| Armed Forces of the Russian Federation | Structure and tasks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation | Types of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation | Strategic Rocket Forces. Strategic Missile Forces

Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Types of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Strategic Rocket Forces
Strategic Missile Forces

From the history of creation

The beginning of the use of powder rockets in military affairs in India and China dates back to the 10th-12th centuries, and in Western Europe - to the end of the 13th century. In Russia in the XVIII-XIX centuries. were armed with incendiary and high-explosive rockets. In the middle of the XIX century. in connection with the spread of rifled artillery, interest in rocket weapons fell. Work on its creation was resumed only after the First World War at a new scientific and technical level, which led to the adoption by the armies of some countries (USSR, Great Britain, Germany) and the use of jet systems in World War II. In 1944, Nazi Germany used V-1 and V-2 missiles. Especially intensively missile weapons are developed after

World War II, as a result of which missile systems for various purposes entered service with many armies.

In our country, the Strategic Missile Forces were created in 1960. They are equipped with nuclear missile weapons and are designed to carry out strategic tasks.

Organizational structure of the Navy

• Command of the Strategic Missile Forces
• Rocket armies:
  • Vladimir Rocket Association (Guards Rocket Vitebsk Red Banner Army);
  • Orenburg Missile Association (Orenburg Missile Army);
  • Omsk Missile Association (Guards Missile Berislav-Khinganskaya Twice Red Banner, Order of the Suvorov Army)
• Missile formations:
  • Bologoevskoe missile formation (Guards Red Banner Rezhitsa missile division);
  • Barnaul missile formation (rocket red banner orders of Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky division);
  • Irkutsk Missile Unit (Guards Missile Vitebsk Order of Lenin Red Banner Division);
  • Yoshkar-Ola missile formation (Kiev-Zhytomyr order of Kutuzov III degree missile division);
  • Kozelsky missile formation (Guards Red Banner Division);
  • Novosibirsk missile formation (Guards Glukhov Order of Lenin, Red Banner Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and B. Khmelnitsky Missile Division);
  • Tatishchevskoe Missile Unit (Tamanskaya Missile Order of the October Revolution Red Banner Division);
  • Tagil missile formation (Tagil missile division);
  • Teykovskoe missile formation (Guards Missile Division of the Order of Kutuzov);
  • Uzhur missile formation (Red Banner Missile Division);
  • Yuryansky missile formation (Melitopol Red Banner Missile Division);
  • Yasnensky missile formation (Red Banner Missile Division)
• State Central Interspecific Range of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
• Training centers and school of technicians:
  • 90th Interspecific Regional Training Center for Communications of the Strategic Missile Forces (Yaroslavl Region);
  • Interspecific regional training center of the Strategic Missile Forces (Pskov region);
  • 161st school of technicians of the Strategic Missile Forces (Astrakhan region)
• Arsenals

Strategic Missile Forces, as an independent branch of the military, designed to solve the problems of nuclear deterrence of an attack from outside in the interests of the Russian Federation and our allies, to ensure strategic stability in the world. These are troops of constant combat readiness, performing the role of the main component of the strategic nuclear forces (SNF) of the country.

The Strategic Missile Forces are characterized by:
• huge destructive power;
• high combat readiness and accuracy of nuclear missile strikes;
• practically unlimited range;
• the ability to strike simultaneously at many targets, to successfully overcome the opposition of air defense and missile defense;
• the possibility of wide maneuver with nuclear missile strikes;
• independence of combat use from weather conditions, time of year and day.

These troops are armed with stationary and mobile missile systems.

Strategic Missile Forces include (Fig. 1):
• three missile armies (headquarters are in the cities of Vladimir, Orenburg and Omsk);
• State central interspecific range;
• 10th Test Site (in Kazakhstan);
• 4th Central Research Institute (Yubileiny, Moscow Region);
• educational institutions (Military Academy named after Peter the Great in Moscow, military institutes in the cities of Serpukhov, Rostov-on-Don and Stavropol);
• arsenals and central repair plants, a storage base for weapons and military equipment.

RVSN (Strategic Missile Forces) are a separate branch of the military Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. They represent the ground component of the strategic nuclear forces - the Strategic Nuclear Forces, or the so-called "nuclear triad", which includes, in addition to the Strategic Missile Forces, strategic aviation and naval strategic forces. Designed for nuclear deterrence of possible aggression and destruction by group or massive nuclear missile strikes of enemy strategic targets, which form the basis of its military and economic potential. They can be used independently or in conjunction with other components of the strategic nuclear forces.

The Strategic Missile Forces are troops of constant combat readiness. The basis of their weapons are ground-based ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) ground-based, equipped with warheads with nuclear warheads. According to the method of basing, ICBMs are divided into:

• mine;
• mobile (ground) based.

Currently, only three countries in the world (Russia, the United States and China) have a full-fledged nuclear triad, that is, land, air and sea components of strategic nuclear forces. At the same time, only Russia has such a unique structure as the Strategic Missile Forces as part of its armed forces.

In the United States, unlike the Russian Federation, ICBM formations are part of the air force. The ground and air components of the American nuclear triad are subordinate to a single structure - the Global Strike Command as part of the US Air Force. The American analogue of the Strategic Missile Forces is the 20th Air Army of the Global Strike Command, consisting of three missile wings armed with silo-based Minuteman-3 ICBMs. Unlike the Strategic Missile Forces, there are no mobile-based ICBMs in service with the American ground strategic forces. The air component of the US strategic nuclear forces includes the 8th Air Force of the Global Strike Command, armed with B-52H strategic bombers Stratofortress and B-2 Spirit.

Before considering the current state of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, let us turn to the history of this type of troops and briefly consider the main milestones in the creation and development of the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces.

Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR: HISTORY, STRUCTURE AND WEAPONS

The development of strategic missile weapons in the USSR began in the early postwar years. Captured German V-2 missiles served as the basis for the creation of the first Soviet ballistic missiles.

In 1947, the construction of the 4th Central State Training Ground Kapustin Yar began, where a special-purpose brigade of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (bron RVGK) arrived under the command of Major General of Artillery A.F. Tveretsky with elements of V-2 rockets. In the same year, test launches of German missiles began, and a year later, on October 10, 1948, the first Soviet ballistic missile R-1 was launched - a copy of the FAU-2, assembled from units already of Soviet production.

Between 1950 and 1955 as part of the artillery of the RVGK, six more armors were formed (since 1953 - engineering brigades of the RVGK), armed with missiles R-1 and R-2. These missiles had a range of 270 and 600 km, respectively, and were equipped with conventional (non-nuclear) warheads. Special-purpose brigades armed with missiles were theoretically intended to destroy large military, military-industrial and administrative facilities of great strategic or operational importance, but their real combat value was low due to the low characteristics of missile weapons. It took 6 hours to prepare the rocket for launch, the fueled rocket could not be stored - it had to be launched within 15 minutes or the fuel was drained and then the rocket was prepared for re-launch for at least a day. For knocks, the brigade could fire 24-36 missiles. The accuracy of the R-1 and R-2 missiles was extremely low: the CEP (circular probabilistic deviation) was 1.25 km, as a result of which it was possible to fire at objects with an area of ​​​​at least 8 square meters. km. However, a missile with a non-nuclear warhead ensured the complete destruction of urban buildings within a radius of only 25 m, which made the use of the R-1 and R-2 ineffective in real combat conditions. In addition, numerous starting battery equipment was very vulnerable to artillery fire and air attack weapons. In view of all of the above, the first Soviet missile brigades had minimal combat value, being more of a training and testing center for training specialists and testing missile technologies. To turn them into a real fighting force, much more advanced missile weapons were required.

In the second half of the 50s. The R-5 and R-12 IRBMs (intermediate-range ballistic missiles) with ranges of 1,200 and 2,080 km, respectively, as well as the R-7 and R-7A ICBMs, are being put into service.

Single stage tactical ballistic missile R-5 became the first truly combat Soviet missile. An increase in the firing range led to its extremely low accuracy: the KVO was 5 km, which made the use of this missile with a conventional warhead meaningless. Therefore, a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 80 kilotons was created for it. Its modification - R-5M carried a nuclear warhead with a capacity of already 1 megaton. The R-5M missiles were in service with six RVGK engineering brigades and significantly increased the firepower of the Soviet Army. However, their range of 1200 km was clearly insufficient for a strategic confrontation with the United States. In order to “cover” the territory controlled by NATO as much as possible, two divisions of the 72nd engineering brigade with four R-5M missiles were moved to the territory of the GDR in strict secrecy, after which the southeastern part of Great Britain was within their reach.

Here we should make a small digression in order to understand the further development of Soviet ballistic missiles. The fact is that a split arose among Soviet designers. Outstanding designer of rocket technology S.P. Korolev was a supporter of liquid rockets, where liquid oxygen was used as an oxidizer. The disadvantage of such missiles was discussed above: they could not be stored in a refueled state for any long period of time. At the same time, M.K. Yangel, Korolev's deputy, advocated the use of nitric acid as an oxidizing agent, which made it possible to keep the rocket refueled and ready for launch for a long time.

Ultimately, this dispute led to the creation of two independent design bureaus. Yangel and his team founded the Special Design Bureau No. 584 at the rocket-building plant under construction in Dnepropetrovsk (Yuzhmash). Here he develops MRBM R-12, which was put into service in 1959. This missile had a CEP of 5 km and was equipped with a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 2.3 Mt. With a relatively short range of the R-12, its indisputable advantage was the use of stored fuel components and the ability to store in the required degree of combat readiness - from No. 4 to No. 1. At the same time, the launch preparation time ranged from 3 hours 25 minutes to 30 minutes. Looking ahead, let's say that the R-12 rocket became the "long-liver" of the Soviet missile forces. In 1986, 112 R-12 launchers were still in service. Their complete removal of weapons took place only at the end of the 80s in the framework of the Soviet-American treaty on the elimination of medium and short-range missiles.

While Yangel was creating the R-12, Korolev was developing the R-7 rocket. Introduced into service in 1960, this ICBM with a range of 8,000 km was the first Soviet ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States. However, a serious drawback of the R-7 was the long refueling time - 12 hours. This required 400 tons of liquid oxygen, and a fueled rocket could be stored for no more than 8 hours. Thus, the R-7 was well suited for a pre-emptive strike on the enemy, but did not make it possible to carry out a retaliatory launch. For this reason, the maximum number of deployed R-7 launchers never exceeded four, and by 1968 all R-7s were withdrawn from service, giving way to new generation missiles.

