The Rocket Forces confirmed today that by the end of the year they will add seven new Topol-M missiles to the force -- four silo-based and three mobile missiles. In addition to that, the report stated that by the end of 2010 there will be one more Topol-M regiment at Tatishchevo, bringing the number of regiments to six. It was reported earlier that the Rocket Forces will then move Topol-M deployment to Uzhur.
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So, three mobile systems plus the three “2006 vintage” silo based plus one really new silo based. This indicates the Ivanov plan (69 until 2015) is more or less on track. I assume that of those 69 units some will be MIRVed Topol-M (called “RS-24”). Or they should be separately counted?
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[…When all 60 missiles are in Tatishchevo, the Rocket Forces will begin deployment of silo-based Topol-Ms in former SS-18 silos in Uzhur….]
I honestly would have thought rebuilding SS-18 silos to accommodate the SS-27 would be too expensive. Are not the 60 missiles at Tatishchevo, already or will be in the near future, installed in former SS-19/24 silos? Any news of potential SS-27 MIRV silo missiles? A "silo" regiment is 10 missiles, right?
Frank Shuler
USA
A silo is basically just a hole in the ground. These days all the equipment is in the launch container. So, using SS-18 silos for Topol-M would not be expensive.
There was a report a couple of years ago about keeping SS-18 silos. I checked the latest MOU - Uzhur still has 18 empty but not liquidated silos.
As for MIRVed Topol-M aka RS-24, since it's the same missile, I don't see why it would be counted separately. I guess it could be adapted for silo deployment, it just would make even less sense than MIRVing mobile missiles.
Pavel:
So, I infer the SS-27 missile itself sits in a launch container located inside a silo. The silo provides environment protection for the missile, certain communication functions and is constructed to vent the launch. How would you compensate for a SS-18 silo that was built to support a missile diameter significantly larger? This is something I don’t remember ever being discussed and I’m curious. Is the launch container itself the solution?
SS-18 - 3.05 meters
SS-19 - 2.50 meters
SS-27 - 1.95 meters
Frank Shuler
USA
Fitting a small container into a large silo is not a problem. The controlled environment is in the container, not in the silo. And all these missiles use "cold launch", so there is no "venting".
Pavel ... the Topol-M is solid rocket not liquid ... correct - just wondering, and how about the rate of SS-18s being converted faster for Dnepr Space Launch System of ISC Kosmotras? Will the SS-27 silo-based events come into play here as more Topol-M mobile deploys happen?