may well be that they repeat a last-year report. There were also reports about RS-24 carrying three warheads. My analysis also suggests that RS-24 will have three warheads - in this case the warheads are similar to 400-kt warheads deployed on SS-24/RT-23UTTH missiles. I'll count RS-24 missiles as carrying three for the moment, but we'll have the correct number once the New START treaty is ratified.
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Pavel, just to repeat my earier question:
in consequence we would have the second Topol-M Division equipped with six "normal" Topol-M and with three RS-24 - is that right?
Cheers from bernd reuter
Bernd: I'm not sure I understand. Why six and three? There are two full Topol-M regiments in Teykovo - 18 missiles.
ok..thank you pavel! When I saw your latest figures I understand what you mean. 18+3 - so they finished the second division with single warhead SS-27 and now they start to deploy a third division with RS-24.
Thanks
http://nvo.ng.ru/armament/2007-06-08/6_rockets.html
2007-06-08
НПО машиностроения и Государственный ракетный центр в НИР «Аргументация» предложили концепцию многофункциональной баллистической ракеты наземного базирования, основанной на сочетании технологий отечественных жидкостных МБР и БРПЛ. Высокие энергетические характеристики многофункциональной МБР – забрасываемый вес до 4350 кг на дальность более 10 тыс. км по энергетически оптимальной траектории в 3,5 раза превышает соответствующий вес для МБР «Тополь-М». На новых МБР класса УР-100Н УТТХ в качестве основного базового оснащения рассматривается размещение до 10 боевых блоков среднего класса мощности со средствами противодействия ПРО, предполагается обеспечить сроки их службы до 30 лет. В военно-экономическом плане такая ракета превзойдет разрабатываемые ЧЕТЫРЕХБЛОЧНЫЕ со средствами противодействия ПРО твердотопливные ракеты в 3–4 раза и более, если учесть мощность боезарядов.
Thank you. I agree - it well may be that RS-24 has four warheads. But it would be a warhead with the yield of about 220kt - a bit low for an ICBM. On the other hand, RS-24 is a somewhat unusual missile.
[For those who don't read Russian, the quote from NVO NG newspaper mentions that the new SS-19 follow-on missile would be more effective than "the currently developed FOUR-WARHEAD solid-propellant missiles"]