Russian Missile Regiments to Receive Heavy 100-Ton Sarmat ICBMs: Source

The 100-ton Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles with an operational range of at least 5,500 kilometers are to replace the current SS-18 Satan ICBMs between 2018 and 2020.

MOSCOW, December 26 (Sputnik) – Seven Russian missile regiments will be armed with silo-based 100-ton Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) complexes, a source in the defense industry complex told RIA Novosti Friday.

“We plan on delivering this new complex to two missile divisions in Dombarovsky (Orenburg) and Uzhur (Krasnoyarsk) for a total of seven missile regiments with 46 silo-based launch facilities,” the source said.

The Sarmat ICBM with an operational range of no less than 5,500 kilometers (over 3,400 miles), will replace the military’s SS-18 Satan ICBMs between 2018 and 2020.

“We plan to begin test firing at the end of 2017,” the source added.

On Thursday, Russian Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) commander Col. Gen. Sergei Karakayev said that the new ICBMs will be stationed in Orenburg Region and Krasnoyarsk Territory, giving no further details.

In December 2013, the SMF chief said that the Sarmat is expected to feature advanced countermeasures, such as complex command and control systems and a high degree of maneuverability, enabling it to penetrate missile defense systems.