In 1958, the missile forces were divided in accordance with their tasks: the RVGK engineering teams armed with the R-11 and R-11M operational-tactical missiles were transferred to the Ground Forces, and the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missiles were part of the first ICBM formation under conditional the name "Object" Angara ".

Creation of the Strategic Missile Forces

Thus, by the end of the 1950s in the USSR, samples of missiles with sufficient combat effectiveness were created and put into mass production. There is a need to create a centralized command of all strategic missile forces.

On December 17, 1959, No. 1384-615, by a top-secret decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR "On the establishment of the post of commander-in-chief of the missile forces in the Armed Forces of the USSR", an independent branch of the Armed Forces was created - the Strategic Missile Forces. December 17 is currently celebrated as Strategic Missile Forces Day .

Decree No. 1384-615 ordered the Strategic Missile Forces to have missile brigades (medium-range) of three to four regiments and missile divisions of five to six regiments, as well as ICBM brigades consisting of six to eight launches.

The formation of directorates and services of the Strategic Missile Forces begins. On December 31, 1959, the following were formed: the Main Headquarters of the Missile Forces, the Central Command Post with a communications center and a computer center, the Main Directorate of Missile Weapons, the Combat Training Directorate, and other services. The first commander of the Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense - Chief Marshal of Artillery Nedelin M.I.

Within a short time after the official creation of the Strategic Missile Forces, numerous missile regiments and divisions began to appear on the territory of the USSR. Tank, artillery and aviation units were hastily transferred to the staff of the missile troops. They handed over their old weapons and mastered new rocket technology in the shortest possible time. So, two directorates of the air armies of Long-Range Aviation were transferred to the Strategic Missile Forces, which served as the base for the deployment of missile armies, three directorates of air divisions, 17 engineering regiments of the RGC (they were reorganized into missile divisions and brigades) and many other units and formations.

By 1960, 10 missile divisions were deployed as part of the Strategic Missile Forces, based in the western part of the Union and the Far East:

1) 19th Missile Zaporozhye Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division, headquarters in the city of Khmelnitsky (Ukrainian SSR);

2) 23rd Guards Rocket Orel-Berlin Red Banner Division - headquarters in the city of Valga;

3) 24th Guards Missile Gomel Order of Lenin Red Banner Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky Division - Gvardeysk in the Kaliningrad region;

4) 29th Guards Rocket Vitebsk Order of Lenin Red Banner Division - Siauliai (Lithuanian SSR);

5) 31st Guards Rocket Bryansk-Berlin Red Banner Division - Pruzhany (BSSR);

6) 32nd Rocket Kherson Red Banner Division - Postavy (BSSR);

7) 33rd Guards Rocket Svirskaya Red Banner Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky Division - Mozyr (BSSR);

8) Guards Rocket Sevastopol Division - Lutsk (Ukrainian SSR);

9) missile division - Kolomyia (Ukrainian SSR);

10) missile division - Ussuriysk.

All these divisions were armed with R-12 missiles, the total number of which in 1960 was 172 units, but a year later there were 373 of them. Now all of Western Europe and Japan were under the gunpoint of the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces.

The only division armed with R-7 and R-7A intercontinental missiles was based in Plesetsk.

In the formations of the IRBM, the main combat unit was the missile division (rdn), in the formations of the ICBM - the missile regiment (rp).

By 1966, the number of R-12 MRBMs in service with the Soviet missile forces reached 572 - this was the maximum, after which a gradual decline began. However, the range of the R-12 was still not very large. The task of creating a mass rocket capable of "reaching out" to US territory has still not been solved.

By 1958, Soviet chemists had developed a promising new fuel - heptyl. This substance was extremely toxic, but at the same time it was effective as a fuel, and most importantly, it was long-lasting. Heptyl missiles could be kept in combat condition for years.

In 1958, Yangel began designing a rocket R-14, which was adopted in 1961. The flight range of the new missile, equipped with a 2 Mt warhead, was 4,500 km. Now the Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR could freely keep the whole of Western Europe at gunpoint.

However, the R-14, like the R-12, was extremely vulnerable in an open launch position. It was urgently necessary to increase the survivability of missiles. The way out was found simple, albeit labor-intensive - to place strategic missiles in mines. This is how launchers for silo-based missiles R-12U "Dvina" and R-14U "Chusovaya" appeared. The starting position of Dvina was a rectangle measuring 70 by 80 m, in the corners of which there were launch mines, and underground - a command post. "Chusovaya" had the shape of a right triangle with legs 70 and 80 m, with launch shafts at the tops.

Despite the colossal progress in the development of rocket technology, achieved in the 50s - the first half of the 60s, the Soviet Union was still unable to launch a full-fledged nuclear missile attack on the territory of America. An attempt in 1962 to place Soviet R-12 and R-14 missiles in Cuba, closer to the US borders, ended in a sharp confrontation known as the Caribbean Crisis. There was a real threat of the Third World War. The USSR was forced to retreat and remove its strategic missiles from Cuba.

At the same time, by 1962, the United States was armed with three hundred (!) Atlas, Titan-1 and Minuteman-1 intercontinental ballistic missiles with a maximum deviation from the target of 3 kilometers, equipped with nuclear warheads with a capacity of 3 Mt. And the Titan-2 missile, adopted in 1962, was equipped with a thermonuclear warhead with a capacity of 10 megatons, and had a maximum deviation of only 2.5 km. And this is not counting the huge fleet of strategic bombers (1,700 vehicles) and 160 Polaris SLBMs on 10 George Washington-class submarines. The superiority of the United States over the USSR in the field of strategic weapons was simply overwhelming!

It was urgent to close the gap. Since 1959, the development of a two-stage ICBM R-16. Unfortunately, the haste had tragic consequences in the form of a series of accidents and disasters. The largest of them was the fire at Baikonur on October 24, 1960, which arose as a result of a gross violation of safety regulations (engineers and rocket scientists tried to troubleshoot the electrical circuit on a fueled R-16 rocket). As a result, the rocket exploded, propellant and nitric acid spilled over the launch pad. 126 people were killed, including the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Marshal Nedelin. Yangel miraculously survived, because a few minutes before the disaster he went behind the bunker to smoke.

Nevertheless, work on the R-16 continued, and by the end of 1961 the first three missile regiments were ready for combat duty. In parallel with the development of R-16 missiles, silo launchers for them were created. The launch complex, which received the Sheksna-V index, consisted of three silos placed in one line at a distance of several tens of meters, an underground command post and fuel and oxidizer storage facilities (the missiles were refueled immediately before launch).

In 1962, there were 50 R-16 missiles in service, and by 1965 their number in the Strategic Missile Forces reached its maximum - 202 launchers of silo-based R-16U missiles in several base areas.

The R-16 became the first mass-produced Soviet missile with a flight range (11,500-13,000 km) that made it possible to hit targets in the United States. It became the base missile for creating a group of intercontinental missiles of the Strategic Missile Forces. True, its accuracy was not high - the maximum deviation was 10 km, but it was compensated by a powerful warhead - 3-10 Mt.

Around the same time, Korolev was developing a new oxygen ICBM R-9. Its tests dragged on until 1964 (although the first combat systems were deployed in 1963). Despite the fact that Korolev himself considered his missile to be significantly superior to the R-16 (the R-9 was much more accurate, had a range of 12500-16000 km and a powerful warhead of 5-10 Mt at half the weight), it did not entrust wide distribution. The Strategic Missile Forces received only 29 R-9A missiles, which served until the mid-1970s. After the R-9, oxygen rockets were not created in the Soviet Union.

Despite the fact that the R-16 missiles were adopted and built in significant numbers, they were too large and expensive to become truly massive. Rocket designer academician V.N. Chelomey proposed his solution - a light "universal" rocket UR-100. It could be used both as an ICBM and in the Taran missile defense system. The UR-100 was put into service in 1966, and in 1972 its modifications with improved performance characteristics were adopted - UR-100M and UR-100UTTH.

UR-100 (according to NATO classification - SS-11) became the most massive missile ever adopted by the USSR Strategic Missile Forces. From 1966 to 1972 990 UR-100 and UR-100M missiles were put on combat duty. The launch range of a missile with a light warhead with a capacity of 0.5 Mt was 10600 km, and with a heavy warhead with a capacity of 1.1 Mt - 5000 km. The great advantage of the UR-100 was that it could be stored in a refueled state for the entire period of its stay on combat duty - 10 years. The time from receiving the command to launch was about three minutes, which was required to spin up the rocket's gyroscopes. The mass deployment of relatively cheap UR-100 missiles was the Soviet response to the American Minutemen.

In 1963, a decision was made that determined the appearance of the Strategic Missile Forces for many years to come: to start building single-launch mine launchers (silos). Throughout the entire territory of the USSR, from the Carpathians to the Far East, a grandiose construction of new position areas for basing ICBMs was launched, in which 350 thousand people were involved. The construction of a single-launch silo was a labor-intensive and expensive process, but such a launcher was much more resistant to nuclear strikes. Mine launchers were tested by real nuclear explosions and showed high stability: all systems and fortifications remained intact and capable of combat work.

In parallel with the development of the light ICBM UR-100, the Yangel Design Bureau began developing the complex R-36 with heavy ICBMs. Its main task was considered to be the defeat of highly protected small targets in the United States, such as ICBM launchers, command posts, bases of nuclear submarine missile carriers, etc. Just like the rest of the Soviet ICBMs of that time, the R-36 was not very accurate, which they tried to compensate for with a 10 Mt warhead. In 1967, the R-36 heavy ICBM was adopted by the Strategic Missile Forces, by which time 72 missiles had already been deployed, and by 1970 - 258.

The R-36 launcher was a huge structure: depth - 41 m, diameter - 8 m. Therefore, they were placed in deserted areas: Krasnoyarsk Territory, Orenburg and Chelyabinsk regions, Kazakhstan. Formations armed with R-36s became part of the Orenburg missile corps, later transformed into a missile army.

