Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, which became an independent service of the Soviet Armed Forces on December 17, 1959 are marking their 50th anniversary. 18.12.2009, Sputnik International
Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, which became an independent service of the Soviet Armed Forces on December 17, 1959 are marking their 50th anniversary.
Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, which became an independent service of the Soviet Armed Forces on December 17, 1959 are marking their 50th anniversary.
Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, which became an independent service of the Soviet Armed Forces on December 17, 1959 are marking their 50th anniversary. Photo: Officers on duty.
The creation of the Strategic Missile Forces was preceded by the lengthy work of developing Soviet long-range ballistic missiles that began right after World War II.
By the late 1960s the Strategic Missile Forces had gained the nuclear firepower to compete with the United States. However, the Soviet Union continued to develop more advanced missiles. Single-warhead missiles were replaced with multiple-warhead missiles, followed by multiple individually-targeted warheads (MIRV). Photo: Launch preparations.
The mid 1980s saw the first Topol mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles – a new step in stealth and survivability for the Strategic Missile Forces.
Since the late 1950s, the Strategic Missile Forces have formed the mainstay of the Soviet nuclear deterrent, accounting for the bulk of the 10,000-plus nuclear warheads possessed by Moscow by early 1991. The Strategic Missile Forces was the hardest hit by strategic offensive arms cuts. Photo: Strategic Missile Forces’ launch control center (combat station No. 1) in Balabanovo.
Nevertheless, the Strategic Missile Forces are still the backbone unit of Russia’s strategic nuclear deterrent and ensures nuclear missile parity with the United States, although the balance has changed in favor of the latter. Photo: Crew on alert at the Strategic Missile Forces’ combat station No. 2 in Balabanovo.
The Strategic Missile Forces today have 1,248 warheads and 367 carrier missiles. Russian Air Force has 844 warheads mounted on 76 heavy bombers. The Navy has 624 warheads with 176 carrier missiles mounted on 11 nuclear submarines. Photo: Models of first-generation ballistic missiles in the museum at the Peter the Great Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces.
The Strategic Missile Forces are mainly armed with silo-based missiles produced in the Soviet Union: 59 R-36M UTTKh/R-36M2 missiles (590 warheads) and 70 UR-100N UTTKh missiles (420 warheads). The average age of the missiles will soon reach 25 years and they will be taken out of service within the next decade. About 30 UR-100N missiles are the only exception and will be replaced with stored spare missiles of the same type. Photo: Opening a silo containing RS-20 Voevoda missiles. Orenburg missile division of the Strategic Missile Forces.
Besides the above missiles, the force has 174 Topol mobile systems, carrying one warhead each, 49 silo-based and 15 new mobile single-warhead Topol-M systems. Photo: Guard around a Topol-M missile system.
The first squadron armed with mobile RS-24 Yars missile systems is to take up duty as early as December 2009. These are modernized Topol-M missiles and carry four warheads each. Also, there are reports of new heavy carrier missiles being developed for the Strategic Missile Forces that will carry 6 to 10 warheads. Photo: Topol-M strategic mobile missile system with camouflage.
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