Over the past several years, one of the main topics in the context of the rearmament of the army has been the promising RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. The new project has gone through a number of important stages and is close to conducting flight design tests. Most of the information about the work carried out and plans for the near future remains a mystery, but in recent weeks, a whole series of news has appeared. Some information was published about the work of the past months and about plans for the coming years.
On October 2, the TASS news agency published new data on the topic of further work within the framework of the Sarmat project. An unnamed defense industry source told the agency that flight tests of the promising missile will begin next 2019. However, this information was unofficial. Industrial enterprises and the military department did not comment on the new messages in any way.
A TASS source recalled that earlier in 2018, throw tests of the RS-28 rocket were carried out, during which the withdrawal of the product of their silo launcher was tested. Two starts ended with positive results, and therefore it was decided to complete the first stage of testing. Thanks to this, the specialists were able to start ground-based testing of the rocket assemblies. The next stage of work will be flight design tests.
Two days later, on October 4, the Ministry of Defense recalled the Sarmat project and its successes. A press release dedicated to the Day of Space Forces mentioned the successes of the Plesetsk State Test Cosmodrome, including the successful testing of the RS-28 missiles. The Ministry of Defense indicated two launches of Sarmat ICBMs. However, the publication did not mention the fact that these were throw tests, and not full-fledged flights.
On the same day, it became known how the Russian defense industry was preparing for the future serial production of promising ballistic missiles. The contract for the production of "Sarmatov" is planned to be concluded with the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant. After reconstruction and modernization, this enterprise will be able to assemble missiles of new models, but for now it is engaged in the manufacture of ballistic missiles for submarines R-29RMU2 "Sineva" and upper stages for carrier rockets of the Sea Launch program.
The general director of the plant, Alexander Gavrilov, told reporters about plans to increase productivity. Due to the expected increase in the utilization rate, the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant plans to increase the number of employees. From the beginning of next 2019, it is planned to organize work in two and three shifts. This approach to the organization of production will ensure the fulfillment of all existing orders and the timely delivery of various serial products to the Ministry of Defense.
Over the next few weeks, there were no new messages about the Sarmat project itself and the supporting processes. At the same time, active discussion of the latest news that appeared at the beginning of the month continued. New interesting data on the promising ICBM and its future service were published at the very end of the month - October 31.
On the last day of October, TASS published new data from an anonymous source in the military-industrial complex. He said that the deadline for the completion of flight design tests of a promising missile system was set in 2021. Then the industry will have to master the serial production of new weapons and related systems. Finally, in the same year 2021, the first missile regiment armed with "Sarmats" will take up combat duty. It will be one of the regiments of the 62nd Uzhurskaya missile division of the Red Banner Strategic Missile Forces.
Information about the deployment of the latest intercontinental ballistic missiles, announced by a TASS source, looks extremely interesting. According to him, the first regiment to be armed with RS-28 missiles in 2021 will have its own command post and only two silo launchers. In the future, after 2021, the number of ICBMs on duty will be increased and brought in accordance with the required staffing table. In total, the regiment will have six missile launchers on duty.
After the 62nd missile division is re-equipped, the Sarmat products will have to be supplied to other strategic missile forces as well. However, no information has yet been received on this score. However, recently published data suggest that the delivery of missiles to other regiments and divisions will begin no earlier than 2022. The required rearmament of the Strategic Missile Forces using new missile systems will take at least several years.
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According to open sources, the decision to develop a new heavy class ICBM came at the end of the last decade. This product was intended to gradually replace the outdated ICBMs of the R-36M family, the operation of which should be completed in the foreseeable future. The leading enterprises of the rocket industry were involved in the development of the new project. The head performer of the work was the State Rocket Center named after V. I. V. P. Makeeva (Miass). The development of the rocket was completed in 2016, after which preparations began for throw and flight tests.