Strategic Missile Forces in the 60s - 70s

The rapid growth of the grouping of Soviet ballistic missiles was accompanied by numerous changes in the structure of the Strategic Missile Forces. The deployment of an increasing number of launchers of ICBMs and medium-range missiles required reliable control, warning and communication systems. In a potential nuclear conflict, time was counted by seconds - the missiles had to leave the mines before they were destroyed by the enemy. In addition, silo launchers needed complex maintenance and reliable protection. Positional areas of ICBMs occupied vast uninhabited spaces. The launchers were at a considerable distance from each other in order to make it more difficult to destroy them with one blow. Missile maintenance required a large number of personnel and a powerful infrastructure.

The Strategic Missile Forces became, in fact, a closed "state within a state." For rocket men, secret cities were built that were not on the maps. Their existence, like everything connected with the Strategic Missile Forces, was a state secret, and only railway lines leading to supposedly deserted places could indicate the location of secret objects. The Strategic Missile Forces had not only military facilities, but also their own factories, state farms, forestries, railways and roads.

The organizational structure of the Strategic Missile Forces began to take shape with the transfer to their structure of two air armies of Long-Range Aviation, on the basis of which two missile armies armed with R-12 and R-14 medium-range missiles were formed. They were placed in the western regions of the USSR.

The 43rd Rocket Army was headquartered in Vinnitsa (Ukrainian SSR). Initially, it consisted of three missile divisions and two brigades, later - 10 divisions stationed on the territory of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The headquarters of the 50th Army was in Smolensk.

The deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles required the creation of a large number of new missile formations. In 1961, the Strategic Missile Forces (in addition to the two above-mentioned armies) included five separate missile corps with headquarters in Vladimir, Kirov, Omsk, Khabarovsk and Chita. In 1965, two more separate missile corps were formed with headquarters in Orenburg and Dzhambul, and the Orenburg corps was armed with heavy R-36 ICBMs, which were the main striking force of the Strategic Missile Forces of that time.

In the future, the number of newly created missile divisions went to dozens, which required an increase in the number of administrative structures of the Strategic Missile Forces.

By 1970, 26 ICBM divisions and 11 RSD divisions were deployed on the territory of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. By this time, a need arose for a large-scale reorganization of the Strategic Missile Forces, which was done in the first half of 1970. Three separate missile corps, Khabarovsk, Dzhambul and Kirov, were disbanded, and the remaining four were deployed into missile armies.

• 27th Guards Rocket Vitebsk Red Banner Army (headquarters in Vladimir);
• 31st Rocket Army (headquarters in Orenburg);
• 33rd Guards Rocket Berislav-Khingan Twice Red Banner Army (headquarters in Omsk);
• 43rd Rocket Red Banner Army (headquarters in Vinnitsa);
• 50th Rocket Red Banner Army (headquarters in Smolensk);
• 53rd Rocket Army (headquarters in Chita).

Heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles R-16U were in service with missile divisions stationed in Bershet (52nd missile division), Bologom (7th Guards RD), Nizhny Tagil (42nd RD), Yoshkar-Ola (14th RD ), Novosibirsk, Shadrinsk and Yurie (RD 8).

The Royal R-9A missiles were in the mines in the vicinity of Omsk and Tyumen.

The most massive light ICBM UR-100 was deployed throughout the Soviet Union. It was adopted by the divisions whose headquarters were located in Bershet (52nd RD), Bologom (7th RD), Gladkaya, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Drovyanaya (4th RD) and Yasnaya, Chita Region, Kozelsk (28th RD), Kostroma and Svobodny (RD 27) of the Amur Region, Tatishchev (RD 60), Teikovo (RD 54), Pervomaisky (RD 46) and Khmelnitsky (RD 19).

Heavy R-36 ICBMs were adopted by five divisions of the 31st Orenburg Missile Army - the 13th Missile Division in Dombarovskoye (Yasnaya), the 38th in Zhangiz-Tobe, the 57th in Derzhavinsk, the 59th in Kartaly, the 62nd I am in Uzhur.

After the death in 1972 of Marshal N.I. Krylov, the Strategic Missile Forces was headed by Chief Marshal of Artillery V.F. Tolubko, who since 1960 was the first deputy commander of the missile forces. He remained in this position for 13 years, until 1985.

Despite the strict secrecy that surrounded the Strategic Missile Forces, it was hardly possible to hide the location of the launchers and garrisons of the Soviet missile forces from the Americans. The means of space, air and electronic intelligence allowed them to track and establish the exact coordinates of all strategic objects of interest. Western intelligence sought to obtain information about Soviet missiles and undercover. In the early 1960s GRU Colonel Oleg Penkovsky, working undercover in England, passed on to the American and British intelligence services a huge amount of information about Soviet strategic missiles, in particular, those then deployed in Cuba.

SALT-1 agreement

In the early 70s. both sides of the nuclear-missile confrontation - the USSR and the USA - owned such large nuclear arsenals that their further quantitative build-up lost its meaning. Why be able to destroy your opponent twenty times when once is enough?

On May 26, 1972, in Moscow, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU Brezhnev and US President Nixon signed two important documents: the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Missile Defense Systems and the Interim Agreement on Certain Measures in the Field of Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, as well as a number of annexes to them.

For the first time in history, rivals in the largest geopolitical confrontation were able to agree on limiting their nuclear missile arsenals. The interim agreement, which later became known as the SALT-1 Treaty, provided for a mutual renunciation of the construction of new silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as the replacement of light and obsolete ICBMs with heavy modern ones. It was allowed to complete the construction of stationary launchers that were already under active construction. At the time of signing the SALT-1 Treaty, the number of Soviet silos was 1,526 units (the United States had 1,054). In 1974, after the completion of the mines, the number of deployed Soviet ICBMs increased to 1,582, reaching a historical maximum.

At the same time, the number of sea-based nuclear missiles was limited. The USSR was allowed to have no more than 950 SLBM launchers and no more than 62 modern ballistic missile submarines, the USA - no more than 710 SLBM launchers and 44 submarines, respectively.

Third generation of strategic missiles

The conclusion of the SALT-1 Treaty was only a short respite in the nuclear missile race. Formally, the Soviet Union now surpassed the United States in the number of ICBMs by almost one and a half times. But the Americans negated this advantage with their new technologies.

In the early 70s. The Minuteman ICBMs with multiple reentry vehicles are being put into service. One such missile could hit three targets. By 1975, there were already 550 Minutemen in service, equipped with multiple warheads.

The USSR began to urgently develop an adequate response to the new American missiles. Back in 1971, the USSR adopted ICBM UR-100K, which could carry three scattering-type warheads of 350 Kt each. In 1974, another modification of the UR-100 was adopted - UR-100U, which also carried three 350 Kt dispersal warheads. They did not yet have individual warhead guidance on targets, and therefore could not be considered an adequate response to the Minutemen.

Less than a year later, the USSR Strategic Missile Forces received a rocket UR-100N(developed by the Chelomey design bureau), equipped with six individually targetable multiple warheads with a capacity of 750 kt each. By 1984, the UR-100N ICBMs were in service with four divisions located in Pervomaisk (90 silos), Tatishchevo (110 silos), Kozelsk (70 silos), Khmelnitsky (90 silos) - a total of 360 units.

In the same 1975, the Strategic Missile Forces received two more new ballistic missiles with multiple independently targetable warheads: MR-UR-100(designed by Yangel Design Bureau) and the famous "Satan" - R-36M(aka RS-20A, and according to NATO classification - SS-18Mod 1,2,3 Satan).

This ICBM has long been the main strike force of the Strategic Missile Forces. The Americans did not have missiles with such combat power. The R-36M missiles were equipped with a multiple warhead with 10 individual targeting units of 750 Kt each. They were located in huge mines with a diameter of 6 m and a depth of 40 m. In subsequent years, the Satan missiles were repeatedly modernized: its variants were adopted: R-36MU and R-36 UTTKh.

Fourth generation missiles

Missile complex R-36M2 "Voevoda"(according to NATO classification - SS-18 Mod.5 / Mod.6) became a further development of "Satan". It was put into service in 1988 and, compared to its predecessors, got the ability to overcome the missile defense system of a potential enemy and deliver a guaranteed retaliatory strike against the enemy even under conditions of repeated nuclear impact on the positional area. This was achieved by increasing the survivability of missiles to the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion both while in the silo and in flight. Each 15A18M missile could technically carry up to 36 warheads, however, under the SALT-2 agreement, no more than 10 warheads were allowed on one missile. Nevertheless, a strike with only eight to ten Voyevoda missiles ensured the destruction of 80% of the US industrial potential.

Other performance characteristics were also significantly improved: the accuracy of the rocket increased by 1.3 times, the preparation time for launch was reduced by 2 times, the duration of autonomy was increased by 3 times, etc.

The R-36M2 is the most powerful strategic missile system in service with the USSR Strategic Missile Forces. Currently, "Voevoda" continues to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation. According to the statement of the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Lieutenant General S. Karakaev, made in 2010, this complex is planned to remain in service until 2026, until a new promising ICBM is put into service.

Ever since the 60s. in the USSR, attempts were made to create mobile ground-based missile systems, the invulnerability of which would be ensured by constantly changing location. This is how the Temp-2S mobile missile system appeared. In 1976, the first two missile regiments, each with six launchers, took up combat duty. Later, on the basis of the Temp-2S complex, Nadiradze Design Bureau created the Pioneer medium-range ballistic missile, known as the SS-20.

For a long time, RSD remained "in the shadow" of intercontinental ballistic missiles, but since the 70s. their importance has increased due to the restrictions imposed by the Soviet-American treaties on the development of ICBMs. Complex development "Pioneer" began in 1971, and in 1974 the first launch of this rocket was made from the Kapustin Yar test site.

Self-propelled units for the complex were created on the basis of the MAZ-547A six-axle chassis, manufactured by the Barrikady plant in Volgograd. The mass of the self-propelled unit with the transport and launch container was 83 tons.

The 15Zh45 rocket of the Pioneer complex was a two-stage solid propellant. Its flight range was 4500 km, KVO - 1.3 km, readiness for launch - up to 2 minutes. The missile was equipped with three individually targetable warheads of 150 Kt each.

