The Sineva submarine-launched ballistic missile surpasses the American analogue Trident-2 in a number of characteristics.
The successful, already 27th launch on December 12 of the Sineva ballistic missile from the Verkhoturye strategic nuclear submarine missile cruiser (RPK SN) confirmed that Russia has a weapon of retaliation. The rocket covered about 6 thousand km and hit a conditional target at the Kamchatka Kura training ground. By the way, the Verkhoturye submarine is a deeply modernized version of Project 667BDRM nuclear submarines of the Dolphin class (Delta-IV according to NATO classification), which today form the basis of the naval forces of strategic nuclear deterrence.
For those who zealously monitor the state of our defensive capabilities, this is not the first and rather familiar message about the successful launches of Sineva. In the current rather alarming international situation, many are interested in the question of the capabilities of our missile in comparison with the closest foreign analogue - the American UGM-133A Trident-II D5 missile ("Trident-2"), in everyday life - "Trident-2".
Ice "Blue"
The R-29RMU2 "Sineva" missile is designed to destroy strategically important enemy targets at intercontinental ranges. She is the main weapon of the 667BDRM strategic missile cruisers and was created on the basis of the R-29RM ICBM. According to NATO classification - SS-N-23 Skiff, according to the START treaty - RSM-54. It is a liquid-propellant three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) sea-launched submarine of the third generation. After being put into service in 2007, it was planned to release about 100 Sineva missiles.
The launch weight (payload) of "Sineva" does not exceed 40, 3 tons. A split ICBM warhead (2, 8 tons) for a range of up to 11,500 km can deliver, depending on the power, from 4 to 10 warheads of individual guidance.
The maximum deviation from the target when starting from a depth of up to 55 m does not exceed 500 m, which is ensured by an effective on-board control system using astro correction and satellite navigation. To overcome the enemy's anti-missile defense, Sineva can be equipped with special means and use a flat flight path.
This is the main data of the Sineva ICBM, known from open sources. For comparison, let us present the main characteristics of the American Trident-2 missile, which is the closest analogue of the Russian “underwater” sword.
R-29RMU2 "Sineva" intercontinental ballistic three-stage missile. Photo: topwar.ru
American "Trident" - "Trident-2"
The Trident-2 submarine-based solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile was put into service in 1990. Has a lighter modification - "Trident-1" - and is designed to defeat strategically important targets on enemy territory; in terms of tasks being solved, it is similar to the Russian "Sineva". American SSBN-726 submarines of the Ohio class are equipped with the missile. In 2007, its serial production was discontinued.
With a launch mass of 59 tons, the Trident-2 ICBM is capable of delivering a payload weighing 2.8 tons to a distance of 7800 km from the launch site. The maximum flight range of 11,300 km can be achieved by reducing the weight and number of warheads. As a payload, the rocket can carry 8 and 14 warheads of individual guidance of medium (W88, 475 kt) and low (W76, 100 kt) power, respectively. The circular probable deviation of these blocks from the target is 90–120 m.
Comparison of characteristics of missiles "Sineva" and "Trident-2"
In general, "Sineva" is not inferior in basic characteristics, and in a number of them surpasses the American ICBM "Trident-2". At the same time, our rocket, unlike its overseas counterpart, has a great potential for modernization. In 2011, a new version of the rocket, the R-29RMU2.1 "Liner", was tested and adopted in 2014. In addition, the R-29RMU3 modification, if necessary, can replace the Bulava solid-propellant ICBM.
Our "Sineva" is the best in the world in terms of energy and mass perfection (the ratio of the mass of the combat load to the launch mass of the rocket, reduced to one flight range). This figure of 46 units is noticeably higher than that of the Trident-1 (33) and Trident-2 (37, 5) ICBMs, which directly affects the maximum flight range.
Sineva, launched in October 2008 from the Barents Sea by the nuclear submarine Tula from a submerged position, flew 11,547 km and delivered a mock warhead to the equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean. This is 200 km higher than that of Trident-2. No other missile in the world has such a range.
In fact, Russian strategic missile submarines are capable of shelling the central US states from positions directly off their shores under the protection of a surface fleet. You can say without leaving the pier. But there are examples of how a submarine missile carrier carried out a covert, "under-ice" launch of the Sineva from the Arctic latitudes with an ice thickness of up to two meters in the North Pole region.
The Russian intercontinental ballistic missile can be launched by a carrier that moves at a speed of up to five knots, from a depth of up to 55 m and sea waves up to 7 in any direction along the course of the ship. ICBM "Trident-2" at the same speed of movement of the carrier can be launched from a depth of up to 30 m and excitement up to 6 points. It is also important that immediately after the start "Sinev" steadily enters a given trajectory, which Trident cannot boast of. This is due to the fact that the "Trident" starts at the expense of a pressure accumulator, and the submarine commander, thinking about safety, will always make a choice between an underwater or surface launch.
An important indicator for such a weapon is the rate of fire and the possibility of salvo firing during the preparation and conduct of a retaliatory strike. This significantly increases the likelihood of breaking through the enemy's missile defense system and inflicting a guaranteed defeat on him. With the maximum launch interval between the Sineva ICBMs up to 10 seconds, this indicator for the Trident-2 is twice (20 s) higher. And in August 1991, a salvo launch of ammunition from 16 Sineva ICBMs was made by the Novomoskovsk submarine, which until now has no analogues in the world.
Our "Sineva" is not inferior to the American missile in the accuracy of hitting the target when equipped with a new block of medium power. It can also be used in a non-nuclear conflict with a high-precision high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing about 2 tons. To overcome the enemy's missile defense system, in addition to special equipment, "Sineva" can fly to the target and along a flat trajectory. This significantly reduces the likelihood of its early detection, and hence the likely defeat.
And one more important factor in our time. For all its positive indicators, Trident-class ICBMs, we repeat, are difficult to modernize. For more than 25 years of service, the electronic base has changed significantly, which does not allow for local modernization of modern systems in the design of the rocket at the software and hardware level.
Finally, another plus of our "Sineva" is the possibility of its use for peaceful purposes. At one time, carriers "Volna" and "Shtil" were created to launch spacecraft into low-earth orbit. In 1991-1993, three such launches were carried out, and the conversion "Sineva" got into the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest "mail". In June 1995, this rocket delivered a set of scientific equipment and postal correspondence in a special capsule to Kamchatka at a distance of 9000 km.
As a result: the above and other indicators became the basis for German specialists to consider the "Sineva" a masterpiece of naval rocketry.
