R-36

R-36 is a type of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The R-36 was designed and manufactured by the Yuzhmash factory in Dnipro, Ukraine, with the guidance system developed by the NPO Electropribor in Kharkiv. The R-36 was capable of delivering a Nuclear Warhead to targets in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and was a key component of the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces.

Introduction

The R-36 was first tested in 1962 and entered service in 1966, with the first operational regiment deployed in Pervomaisk, Ukraine. The R-36 was designed to be a more advanced and capable replacement for the earlier R-7 and R-9 ICBMs, with a longer range and greater accuracy. The R-36 was also designed to be more survivable, with a Silos-based launch system and a Mobile Launcher option. The development of the R-36 was influenced by the Cuban Missile Crisis and the need for the Soviet Union to have a more effective deterrent against the United States and its NATO allies, including West Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Design_and_Development

The R-36 was designed by a team led by Mikhail Yangel, a prominent Soviet engineer and designer of ICBMs, who also worked on the R-12 and R-14 missiles. The R-36 used a Liquid-Fueled Rocket engine, with a RD-251 engine in the first stage and a RD-252 engine in the second stage. The guidance system used a combination of Inertial Navigation System and Radio Command Guidance, developed by the NPO Electropribor in collaboration with the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The R-36 was also designed to be compatible with the SS-9 Scarp and SS-18 Satan ICBMs, which were also developed by the Yuzhmash factory and used by the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces in Kozelsk, Kaluga Oblast, and Uzhur, Krasnoyarsk Krai.

Operational_History

The R-36 was deployed in several locations in the Soviet Union, including Pervomaisk, Ukraine, Kozelsk, Kaluga Oblast, and Uzhur, Krasnoyarsk Krai. The R-36 was operated by the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces, which was responsible for the country's Nuclear Deterrence capability, in coordination with the Soviet Air Forces and the Soviet Navy. The R-36 played a key role in the Soviet Union's Nuclear Strategy, which was focused on deterring the United States and its NATO allies from launching a Nuclear Attack against the Soviet Union or its Eastern European allies, including Poland, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia. The R-36 was also used as a launch vehicle for several Spacecraft, including the Luna Program and the Venera Program, which were managed by the Soviet Academy of Sciences and the Soviet Space Program.

Variants

Several variants of the R-36 were developed, including the R-36O, which was an Orbital Launch Vehicle used to launch Satellites into Low Earth Orbit, and the R-36P, which was a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) used to launch Nuclear Warheads into Orbit around the Earth. The R-36 was also used as a basis for the development of the Tsyklon launch vehicle, which was used to launch several Spacecraft into Orbit, including the Salyut Program and the Mir Space Station, which were operated by the Soviet Space Program and the Russian Federal Space Agency. The R-36 was also used in the Intercosmos program, a Space Exploration program that involved the Soviet Union and several Eastern European countries, including Poland, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia.

Specifications

The R-36 had a length of 32.2 meters and a diameter of 3.0 meters, with a launch weight of 183,000 kilograms. The R-36 had a range of 16,000 kilometers and a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of 1,000 meters. The R-36 was powered by a Liquid-Fueled Rocket engine, with a RD-251 engine in the first stage and a RD-252 engine in the second stage. The R-36 was guided by a combination of Inertial Navigation System and Radio Command Guidance, developed by the NPO Electropribor in collaboration with the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The R-36 was capable of delivering a Nuclear Warhead with a yield of up to 8 megatons, which was developed by the Arzamas-16 research institute and the Chelyabinsk-70 nuclear facility. Category:Ballistic missiles