The deployment of Pioneer complexes proceeded quickly. In 1976, the Strategic Missile Forces received the first 18 mobile launchers, a year later 51 installations were already in service, and in 1981 already 297 complexes were on combat duty. Three Pioneer divisions were deployed in Ukraine and Belarus each, and four more in the Asian part of the USSR. Pioneer complexes were armed with units that previously had R-12 and R-14 RSDs.

At that time, the USSR was preparing not only for a confrontation with NATO - there were tense relations with China as well. Therefore, in the late 1970s. regiments of "Pioneers" appeared at the Chinese border - in Siberia and Transbaikalia.

The active deployment of the Pioneer missile systems caused serious concern among the leadership of the NATO countries. At the same time, the Soviet leadership stated that the Pioneers did not affect the balance of power in Europe, as they were adopted instead of the R-12 and R-14 missiles. The Americans also deployed their Pershing-2 medium-range missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles in Europe. All this marked a new stage in the nuclear missile race. The nervousness on both sides about medium-range missiles was understandable. After all, their danger lay in their proximity to potential targets: the flight time was only 5-10 minutes, which did not give a chance to react in case of a sudden impact.

In 1983, the USSR deployed missile systems in Czechoslovakia and the GDR "Temp-S". The number of Pioneer complexes continued to grow and by 1985 reached its maximum - 405 units, and the total number of 15Zh45 missiles on combat duty and in the arsenals of the Strategic Missile Forces amounted to 650 units.

With the coming to power of M.S. Gorbachev, the situation in the field of nuclear missile confrontation between the USSR and the USA has changed radically. Unexpectedly for everyone, in 1987 Gorbachev and Reagan signed an agreement on the elimination of short and medium-range missiles. This was an unprecedented step: if the previous treaties only limited the buildup of ICBMs, here it was about the elimination of a whole class of weapons on both sides.

Subsequently, many high-ranking Soviet military figures announced the unfavorable terms of this treaty for the USSR, calling Gorbachev's actions a betrayal. Indeed, the USSR had to destroy more than twice as many missiles as the United States. In addition to the Pioneers, the operational-tactical missile systems Temp-S (135 installations, 726 missiles), Oka (102 installations, 239 missiles) and the latest RK-55 cruise missile installations (not yet deployed) were also eliminated. By June 12, 1991, the process of destroying these missile systems was completely completed. Some of the missiles were destroyed by launching into the Pacific Ocean, the rest were blown up after the dismantling of nuclear warheads.

Part of the missile formations that were armed with medium-range missiles had to be disbanded, and the rest received Topol mobile ICBMs.

SALT-2 agreement

The signing of the SALT-1 treaty gave hope that the nuclear missile confrontation between the USSR and the USA would finally end. From 1974 to 1979, negotiations took place with varying success on further limiting the sides' strategic nuclear arsenals. The final version of the treaty, agreed in 1979, provided for each of the parties the opportunity to have no more than 2250 strategic carriers (ICBMs and strategic bombers with cruise missiles), of which no more than 1320 carriers with multiple warheads. Strategic bombers were equated with intercontinental ballistic missiles with MIRVs. It was allowed to have no more than 1200 units of land-based and sea-based missiles with MIRVs, of which land-based ICBMs - no more than 820 units each.

Interestingly, during the negotiations, all domestic missiles came up with "pseudonyms". The true names of the missiles were a military secret, but still they had to be identified somehow. Later, the pseudonyms of the ICBM, along with the original names, began to appear in domestic sources. This creates some confusion, so let's be clear:

• UR-100K - RS-10;
• RT-2P - RS-12;
• "Topol" - RS-12M;
• "Temp-2S" - RS-14;
• MR-UR-100 - RS-16;
• UR-100N - RS-18;
• R-36 - RS-20.

A new aggravation of Soviet-American relations in the late 1970s - early 1980s. dealt a blow to the RSD-2 treaty. There were enough reasons for escalation: the establishment of a pro-communist regime in Angola with the direct assistance of the USSR, the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, and an increase in the number of medium-range missiles in Europe. Therefore, the SALT-2 agreement, signed by J. Carter and L.I. Brezhnev in 1979, was never ratified by the US Congress. With the coming to power of Reagan, who took a course of confrontation with the USSR, the SALT-2 treaty was forgotten. Nevertheless, in the 1980s, the parties generally complied with the main provisions of the SALT-2 treaty, and even sometimes accused each other of violating its articles.

Mobile ICBMs "Topol"

In 1975, Nadiradze Design Bureau began the development of a new self-propelled missile system based on the RT-2P solid-propellant ICBM. Learning about the development "Poplars”, the Americans accused the Soviet side of violating the SALT-2 treaty, according to which each of the parties could develop one new ICBM in addition to existing models (and at that time the RT-23 missile was already being developed in the USSR, mine and rail-based). It turned out that the USSR was developing not one, but two ICBMs. To these accusations, the Soviet leadership replied that the Topol was not a new missile, but just a modification of the RT-2P ICBM. Therefore, the new missile system received the RT-2PM index. Of course, this was a trick - "Poplar" was a new development. The Americans, although they did not agree with the Soviet arguments, considering them a trick, could not interfere with anything, and in 1984 the deployment of RT-2PM ICBMs in positional areas began.

In 1985, the first two regiments armed with Topols took up combat duty. In total, by that time, 72 RT-2PM complexes were part of the Strategic Missile Forces. In subsequent years, the number of Topol ICBMs in the USSR Strategic Missile Forces increased rapidly, reaching a maximum in 1993 - 369 units, and in 1994-2001. remained at the level of 360 units, which ranged from 37 to 48% of the entire Russian grouping of strategic missile systems.

The Topol ICBM launcher is mounted on the MAZ-7912 seven-axle chassis. The maximum flight range of the RT-2PM missile is 10,000 km, the KVO is 900 m. The warhead is monoblock, with a capacity of 550 Kt.

The massive deployment of the Topol missile systems meant a new command approach to ensuring the survivability of the Strategic Missile Forces in the face of an enemy nuclear strike. If earlier the focus was on the powerful protection of underground silos and their dispersal over large areas, now the main factor of protection was the mobility of launchers, which could not be kept at gunpoint - because their location was constantly changing. In the event of a sudden nuclear strike by the enemy, due to its survivability, the Topol PGRK should have provided 60% of the combat potential necessary for a retaliatory strike. The launch of the RT-2PM missile could be carried out in the shortest possible time from anywhere on the combat patrol route, or directly from the place of permanent deployment - from a special structure (shelter) with a retractable roof.

Until the collapse of the Topol Union, 13 divisions of the Strategic Missile Forces were put into service. Ten of them were based in Russia, three - in Belarus. Each Topol missile regiment consisted (and still does) of nine mobile launchers.

The deployment of a large number of mobile ICBM launchers caused serious concern to American strategists, as it significantly changed the balance of power in the nuclear missile confrontation. Measures were developed to neutralize the Topol launchers on combat patrol. Single installations were really vulnerable, for example, when meeting with an enemy sabotage group. But the destruction of one installation does not solve anything, and organizing the identification and coordinated destruction of hundreds of mobile launchers by saboteurs, and even on Soviet territory, is an unrealistic task. As another means of combating the Topols, the B-2 "stealth aircraft" was considered, which, according to its developers, could detect and destroy mobile launchers, while remaining invisible and invulnerable to Soviet air defense. In practice, American "stealth" would hardly have coped with this task. Firstly, their “invisibility” is largely a myth, we can talk about a maximum reduction in radar visibility, but in the optical range, “stealth” is visible in the same way as an ordinary aircraft. Secondly, as in the previous case, the destruction of individual launchers does not solve anything, and it is hardly possible to detect and simultaneously destroy hundreds of installations while in enemy airspace.

In addition to the Topols, the Soviet command presented the Americans with another unpleasant surprise in the form of "nuclear trains" - combat railway missile systems (BZHRK) P-450. Each missile train carried three R-23UTTH ICBMs with a multiple reentry vehicle. The first BZHRK took up combat duty in 1987, and by the time of the collapse of the USSR, there were already 12 trains, consolidated into three missile divisions.

The collapse of the Union and the fate of the Strategic Missile Forces

In the process of the collapse of the USSR, the strategic missile forces managed to maintain their combat effectiveness to a greater extent than other branches of the military. While the reduction of conventional weapons was proceeding at an enormous pace, the Strategic Missile Forces were not touched, except for the elimination of medium-range missiles. However, it was their turn. The Americans, who considered themselves victorious in the Cold War, began to dictate their terms.

On July 31, 1991, the START-1 treaty was signed in Moscow. Unlike the SALT-1 and 2 treaties, it provided not for the limitation, but for a significant reduction in strategic weapons. The number of deployed strategic missiles for each side was set at 1,600 units, and 6,000 warheads for them. However, a number of restrictions were set for the USSR, which greatly weakened the Strategic Missile Forces and, in fact, they were under the control of the Americans.

The number of the most powerful Soviet R-36 ICBMs was halved - to 154 units. It was forbidden to adopt new types of ICBMs.

The mobility of rocket trains, which the Americans were very afraid of, was maximally limited. They were allowed to stay only at stations, no more than 7 in total, for the convenience of observing them from space. It was forbidden to mask the trains.

Mobile Topol launchers were allowed to be deployed in strictly limited areas, each of which could contain no more than 10 installations (that is, approximately a regiment). Strictly limited deployment areas were also established for missile divisions. Thus, the Americans deprived the formations of mobile-based Soviet ICBMs of the main factor in their survivability - the ability to constantly and covertly move.

As a result, the gigantic resources spent on the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces were thrown to the wind. Intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear missile carriers, giant ICBM silos - everything that was created over decades was destroyed within a few years. Interestingly, the process of eliminating weapons and infrastructure of the Strategic Missile Forces took place with the direct financial support of a potential adversary - the United States. The long-term nuclear missile race ended with the collapse of the Soviet state and the degradation of its armed forces.

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ON THE RUINS OF THE EMPIRE

In 1992, after the collapse of the Union, the Strategic Missile Forces were formed "anew" as a branch of the armed forces as part of the RF Armed Forces. The main task for them at that time was to bring the organizational structure and weapons of the missile forces in line with the new realities. It's no secret that in the 1990s The combat effectiveness of the general-purpose forces of the RF Armed Forces was seriously undermined, therefore the Strategic Missile Forces and Strategic Nuclear Forces were the main factor in ensuring Russia's security from external encroachments. Despite all the upheavals, the command of the Strategic Missile Forces tried with all its might to preserve the combat effectiveness of the missile forces, their weapons, infrastructure and human potential.