In 2016, the project ran into some difficulties that affected the timing of the work. Due to problems with the preparation of the silo launcher at the Plesetsk cosmodrome, as well as due to the need for additional ground checks, the start of the drop tests had to be postponed several times. At the same time, it was reported that by the end of 2017, the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant was supposed to produce three Sarmat products in a simplified configuration, intended for the first tests.
At the end of December 2017, at the Plesetsk test site, the first RS-28 missile launch took place. Later, the first launch was confirmed by officials, and in addition, the Ministry of Defense showed a video of these tests. The second throwing launch took place on March 29, 2018. According to the available data, the second rocket was equipped with a first stage engine. After exiting the launch shaft, the engine turned on and ran for several seconds.
According to a TASS source, carrying out only two throw launches made it possible to collect the entire amount of necessary data and refuse the next such checks. Now the industry is busy preparing for future flight tests, during which experimental missiles will have to carry out a full flight program and conditionally hit distant targets at one of the ranges. The first launch of this kind should take place next year, but the exact date has not yet been announced.
From the published data it follows that the product RS-28 "Sarmat" is a three-stage rocket with liquid engines, designed to be launched from a silo. At different times, different information was provided about the tactical and technical characteristics of the new missile. According to the latest data, the launch weight of the product will reach 200 tons. The throw weight is determined at 10 tons. The flight range will exceed 11 thousand km. Accuracy parameters are expected to depend on the type of combat equipment. According to various estimates and data, "Sarmat" will be able to carry weapons of different types with different capabilities.
First of all, the RS-28 missiles will be equipped with MIRVs with individually guided warheads. At the same time, the possibility of using maneuvering blocks was mentioned. Of particular interest is the promising Yu-71 / 15Yu71 / 4202 / Avangard hypersonic aircraft equipped with a warhead. The use of such combat equipment makes it possible to increase the delivery range of the warhead, as well as to minimize or even eliminate the likelihood of timely detection and interception by anti-missile defense systems.
According to known data, the promising heavy ICBM "Sarmat" is intended to replace outdated products of its class. Missiles of the R-36M family and UR-100N UTTH products will be replaced. According to open sources, about 75 missiles of these types are currently on duty, operated by three formations of the Strategic Missile Forces. All this makes it possible to present the required number of promising missiles, as well as to determine the possible places of their service.
In addition to replacing existing weapons, when drawing up plans for the deployment of the RS-28, the Russian command will have to take into account the terms of current international agreements. The current START III treaty imposes restrictions on the number of deployed carriers and nuclear warheads. In this regard, the country's military and political leadership will have to determine what will be the share of new missiles and their payload in the total number of strategic nuclear forces.
It can be noted that as a result of replacing outdated missiles with new RS-28s in a one-to-one ratio, the latter will make up almost 11% of all carriers in the strategic nuclear forces. According to some estimates, the Sarmat can carry up to ten warheads. In this configuration, the new missiles will be able to deliver almost half of all warheads that can be deployed. Obviously, such a role for the Sarmat ICBMs can lead to one or another problem, and therefore one should expect that promising complexes will be deployed in smaller numbers and with a different combat load.
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It should be recalled that the serial production of the promising ballistic missile RS-28 "Sarmat" should start only in 2021, and the complete rearmament of one of the regiments of the Strategic Missile Forces will be completed only a year later. A complete rejection of the outdated UR-100N UTTH and R-36M in favor of modern products will take several years and may continue until the second half of the twenties.
Thus, the issues of deployment and the number of required missiles are still a matter of the distant future. At the moment, the tasks of preparing and conducting flight-design tests are relevant, according to the results of which the "Sarmat" will be able to enter service. According to the latest reports, the necessary checks will begin next year and may continue until 2021.
Not so long ago, it was argued that the successful conduct of two throw tests made it possible to abandon new launches of this kind. In addition, such completion of the first tests may be cause for optimism. It shows that the project is progressing on schedule and without major issues. It remains to be hoped that the new stages of the Sarmat project will also pass without difficulty, and thanks to this, the Strategic Missile Forces will be able to receive new weapons with special capabilities in time.
