by Sergey Piatakov
ALABANOVO (Russia), June 10 (RIA Novosti) - Topol-M and Bulava ballistic missiles will constitute the backbone of Russia's nuclear triad, a senior defense ministry official said on Wednesday.
The mobile Topol-M, Bulava missiles are to be core of Russian nuclear triad. There is an attached video of one of these Topol-M firing.
Russia's nuclear triad comprises land-based ballistic missile systems, nuclear-powered submarines equipped with sea-based ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers carrying nuclear bombs and nuclear-capable cruise missiles.
"Topol-M and Bulava ballistic missile systems will be the core of the Russian nuclear triad," said Maj. Gen. Alexander Shevchenko, in charge of Armed Forces' armaments maintenance and support.
At present, six types of silo-based and mobile ICBM system of the fourth and the fifth generation, including the heavy Voyevoda (SS-18 Satan), capable of carrying 10 warheads, and the Topol-M (Stalin) systems, are on combat duty with the Strategic Missile Forces.
According to open sources, the total arsenal of Russia's SMF comprises 538 ICBMs, including 306 SS-25 Topol (Sickle) missiles and 56 mobile SS-27 Topol-M missiles.
In line with a new military doctrine, Russia will completely modernize the naval component of its nuclear triad by 2016.
Fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines armed with Bulava ballistic missiles will form the core of Russia's fleet of modern strategic submarines.
Shevchenko said the Russian Navy would commission two Borey-class nuclear submarines, Yury Dolgoruky and Alexander Nevsky, in the near future.
Each submarine is capable of carrying up to 16 Bulava-M ballistic missiles.
Russia will also modernize and expand its fleet of strategic bombers and create a national air-and-space defense network.
According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently deploys 141 Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers, 40 Tu-95MS Bear bombers, and 14 Tu-160 Blackjack planes.
Russia plans to build at least one new Tu-160 bomber every one or two years to increase the number of available aircraft to 30.
"By 2016, we will significantly modernize not only missile systems but also command-and-control systems in order to improve their ability to overcome missile defenses and increase the survivability of delivery vehicles," Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said at an Strategic Missile Force (SMF) reserve command center.
Silo-based missiles constitute 45% of the total ballistic missile arsenal. They carry about 85% of nuclear warheads deployed by the SMF.
Solovtsov earlier said Russia would put a regiment of new-generation RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles into service in December.
RS-24 ICBMs, with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads, would help bolster the SMF's ability to overpower missile defense systems, "thus strengthening the nuclear deterrence potential of the Russian nuclear triad," the general said.
The SMF will also adopt in the near future a third-generation command-and-control system to improve the launch and targeting procedures for ballistic missiles.
"This system, apart from traditional tasks related to launch procedures, gathering of various data, and control over combat readiness of the launchers, will facilitate a quick response to changing deployment plans and quick retargeting of the missiles," Solovtsov said.
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Topol-M launch video:
tinyurl.com/lwrg2x