Everything that could be taken out of the territory of the former Soviet republics was taken out. Topol units were withdrawn from the territory of Belarus. Missile mines in Ukraine and Kazakhstan had to be liquidated.

Launch of R-36M2 "Voevoda" rocket

In the 1990s the main trend in the development of the Strategic Missile Forces has been outlined - a bet on solid-propellant mobile missile systems. Silo-based liquid rockets have not completely disappeared, but their share in the ICBM group is steadily declining.

In 1993, G. Bush and B. Yeltsin signed the START-2 treaty, which prohibited the use of ballistic missiles with multiple warheads. The logic of the MIRV ban was as follows: with an approximately equal number of nuclear missiles on the sides, a preventive strike loses its meaning, since in order to destroy one nuclear missile of the defending side, the attacker must spend at least one of his missiles, but without a 100% guarantee of success. Some part of the defending side's nuclear missile arsenal will remain, while the attacker will completely deplete his arsenal in the first strike. But the use of missiles with MIRVs, on the contrary, gives an advantage to the attacking side, since it can destroy all the launchers of enemy nuclear missiles with a relatively small number of its missiles.

Although Russia later refused to ratify the START-2 treaty, it had a great influence on the development of the Strategic Missile Forces. The BZHRK, missile trains that the Americans were so afraid of, came under attack, because they carried ICBMs with multiple warheads. They were removed from service and disposed of (the last train was removed from combat duty in 2005). While the fate of the START-2 treaty remained unclear, Russia did not develop ICBMs with multiple reentry vehicles. The basis of the nuclear missile group was monoblock missiles.

Even in the most difficult conditions of the 90s. in Russia was developed and adopted ICBM fifth generation RT-2PM2 - "Topol-M". This missile, unified for mine and mobile basing, appeared as a response to the active creation of an anti-missile defense system by the Americans. The three-stage solid-fuel missile RT-2PM2 has a range of 11,000 km and has enhanced capabilities to overcome a potential enemy's missile defense system. It is equipped with a detachable warhead with a capacity of 550 kt. The warhead is capable of maneuvering in the final section of the trajectory after separation from the missile, and is equipped with a system of active and passive decoys, as well as means for distorting the characteristics of the warhead. The missile's sustainer turbojet engine allows it to pick up speed much faster than previous types of missiles of this class, which also makes it difficult to intercept it in the active phase of the flight.

In 1997, the first two Topol-M ICBMs in the mine version took up combat duty. In subsequent years, silo-based RT-2PM2 complexes continued to be transferred to the troops in small batches of 4-8 units, and as of 2015 their number reached 60. RT-2PM2 in the version of a mobile ground-based missile system (PGRK) entered service in 2006- 2009, and today their number is 18 units.

After Russia withdrew from the START-2 treaty in 2002 and replaced it with the softer SORT (Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty), the question arose again of equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with multiple-warhead ballistic missiles. Significant US efforts to create a global missile defense system made the prospect of "nullification" of the Russian nuclear missile potential real, which could not be allowed. It was necessary to provide guaranteed retaliation in the event of a preventive nuclear missile strike by a potential adversary, which means that the Strategic Missile Forces needed missiles capable of overcoming all existing and future missile defense systems.

In 2009, the first unit of new mobile missile systems was transferred to the troops RS-24 "Yars". In 2011, the first regiment of the Yars PGRK was brought to full strength (9 launchers).

The RS-24 missile is a modification of the Topol-M, equipped with MIRVs with four individually targetable warheads with a capacity of 150 (according to other sources - 300) Kt. These ICBMs, unified for mine and ground-based, in the future should form the basis of the Strategic Missile Forces, replacing the RS-18 and RS-20 missiles.

In 2001, by decree of the President, the Strategic Missile Forces were transformed from a branch of the armed forces into a separate branch of the military, and the Space Forces were separated from them.

In general, the nineties - "zero" became a difficult time for the Strategic Missile Forces. As a result of the aging of the nuclear missile arsenal, as well as political pressure from the West, the number of Russian ICBMs and nuclear warheads has steadily declined during this period. Nevertheless, it was possible to maintain the combat effectiveness of the Strategic Missile Forces, and, most importantly, the scientific, technical and human potential of the country in the nuclear missile sphere. Promising types of mobile, silo and sea-based ICBMs have been developed and put into service, which in the foreseeable future will allow Russia to maintain parity with the United States and other nuclear powers.

RVSN RUSSIA TODAY: STATUS AND PROSPECTS

START-3 Treaty

Before considering the structure and armament of modern Russian Strategic Missile Forces, we should dwell on the document that today determines the nuclear-missile balance between Russia and the United States - the SALT-3 treaty. This document was signed in 2010 by Presidents D. Medvedev and B. Obama and entered into force on February 5, 2011.

Under the terms of the treaty, each party can have no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and no more than 700 carriers: ICBMs, submarines and strategic missile-carrying bombers. An additional 100 media can be stored unopened.

START-3 does not impose restrictions on the development of the American missile defense system. However, when developing the terms of the contract, its condition and development prospects were taken into account. In the event of an increase in the capabilities of the American missile defense system, which falls under the category of "exceptional circumstances", Russia reserved the right to withdraw from the START-3 treaty unilaterally.

As for missiles with multiple warheads, the START-3 treaty apparently does not contain a strict ban on them, like START-2. In any case, Russia is not going to abandon either the Yars ICBM or the Bulava SLBM equipped with MIRVs with individually targetable nuclear units. Moreover, it is planned to put into operation a new generation of combat railway missile systems equipped with ICBMs with MIRVs, created on the basis of Yars.

Armament of the Strategic Missile Forces of Russia

As of the beginning of 2015, the Strategic Missile Forces had a total of 305 missile systems of five types, capable of carrying 1166 warheads:

• R-36M2/R-36MUTTKh - 46 (460 warheads);
• UR-100NUTTH - 60 (320 warheads);
• "Topol" - 72 (72 warheads);
• "Topol-M" (mobile and mine versions) - 78 (78 warheads);
• "Yars" - 49 (196 warheads).

Structure of the Strategic Missile Forces

Currently, the Strategic Missile Forces are a branch of the Russian Armed Forces, directly subordinate to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The structure of the Strategic Missile Forces includes:

• headquarters;
• three missile armies;
• units and subunits of special troops (engineering, communications, RKhBZ, rocket technical, electronic warfare, meteorological, geodetic, security and intelligence);
• units and subunits of the rear;
• educational institutions, including the Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces. Peter the Great and its branch - the Serpukhov Military Institute of Missile Forces;
• research institutions and missile ranges, including: the Kapustin Yar State Central Interspecific Range, the Kura range (Kamchatka) and the Sary-Shagan range (Kazakhstan);
• arsenals, central repair plants and a storage base for weapons and military equipment.

Until April 1, 2011, the Strategic Missile Forces had their own aviation, which has now been transferred to the Air Force.

The total number of personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces is 120 thousand people, of which 2/3 are military personnel, the rest are civilian personnel.

Rocket armies

The missile armies of the Strategic Missile Forces include 12 missile divisions (RD). Consider their composition and weapons.

27th Guards Rocket Army (Vladimir):

• 60th RD (Tatishchevo) - 40 UR-100NUTTH, 60 Topol-M (mine-based);
• 28 Guards RD (Kozelsk) - 20 UR-100NUTTH, 4 RS-24 "Yars" (mine-based);
• 7 Guards Rd (Vypolzovo) - 18 "Poplar".
• 54 Guards Rd (Teikovo) - 18 RS-24 "Yars" (mobile-based), 18 "Topol-M" (mobile-based);
• 14th rd (Yoshkar-Ola) - 18 "Poplar".

31st Rocket Army (Orenburg):

• 13th RD (Dombarovsky) - 18 R-36M2;
• 42 rd (Nizhny Tagil) - 18 RS-24 "Yars"
• 8th rd (Yurya) - "Poplar".

33rd Guards Rocket Army (Omsk):

• 62nd RD (Uzhur) - 28 R-36M2;
• 39 Guards Rd (Novosibirsk) - 9 RS-24 "Yars" (mobile-based);
• 29 Guards Rd (Irkutsk) - armed with Topol missile systems, currently disarmed; it is expected to be re-equipped with the promising RS-26 Rubezh ICBM.
• 35 rd (Barnaul) - 36 "Poplar".

Strategic Missile Forces control system

The combat capabilities of the Strategic Missile Forces depend not only on the number and characteristics of the missiles in service, but also on the effectiveness of their control. After all, in a nuclear-missile confrontation, time is counted by seconds. In the course of daily service, and, moreover, in a combat situation, a quick and reliable exchange of information between all structural units of the Strategic Missile Forces, a clear communication of commands to all carriers and launchers of ballistic missiles is vital.

The first formations of ballistic missiles used the principles and experience of control developed in artillery, but with the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces as a branch of the Armed Forces of the USSR, they received their own centralized control system.

The governing bodies of the Strategic Missile Forces were created: the Main Headquarters of the Missile Forces; Main Directorate of Missile Weapons; Central command post of the Rocket Forces with a communication center and a computer center; Department of Combat Training and Military Educational Institutions; Rear of the Rocket Forces; as well as a number of special services and departments. Subsequently, the structure of the military command and control bodies of the Strategic Missile Forces changed several times.

At present, the central body of the military command of the Strategic Missile Forces is Command of the Strategic Missile Forces, which is part of the Central Office of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces - Colonel General Sergey Viktorovich Karakaev.

As part of the Strategic Missile Forces Command includes the Headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces, which reports directly to the commander of this type of troops. The functions of the Headquarters include organizing combat duty and combat use of the Strategic Missile Forces; maintaining combat readiness; development of the Strategic Missile Forces; management of operational and mobilization training; ensuring nuclear safety and some others. The headquarters is headed by a chief who is the first deputy commander of the Strategic Missile Forces.

