In Russia, work is underway to create a heavy liquid rocket to replace the Voevoda ICBM

On the eve of the Strategic Missile Forces Day, which is celebrated in Russia on December 17, it became known that the ground-based strategic deterrent forces that form the basis of the Russian "nuclear shield" can receive a serious update. According to Director General of Rosobschemash Corporation, former Deputy Minister of the USSR rocket and space industry, Artur Usenkov, in Russia over the past year, work is underway to create a new heavy liquid intercontinental ballistic missile designed to replace the Voyevoda mine-based ICBMs on duty. As expected, the new ICBM will be able to “ignore” the anti-missile “cordons” that are being actively built by the United States and NATO along the perimeter of Russia's borders, breaking through any existing and promising missile defense systems. Moreover, according to experts, the "margin of safety" of this technology is enough for at least the 50s of this century.

As it is known, Artur Uchenkov was the vice-chairman of state commissions on testing ICBM RS-20 "Voevod" (according to the classification of the USA and NATO - "Satan"). However, he did not actually confirm the forecast made in December last year by then-acting commander of the Strategic Missile Forces Andrei Shvaichenko, who said that a new ballistic missile could be created by the end of 2016. “In 2009, a task was received to develop a new heavy-duty silo-based ICBM to replace Voivode. Since then, work is underway to create it. During Soviet times, 8 years passed from getting the TTZ to create a rocket before putting it on combat duty. Now, the solution of such a task requires 10 – 15 years, however, subject to accelerated work and adequate funding, as well as creating a modern electronic base, the rocket may end up in the mine also through 8 years, ”the time parameters for the implementation of this most important country in terms of defense are specified. project Arthur Usenkov.

“The new ICBM, like the“ Voevoda ”, will have a separable warhead from 10 warheads with individual guidance of each. It will not be a problem for it to overcome any existing and promising missile defense systems, at least until the middle of the 50s of this century. This fully applies to both the US global missile defense system and the NATO European missile defense system, ”the general director of Rosobschemash Corporation recalled. It should be noted that the new treaty on strategic offensive arms does not prohibit modernizing and replacing strategic offensive weapons, which should be an effective response to the future plans of the Pentagon and the NATO military to deploy missile defense systems in Europe.

Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the magazine National Defense, commented on plans to develop a new strategic deterrence tool:

- I believe that the main contribution to ensuring Russia's defense capability would be the earliest launching into mass production of a new solid-fuel ballistic missile RS-24 Yars, which is fully technologically tested, and the design is beyond doubt from the point of view of its reliability. This missile is equipped with separable warheads of individual guidance and has real capabilities in overcoming both existing and future anti-missile defense systems. In conditions when Russia has rather limited budgetary opportunities, there is a need to concentrate on real priorities of defense construction. These are the priorities for the serial production of the Yars ICBM.

Their specificity lies in the fact that there is both a mine version and a mobile one. That is, the rocket is completely unified for two types of basing. Under budgetary constraints, it is hardly reasonable to ask for research and development (R & D) work on a new heavy liquid rocket. First of all, by economic criteria. In addition, we must bear in mind that after the ratification of the new START treaty, Russia will have limited the number of deployed carriers. Therefore, the existing grouping of the Strategic Missile Forces, planned to be re-equipped with new Yars ballistic missiles, will ensure Russia's reasonable sufficiency in the field of strategic nuclear forces. In addition, it must be borne in mind that as part of the production of Topol-M, PC-24 “Yars” and “Bulava” ballistic missiles, a sustainable cooperation of industrial enterprises, headed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering, has already been established. Moreover, Topol-M is produced in series, and the PC-24 Yars and Bulava will in fact also be ready for mass production in the coming months.

Of course, within the framework of the hypothetical development of the international situation, we can imagine that Russia will withdraw from the treaty on strategic offensive arms. However, such a scenario still seems unlikely. Under these conditions, a new heavy liquid ballistic missile may simply not find real use. In addition, before putting it into mass production, at least 10 – 15 years will pass. During this time, many different events may occur, as a result of which this species weapons, preparing to replace the "Governor", just become meaningless.

We need now not to be engaged in launching projects with an unclear perspective in 10 – 15 years, but to focus on the mass production of already spent missiles. Otherwise, we will not launch into the series what has already been created, and the grouping through 8 – 10 will simply shrink by years at a massive pace - due to the fact that the Soviet missiles that are on combat duty today will already be written off. That is why we must first saturate the Strategic Missile Forces with the RS-24 Yars missiles, which are now the main stake. And only after the planned retrofitting, then you can already look at the situation - do we need a heavy rocket or do not need it.

Of course, research and development on the new rocket can be planned, but the lion's share of efforts in the field of strategic nuclear forces in re-equipping the ground forces of the Strategic Missile Forces should focus on the mass production of PC-24 Yars mine and mobile-based missiles. It is clear that under the conditions when, according to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, 20 trillions of rubles are allocated for the state rearmament program, there are a lot of lobbyists in the defense industry who would like to use these funds. In such a situation, the correct choice of military-technical priorities is very important. Because we, of course, can now begin to develop everything, everything - and flying lasers, like those of the Americans, and heavy ballistic missiles, and electromagnetic guns. As a result, it turns out that our army, as it did not have the most necessary, did not have it.

Comments

[Varnaga]

Unfortunately, this is really true and the GRC gave R&D to the development for it. Glaring confirmation of the incompetence of the country's top leadership, if we argue from the position of the layman who does not take into account the multifactorial nature of such a decision, albeit in the light of foreign policy. One pleases that so far it is only R&D.

[Superduck]

This year, KB Yuzhnoye Serdyukov was busy on the same topic, but it was about some components and not about the rocket as a whole. Otherwise it would be strange :-)

[Varnaga]

It is for the development of the GRC of this rocket. If it comes to OCD-Solomonych just chokes)

[Superduck]

Well, I think that the question is political. I think that the South is still the best special on this topic, however, if they do what they need and the production is established in Russia, then nothing bad will happen. Bo, probably no one wants a repetition of the situation with the mace.

[bistrov.]

Correctly the author said: - it is necessary to arm the YARS troops and at the same time conduct R&D of a new liquid-propellant missile, which also has its advantages.

[Grin]

That is why the Americans saw that we would cut the "scalpel", but because they could not track it, they even sent their wagons to Russia with X-ray equipment. And that "Yars" is in full view: big, clumsy , not disguised, even children know about where the divisions are located, if they are immediately plugged, that's the problem!