RS-28 Sarmat

RS-28 Sarmat. The RS-28 Sarmat is a Russian, silo-based, heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed to replace the aging R-36M2 Voevoda (SS-18 Satan). Entering combat duty in 2023, it forms a critical component of the strategic deterrent forces of the Russian Federation, operated by the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces. The missile is designed to deliver a substantial payload of multiple warheads over intercontinental ranges, utilizing advanced countermeasures to penetrate modern missile defense systems.

Development and design

The development program was initiated by the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau as a direct successor to the Soviet-era R-36 lineage. Primary manufacturing is conducted at the Krasmash plant in Krasnoyarsk. The project faced significant delays, partly due to technical challenges and international sanctions following the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Its design emphasizes a heavy throw-weight and the use of a liquid-propellant system, allowing for a larger payload capacity compared to solid-fuel missiles like the American LGM-30G Minuteman III or the Russian RT-2PM2 Topol-M. A key design feature is its purported ability to carry a variety of payloads, including up to 10 or more multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) or advanced hypersonic glide vehicles like the Avangard.

Specifications

The missile is approximately 35.3 meters in length and 3 meters in diameter, with a launch weight estimated to exceed 200,000 kilograms. It is propelled by a powerful liquid-fuel rocket engine, providing the energy needed for its heavy payload of up to 10,000 kilograms. The reported operational range exceeds 18,000 kilometers, enabling it to strike targets globally via either traditional ballistic trajectories or alleged "fractional orbital bombardment" flight paths. Guidance is provided by a sophisticated inertial navigation system, potentially augmented by GLONASS satellite updates. Its primary basing mode is within hardened silos, previously used for the R-36M2 Voevoda, which have been extensively modernized.

Operational history

After a protracted testing phase, the first successful launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome occurred in April 2022. Following further state trials, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the missile was placed on combat duty in the fall of 2023. The first missile regiment equipped with the system is reportedly deployed with the 62nd Missile Division of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, based in Uzhur, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Its entry into service marked a major milestone in the ongoing modernization of Russia's nuclear triad, alongside other new systems like the RS-24 Yars and the Borei-class submarine.

Strategic role and capabilities

The primary strategic role is to ensure a guaranteed retaliatory strike capability, a cornerstone of Russia's nuclear doctrine. Its heavy payload allows it to carry a significant number of warheads and penetration aids, designed to overwhelm the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system operated by the United States and other regional defenses. Military analysts from institutions like the Federation of American Scientists note its potential use of depressed trajectories and advanced countermeasures presents a complex challenge for early-warning networks like the U.S. Space Force's Space-Based Infrared System. The system is a central element in what Russian officials term "invulnerable" strategic weapons, a group that also includes the Burevestnik and the Poseidon.

International reaction and arms control

The deployment has been a point of significant concern for Western governments and arms control advocates. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly cited it as an example of escalating Russian nuclear capabilities. Its development and testing have been raised in forums like the United Nations Security Council and have impacted strategic stability dialogues, which were already strained following the U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the expiration of the New START treaty. The missile's capabilities are seen as undermining the strategic balance and complicating future arms control negotiations, a concern voiced by officials from the Pentagon and analysts at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Category:Intercontinental ballistic missiles of Russia Category:Cold War weapons Category:Strategic Rocket Forces