Centralized combat control of the Strategic Missile Forces on duty is carried out The Central Command Post of the Strategic Missile Forces (TsKP RVSN). Combat duty is carried out by four identical shifts. The Central Command Center of the Strategic Missile Forces includes management and main units: shifts on duty; information preparation department; department of preparation and control of combat readiness, coordination of activities of central command posts; analytical group and others.

The Central Control Center of the Strategic Missile Forces is located in the village of Vlasikha near Moscow (since 2009 it has the status of ZATO) in an underground bunker at a depth of 30 meters. The equipment of the Central Command Center of the Strategic Missile Forces provides continuous communication with all combat posts of the Strategic Missile Forces, where a total of 6,000 missile officers are on duty.

The automated combat control system (ASBU) for strategic nuclear forces is called Kazbek. Its portable terminal "Cheget" is known as the "nuclear briefcase", which is continuously kept by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - the President of the Russian Federation. Similar "suitcases" are available to the Minister of Defense and the head of the General Staff. Their main purpose is to transfer to the command posts of the Strategic Missile Forces a special code allowing the use of nuclear weapons. Unlocking will only happen if the code comes from two of the three terminals.

With the adoption of the Yars missile system, the Russian Strategic Missile Forces are introducing a fourth-generation combat control system and state tests of the fifth-generation ASBU are already underway. Its links are planned to be introduced into the troops as early as 2016. The fifth generation ASBU will be able to communicate combat orders directly to each launcher, bypassing intermediate links. It will be possible to promptly re-aiming missiles of modern types (Topol-M, Yars, Bulava) in flight. But for missiles of obsolete types - R-36 and UR-100 - this possibility is no longer provided.

Perimeter system

Speaking about the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, it is worth noting one of their unique features - the ability to deliver a guaranteed nuclear missile strike against an aggressor even if all the command links and combat control systems of the Strategic Missile Forces are destroyed, and the personnel of the missile units are dead.

For a long time, there was no reliable information about the Perimeter system due to the strict secrecy surrounding it. Today it is known that the complex for automatic control of a massive retaliatory nuclear strike of the Strategic Missile Forces exists, and bears the index 15E601(in the Western media it was called - "Dead Hand"). According to the official website of the RF Ministry of Defense, the Perimeter system took up combat duty in 1986. The fact that she is on combat duty at the present time, in 2011, was confirmed by the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Lieutenant General S. Karakaev, in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.

"Perimeter" is a backup control system for all branches of the armed forces armed with nuclear warheads, and is designed to ensure the guaranteed launch of silo ICBMs and SLBMs in the event of the destruction of the Kazbek command system and the combat control systems of the Strategic Missile Forces, Navy and Air Force.

The principle of operation and the capabilities of the Perimeter complex are not reliably known. There is evidence that the main component of the system is an autonomous software-command complex based on artificial intelligence, which controls the situation in many parameters using its own sensors. After the final decision is made on the fact of a nuclear missile attack and on a retaliatory strike, special 15A11 command missiles, created on the basis of the MR UR-100, are launched. Using powerful transmitters in flight, they broadcast launch commands to all surviving ICBMs and SLBMs.

According to other sources (an interview allegedly by one of the developers of the system with Wired magazine), the complex is still activated manually by an authorized person. Then the monitoring of the network of sensors begins and, if the use of nuclear weapons did take place, the connection with the General Staff is checked. If there is no connection, the system automatically unlocks the nuclear weapon and, bypassing the standard complex procedure, transfers the right to decide on the launch of missiles to anyone who is in a special highly secure bunker.

Prospects for the development of the Strategic Missile Forces

At present, given the growing tension in the world, the factor of nuclear deterrence is as important as it was during the Cold War. Russia needs powerful Strategic Missile Forces - perhaps not as numerous as in the 70s and 80s. of the last century, but clearly and reliably controlled, with high survivability, armed with missile systems that have a significant modernization potential and are capable of overcoming any existing and future missile defense systems. In the foreseeable future, this guarantees the maintenance of the combat capability of the Strategic Missile Forces at a high level and the infliction of unacceptable damage to any aggressor.

As already mentioned, at present the development of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces is regulated by the START-3 treaty, which provides for the achievement of nuclear parity between Russia and the United States by 2018. The number of deployed carriers of nuclear warheads should be 700 each. At present, Russia has only 515 delivery vehicles, therefore, it has the right to deploy another 185. At the same time, Russia will have to get rid of 90 non-deployed delivery vehicles and 32 deployed nuclear warheads.

PGRK RS-24 "Yars"

The plans for the development of the Strategic Missile Forces provide for the withdrawal of obsolete types of ICBMs from combat strength as the established periods of their operation expire: UR-100NUTTKh - in 2019, Topol - in 2021, R-36M2 "Voevoda" - in 2022.

Gradually, they will be replaced by the RS-24 Yars ICBMs in mine, ground and, possibly, rail-based versions. Topol-M missile systems will no longer be purchased, but will remain on alert, presumably until 2040.

The Yars ICBM with 4 warheads, of course, cannot become a full-fledged replacement for the Voevoda, which carries 10 warheads. Therefore, the State Rocket Center. Makeev in the Urals, a new heavy liquid ICBM "Sarmat". Development work on it should be completed by 2018 - 2020. The Sarmat will be smaller and half as light as the Voevoda - its launch weight will be 100 tons, with a declared throw weight of 5 tons. Sarmat" in comparison with the R-36 will increase significantly. The weight and size characteristics of the ICBM "Sarmat" approximately correspond to the UR-100NUTTH, which will make it relatively easy to convert existing missile silos to accommodate new missiles.

In the current 2015, tests of an improved version of Yars were successfully completed - RS-26 "Frontier" developments of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (MIT). It is expected to enter the troops as early as 2016. The first RS-26 will be received by the Irkutsk 29th Guards Missile Division.

The BZHRK is expected to return to service. The new rocket train will be called "Barguzin". By 2016, MIT should prepare design documentation for it, and by 2019 the first sample will appear. The new BZHRK will be armed with Yars missiles, which are twice as light as the R-23UTTKh (49 and 104 tons, respectively). Therefore, "Barguzin" will be able to carry six missiles. At the same time, its mobility will increase, so due to the lower weight of the wagons, the train will not wear out the railway tracks so much. Instead of three diesel locomotives, like the BZHRK Molodets, the Barguzin will be pulled by only one diesel locomotive. This will increase the secrecy of the train, because it will be difficult to distinguish it from ordinary freight trains. And more importantly, the Barguzin will be a completely Russian product - unlike the Molodets, most of the parts of which were produced at the Yuzhmash plant.

CONCLUSION

At present, the Strategic Missile Forces remain the main component of Russia's "nuclear triad", the main guarantor of its security and territorial integrity. Despite the collapse of the armed forces that followed the collapse of the USSR, the missile forces retained their combat effectiveness. The main threat to the combat effectiveness of the Strategic Missile Forces was the moral and physical aging of missile weapons. Missiles that failed due to the expiration of the established service life were not replaced by a sufficient number of new ones.

At present, the Strategic Missile Forces are being actively re-equipped with new types of missiles. It is expected that by 2020 the share of new missile systems in the Strategic Missile Forces will be 98%. The troops also receive other equipment designed to ensure combat duty. The combat control system is being improved.

The process of training the personnel of the troops is ongoing. In accordance with the plan for the preparation of the Strategic Missile Forces, about a thousand different exercises are planned for the year. Thus, in January-February 2015, large-scale exercises were held in the Strategic Missile Forces aimed at working out the tasks of maneuvering PGRKs in order to take them out of attack, and change positional areas. An extensive list of tasks and introductory tasks was worked out, including bringing them to the highest levels of combat readiness, performing maneuver actions on combat patrol routes, countering sabotage formations and strikes by high-precision weapons of a mock enemy, performing combat missions in conditions of active electronic suppression and intensive enemy operations in troop deployment areas.

The Strategic Missile Forces are professionals who have undergone a serious selection and lengthy training, devoted to their work and the Motherland. All this gives confidence that Russia's nuclear shield is reliable, and combat orders will be carried out in any scenario.

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On December 17, a memorable day is celebrated in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - the Day of the Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN). It was on this day in 1959 that the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1384-615 was issued, consolidating the earlier decision to create a new type of Armed Forces.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1239 of December 10, 1995 established an annual holiday - the Day of the Strategic Missile Forces, which is celebrated on December 17. By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 31, 2006 No. 549, a memorable day was established in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - the Day of the Strategic Missile Forces, which is celebrated on December 17.

The creation of the Strategic Missile Forces was due to the aggravation of the military-political situation in the postwar years, the rapid development in the United States and other NATO member states of offensive weapons, which posed a real threat to the security of our country.

Solving the problem of achieving and then maintaining military-strategic parity with the United States of America, the most powerful nuclear power in the world, required the maximum involvement of the best minds, talented scientists, the country's scientific, technical and production potentials, large material, financial and strategic resources.

On the historically short path of development of the Strategic Missile Forces, several bright stages can be distinguished - from the creation of the first formations and units to their formation as one of the main components of Russia's strategic nuclear forces, providing strategic deterrence.

In 1946 - 1959. the basis for the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces was prepared: nuclear missile weapons were developed in the USSR, and the first samples of guided ballistic missiles were created. Missile systems of the first generations are being adopted, the first missile units and formations are being formed capable of solving operational tasks in front-line operations, and as they are equipped with nuclear weapons, strategic tasks in adjacent theaters of military operations.

1959 - 1965 rightly called the stage of creation and formation of the Strategic Missile Forces as a new branch of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Chief Marshal of Artillery Mitrofan Ivanovich Nedelin, Hero of the Soviet Union, was appointed the first Commander-in-Chief of the Rocket Forces. Having vast experience in the war, having passed all command positions up to the Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR for special weapons and jet technology, he made a great contribution to the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces, the development, testing and adoption of nuclear missile weapons.

The formation of a new type of Armed Forces continued under the leadership of the famous military leaders of the Great Patriotic War - the Marshals of the Soviet Union twice Hero of the Soviet Union Kirill Semenovich Moskalenko, Hero of the Soviet Union Sergei Semenovich Biryuzov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolai Ivanovich Krylov.
As a result of the hard work of rocket scientists, industry and military builders, already in the early 1960s. formations and units equipped with medium-range missiles (RSMs) and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) were put on combat duty, which could solve the strategic tasks of the Supreme High Command in remote geographical areas and in any theater of military operations.

