By Dave Majumdar
More details are emerging about Russia’s new RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile.
According to Russian media, the weapon is being developed to replace the massive but ageing 210-ton R-36M2 Veovoda [SS-18 Satan] missile which has a throw weight of roughly 8.8 tons.
However, most Western experts believe that the weapon is more likely a replacement for the smaller 106-ton UR-100N — also known as the SS-19 Stiletto. In fact, there are conflicting reports about the size of the RS-28, which has been given the NATO designation SS-X-30 Satan 2.
According to state-run RIA Novosti, the Sarmat weighs slightly less than 110 tons and has a throw weight of about five tons. It is being specifically designed to defeat any potential American missile defense system that might be developed to counter Russia’s strategic nuclear deterrent. It is also being designed to withstand a first strike — being able to absorb seven nuclear warheads compared to the two hits its takes to destroy an American Minuteman III silo.
“The launch silos of the new missiles will be physically protected as much as possible — to completely destroy one launcher, it will take at least seven nuclear strikes of high accuracy,” the RIA report states.
The missile — if the RIA report is correct — will carry the same number of warheads, or more, as the much larger SS-18 and far more than the six warheads on the SS-19. However, that being said, there have been conflicting reports as to how large the RS-28 is. While some reports suggest that the weapon will be roughly 110 tons, others have suggested that the new missile will be larger than even the SS-18, which is the largest ICBM ever built.
“The range of Sarmat will exceed 11 thousand kilometers, the missile will be able to carry 10 to 15 warheads of up to 750 kilotons each,” the RIA report reads.
“The warheads will fly to their targets at hypersonic speeds under individual guidance programs. It will not be easy to intercept the multiple independent reentry vehicles: depending on the situation, they will be able to maneuver like winged or hypersonic missiles.”
http://warisboring.com/russias-next-icbm-looks-to-be-deadlier-even-with-fewer-warheads/