In 1965 - 1973 in the USSR, a grouping with second-generation ICBMs with single launches is being deployed. This major task was solved by the Rocket Forces under the leadership of Marshal of the Soviet Union Nikolai Ivanovich Krylov. Created by the early 1970s. The grouping of the Strategic Missile Forces in terms of quantitative composition and combat characteristics was not inferior to the grouping of US ICBMs. The Strategic Missile Forces have become the main component of the country's strategic nuclear forces and have made the main contribution to achieving military-strategic parity between the USSR and the USA.

In 1973 - 1985. Strategic Missile Forces are equipped with third-generation missile systems (RS) with multiple warheads and means of overcoming the anti-missile defense of a potential enemy and medium-range mobile ballistic missiles. The RS-18, RS-20 and RS-16 ICBMs, as well as the RSD-10 (Pioneer) mobile ground-based missile system, are being put into service. A special role in the successful solution of these tasks belongs to the Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, Hero of Socialist Labor, Chief Marshal of Artillery Vladimir Fedorovich Tolubko, under whose leadership the principles for the combat use of formations and units in the Strategic Missile Forces operation were developed.

At the next stage, in 1985 - 1992, stationary and mobile fourth-generation missile systems with RS-22, RS-20V and Topol ICBMs, as well as a fundamentally new automated weapon and troops control system, enter service with the Strategic Missile Forces. The Strategic Missile Forces during this period were headed by the Hero of the Soviet Union Army General Yuri Pavlovich Maksimov, who made a great contribution to the deployment of mobile missile systems and the development of principles for their combat use.

The achieved balance of nuclear forces, changes in the military-political situation in the late 1980s - early 1990s. made it possible to rethink and assess the futility of the arms race and to conclude a number of agreements with the Soviet Union, and then the Russian Federation, with the United States on the mutual reduction of strategic nuclear weapons.

Since 1992, a fundamentally new stage in the development of the Strategic Missile Forces has begun - the Strategic Missile Forces, as a type of Armed Forces, are part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the elimination of missile systems of the Strategic Missile Forces outside of Russia is being carried out, the Topol-M missile system is being created and put on alert 5th generation. During this period, the Strategic Missile Forces was headed by a professional rocket scientist, General of the Army Igor Dmitrievich Sergeev (later - Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Marshal of the Russian Federation).

In 1997, the Strategic Missile Forces merged with the Military Space Forces and the Rocket and Space Defense Forces. From 1997 to 2001, in addition to missile armies and divisions, the Strategic Missile Forces also included military units and institutions for launching and controlling spacecraft, as well as formations and formations of rocket and space defense.

The Strategic Missile Forces during this period was headed by General of the Army Vladimir Nikolayevich Yakovlev.

Since June 1, 2001, the Strategic Missile Forces have been transformed from a branch of the Armed Forces into two independent, but closely interacting branches of the centrally subordinated troops: the Strategic Missile Forces and the Space Forces. From that time until 2009, the Strategic Missile Forces were headed by the Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Nikolai Evgenyevich Solovtsov, who made a significant contribution to the preservation of the missile group, the structure and composition of the Strategic Missile Forces that ensure nuclear deterrence. Under his leadership, during these years, the Strategic Missile Forces, taking into account the contractual obligations between Russia and the United States, have consistently carried out a number of measures aimed at modernizing and optimizing the combat composition of the missile group while simultaneously carrying out structural transformations of the troops.

In 2009-2010 The Strategic Missile Forces were led by Lieutenant General Andrey Anatolyevich Shvaichenko. During this period, large-scale measures were taken to improve the missile group: missile regiments armed with the new Topol-M mobile ground-based missile system (PGRK) with the RT-2PM2 missile were put on combat duty, missile regiments armed with "heavy » R-36M UTTKh missiles.

Since June 2010, the Strategic Missile Forces have been headed by Colonel General Sergei Viktorovich Karakaev. The Strategic Missile Forces, in accordance with the international obligations assumed by Russia, are carrying out a planned reduction of the missile group, while at the same time taking measures to maintain it in combat readiness and consistent modernization. Missile regiments armed with the Yars mobile ground-based missile system are put on combat duty, work is underway to create new missile systems and improve the combat control system.

At the present stage of its development, the Strategic Missile Forces include: directorates of 3 missile armies in Vladimir, Omsk and Orenburg, including 12 missile divisions of constant readiness. These missile divisions of the Strategic Missile Forces are armed with six types of missile systems, subdivided according to the types of basing into stationary and mobile.

The basis of the stationary-based grouping is made up of rocket launchers with "heavy" (RS-20V "Voevoda") and "light" (RS-18 ("Stillet"), RS-12M2 ("Topol-M") missiles. As part of the mobile-based grouping there are Topol PGRK with the RS-12M missile, Topol-M with the RS-12M2 monoblock missile and Yars PGRK with the RS-12M2R missile and multiple reentry vehicle in mobile and stationary versions.

Further development of the Strategic Missile Forces is planned to be carried out in the directions of maximum preservation of the existing missile group until the expiration of the deadlines for operation and its re-equipment with a new generation of missile systems. In the near future, the Strategic Missile Forces strike group will be re-equipped with an improved missile system developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering, with the RS-24 solid-propellant ICBM equipped with a multiple warhead with individually targetable warheads.

The origin of the Strategic Missile Forces is associated with the development of domestic and foreign missile weapons, and then nuclear missile weapons, with the improvement of their combat use. In the history of RV:

1946 - 1959 - the creation of nuclear weapons and the first samples of guided ballistic missiles, the deployment of missile formations capable of solving operational tasks in front-line operations and strategic tasks in nearby theaters of military operations.

1959 - 1965 - the formation of the Strategic Missile Forces, the deployment and putting on combat duty of missile formations and parts of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and medium-range missiles (IRMs) capable of solving strategic tasks in military geographical regions and in any theater of operations.

In 1962, the Strategic Missile Forces took part in Operation Anadyr, during which 42 RSD R-12 and R-14 were secretly deployed in Cuba, and made a significant contribution to resolving the Caribbean crisis and preventing the American invasion of Cuba.

1965 - 1973 - deployment of a group of intercontinental ballistic missiles with single launches (OS) of the 2nd generation, equipped with monoblock warheads (warheads), the transformation of the Strategic Missile Forces into the main component of strategic nuclear forces, which made the main contribution to the achievement of military-strategic balance (parity) between the USSR and USA.

1973 - 1985 - equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with third-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles with multiple warheads and means of overcoming the anti-missile defense of a potential enemy and mobile range missile systems.

1985 - 1992 - armament of the Strategic Missile Forces with intercontinental stationary and mobile missile systems of the 4th generation, liquidation in 1988-1991. medium range missiles.

Since 1992 - the formation of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the elimination of missile systems of intercontinental ballistic missiles on the territory of Ukraine and Kazakhstan and the withdrawal of mobile Topol missile systems from Belarus to Russia, the re-equipment of obsolete types of missile systems on the DBK with unified monoblock stationary and mobile-based missiles "Topol" -M” 5th generation.

The material basis for the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces was the deployment in the USSR of a new branch of the defense industry - rocket science. In accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of May 13, 1946 No. 1017-419 “Issues of jet weapons”, cooperation between the leading ministries of industry was determined, research and experimental work began, and a Special Committee on jet technology was created under the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

The Ministry of Armed Forces has formed: a special artillery unit for the development, preparation and launch of FAU-2 missiles, the Research Rocket Institute of the Main Artillery Directorate, the State Central Rocket Test Range (Kapustin Yar), and the Jet Weapons Directorate as part of the GAU. The first missile formation armed with long-range ballistic missiles was the special purpose brigade of the RVGK (commander - Major General of Artillery A.F. Tveretsky). In December 1950, the second special-purpose brigade was formed, in 1951-1955. - 5 more formations that received a new name (since 1953) - engineering brigades of the RVGK. Until 1955, they were armed with ballistic missiles R-1, R-2, with a range of 270 km and 600 km, equipped with warheads with conventional explosives (general designer S.P. Korolev). By 1958, the personnel of the brigades conducted more than 150 combat training launches of missiles. In 1946 - 1954, the brigades were part of the RVGK artillery and were subordinate to the artillery commander of the Soviet Army. They were managed by a special department of the artillery headquarters of the Soviet Army. In March 1955, the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR for special weapons and rocket technology was introduced (Marshal of Artillery M.I. Nedelin), under which the headquarters of rocket units was created.

The combat use of engineering brigades was determined by the order of the Supreme Command, the decision of which provided for the assignment of these formations to the fronts. The front commander carried out the leadership of the engineering brigades through the artillery commander.

On October 4, 1957, for the first time in world history, the first artificial satellite of the Earth was successfully launched from the Baikonur test site by the personnel of a separate engineering test unit using the R-7 combat missile. Thanks to the efforts of Soviet rocket scientists, a new era in the history of mankind began - the era of practical astronautics.

In the second half of the 50s. strategic missile launchers R-5 and R-12 equipped with nuclear warheads (general designers S.P. Korolev and M.K. Yangel) with a range of 1200 and 2000 km and ICBMs R-7 and R-7A (general designer S.P. Korolev). In 1958, the RVGK engineering brigades, armed with R-11 and R-11M tactical missiles, were transferred to the Ground Forces. The first formation of ICBMs was the object with the code name "Angara" (commander - Colonel M.G. Grigoriev), which completed its formation at the end of 1958. In July 1959, the personnel of this formation carried out the first combat training launch of ICBMs in the USSR.

The need for centralized leadership of troops equipped with strategic missiles led to the organizational design of a new type of armed forces. In accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1384-615 dated 12/17/1959, the Strategic Missile Forces were created as an independent branch of the Armed Forces. According to Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1239 of December 10, 1995, this day is celebrated as an annual holiday - the Day of the Strategic Missile Forces.

On December 31, 1959, the following were formed: the Main Headquarters of the Missile Forces, the Central Command Post with a communications center and a computer center, the Main Directorate of Missile Weapons, the Combat Training Directorate, and a number of other departments and services. The Strategic Missile Forces included the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, which was in charge of nuclear weapons, engineering formations previously subordinate to the Deputy Minister of Defense for special weapons and jet equipment, missile regiments and directorates of 3 air divisions of the Air Force, missile arsenals, bases and warehouses of special weapons. The structure of the Strategic Missile Forces also included the 4th State Central Range of the Ministry of Defense (Kapustin Yar); 5th Research Test Site of the Moscow Region (Baikonur); a separate scientific and testing station in the village. Keys in Kamchatka; 4th Research Institute of the Moscow Region (Bolshevo, Moscow Region). In 1963, on the basis of the Angara facility, the 53rd Scientific Research Test Site for Missile and Space Weapons of the Moscow Region (Plesetsk) was formed.

On June 22, 1960, the Military Council of the Strategic Missile Forces was created, which included M.I. Nedelin (chairman), V.A. Bolyatko, P.I. Efimov, M.A. Nikolsky, A.I. Semenov, V.F. Tolubko, F.P. Thin, M.I. Ponomarev. In 1960, the Regulations on combat duty of units and subunits of the Strategic Missile Forces were put into effect. In order to centralize the combat control of the Rocket Forces with strategic weapons, bodies and control points at the strategic, operational and tactical levels were included in the structure of the control system of the Strategic Missile Forces, automated systems for communication and command and control of troops and combat assets were introduced.

In 1960 - 1961. on the basis of the air armies of long-range aviation, missile armies were formed, which included RSD formations. Engineer brigades and regiments of the RVGK were reorganized into missile divisions and missile brigades of IRMs, and the directorates of training artillery ranges and ICBM brigades were reorganized into directorates of missile corps and divisions. The main combat unit in an RSD formation was a missile battalion, and in an ICBM formation, a missile regiment. Until 1966, the intercontinental DBK R-16, R-9A were put into service (general designers M.K. Yangel and S.P. Korolev). Subdivisions and units armed with R-12U, R-14U missile launchers with grouped silo launchers (general designer M.K. Yangel) were formed in the RSD troops. The first missile formations and units were manned mainly by officers from the artillery, navy, air force, and ground forces. Their retraining for missile specialties was carried out at the training centers of the ranges, at industrial enterprises and at courses at military educational institutions, and subsequently by instructor groups in units.

In 1965 - 1973 The Strategic Missile Forces are equipped with DBK OS RS-10, RS-12, R-36, dispersed over a large area (general designers M.K. Yangel, V.N. Chelomey). In 1970, in order to improve the leadership of troops and increase the reliability of combat command and control, directorates of missile armies were created on the basis of the directorates of missile corps. Formations and units with single silo launchers were capable of inflicting a guaranteed retaliatory strike in any conditions of the beginning of the war. DBK 2nd generation ensured remote launch of missiles in the shortest possible time, high accuracy of hitting the target and survivability of troops and weapons, improved operating conditions for missile weapons.

In 1973 - 1985. in the Strategic Missile Forces, the stationary BRK RS-16, RS-20A, RS-20B and RS-18 (general designers V.F. Utkin and V.N. Chelomey) and the mobile ground BRK RSD-10 (“Pioneer ”) (general designer A.D. Nadiradze), equipped with multiple warheads of individual guidance. Missiles and control points of stationary DBKs were located in structures of especially high security. The missiles use autonomous control systems with an on-board computer, which provide remote re-aiming of missiles before launch.

In 1985 - 1992 The Strategic Missile Forces were armed with missile launchers with mine- and rail-based RS-22 missiles (general designer V.F. Utkin) and upgraded mine- and RS-12M ground-based RS-20V missiles (general designers V.F. Utkin and A.D. Nadiradze). These complexes have increased combat readiness, high survivability and resistance to the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion, operational retargeting and an increased autonomy period.

Since 1972, the quantitative and qualitative composition of nuclear weapons carriers and warheads of the Strategic Missile Forces, as well as other components of strategic nuclear forces, has been limited by the maximum levels established by the Treaties between the USSR (Russia) and the USA. In accordance with the Treaty between the USSR and the USA on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (1987), RSDs and launchers for them were destroyed, including 72 RSD-10 ("Pioneer") missiles - by launching from field combat starting positions in districts of Chita and Kansk.

In 1997, the Strategic Missile Forces, the Military Space Forces, the rocket and space defense troops of the Air Defense Forces of the RF Armed Forces were merged into a single service of the RF Armed Forces - the Strategic Missile Forces. Since June 2001, the Strategic Missile Forces have been transformed into 2 types of troops - the Strategic Missile Forces and the Space Forces.

The priority areas for the further development of the Strategic Missile Forces are: maintaining the combat readiness of the existing grouping of troops, maximizing the service life of missile systems, completing the development and deployment at the required pace of modern stationary and mobile-based Topol-M missile systems, developing a combat command and control system for troops and weapons, creating scientific and technical groundwork for promising models of weapons and equipment of the Strategic Missile Forces.

Appointment of Strategic Missile Forces

Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN), a branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the main component of its strategic nuclear forces. Designed for nuclear deterrence of possible aggression and destruction as part of strategic nuclear forces or independently massive, group or single nuclear missile strikes of strategic objects located in one or more strategic aerospace directions and forming the basis of the military and military-economic potentials of the enemy.

The role and place of the Strategic Missile Forces in the emerging system of ensuring strategic stability and national security

The modern world is characterized by high dynamism of the transformation of the system of international relations. After the end of the era of bipolar confrontation, contradictory trends arose towards the formation of a multipolar world and the establishment of the dominance of one country or group of countries. At the same time, their implementation is often based on military force methods of solving the problems of world politics, which run counter to the existing norms of world law. Thus, relying on military force still tops the list of measures to resolve crises in the world.

Russia, as one of the largest states in the world with a unique geostrategic position, centuries-old history and rich cultural traditions, with significant economic, scientific, technical and military potential, cannot remain aloof from the ongoing world processes. In order to achieve its national interests, it is interested in maintaining stable international relations between the most economically and militarily powerful states and strategic stability in general, both globally and regionally. Therefore, as priority areas for ensuring its military security, Russia considers strengthening a set of measures to maintain strategic stability, prevent military conflicts and prevent their escalation. In implementing these measures, Russia relies on deterrence, the main purpose of which is to prevent and stop attempts by states or coalitions of states to resolve conflicts with the Russian Federation and its allies through military force through a convincing demonstration of determination and readiness to use force.

Today, Russia has sufficient military power. The plan for the construction and development of the Armed Forces provides for their further organizational improvement and the qualitative development of weapons and military equipment. However, an important feature of the current situation is that the reform of the Russian Armed Forces has not yet been completed. A number of states and their alliances gained significant superiority in general-purpose forces. In the current economic situation in the country, the strategic nuclear forces (SNF) remain the main real military force capable of compensating for potential military threats to Russia.

It should be noted that if in the initial period of its existence, nuclear weapons were considered as a powerful offensive means of achieving superiority in war, today they have largely become a political means of achieving goals, exercising their function of deterring a potential aggressor. Therefore, in the current conditions, Russia, as defined in the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation, considers nuclear missile weapons as one of the most important factors in deterring aggression, ensuring its military security, and maintaining international stability and peace.

However, it is not only and not so much the presence of nuclear weapons that is holding back, but their real combat characteristics and the high potential for their combat use in any situation. Today, the strategic nuclear forces of Russia are most in line with the geostrategic and economic situation of the country. Possessing a global reach, huge destructive power and not requiring prohibitive maintenance costs, they make it possible to provide, at the lowest cost, deterrence functions against countries that have significant superiority in economic and human resources, as well as in the level of equipment of troops with modern highly effective conventional weapons. In addition, the presence of strategic nuclear forces and their high combat readiness enable Russia to carry out a long and economically difficult reform of the Armed Forces and the entire military organization of the state.

Strategic Missile Forces are one of the three components of strategic nuclear forces (along with naval and aviation strategic nuclear forces). Due to their geostrategic position, the Soviet Union, and then Russia, traditionally gave priority in the development of their strategic nuclear forces to the ground component - the Strategic Missile Forces. Therefore, even today, approximately 2/3 of all carriers and warheads of strategic nuclear forces are concentrated in their combat composition. The role of the Strategic Missile Forces in strategic nuclear forces is determined not only by quantitative parameters, but also by their inherent qualitative characteristics, such as: high combat readiness and survivability of missile systems, efficiency and stability of combat control, including under enemy pressure.

An indirect confirmation of the "weightiness" of the Strategic Missile Forces in the strategic nuclear forces is that for many years the United States considered the ground-based ICBMs of the Soviet Union as nuclear weapons that pose the greatest threat to their national security. That is why, in the course of the START negotiations, they have always sought to limit the capabilities of the Strategic Missile Forces to a greater extent. Thus, more than 80% of the limitations of the START-1 Treaty relate to ICBMs. Further limitation of ground-based RK is provided for by the START-2 Treaty (elimination of ICBMs with MIRVs, special procedures for the elimination of heavy ICBMs and their silos). The Draft START-3 Treaty, as well as the START-1 and START-2 Treaties, imposes the main restrictions on the ground grouping of fixed- and mobile-based strategic missile systems.

From June 1 of this year. The Strategic Missile Forces were transformed from a branch of the Armed Forces into two independent, but closely interacting types of troops of central subordination: the Space Forces and the Strategic Missile Forces. In the process of reorganization, the Strategic Missile Forces retained their combat capabilities and the ability to timely carry out the combat tasks assigned to them in nuclear deterrence. As before, the Rocket Forces with the entire existing nuclear missile group, the system of centralized combat control and the previously created infrastructure remain combat-ready and now, as a branch of the centrally subordinated troops, continue to carry out the tasks assigned to them.

At the same time, the Construction and Development Plan of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, developed for the period up to 2005, provided for the qualitative development of the Strategic Missile Forces by re-equipping them with the new Topol-M missile system with more advanced combat and technical characteristics. This complex subsequently formed the basis of the grouping of the Strategic Missile Forces.

The planned reduction of the Strategic Missile Forces grouping in the coming years will be carried out taking into account international agreements on strategic offensive arms and the expiration of the service life of the corresponding missile systems and combat control systems.

Based on this, the prospects for the further development of the Strategic Missile Forces provide for the solution of two main tasks:

• Guaranteed provision of nuclear deterrence against aggression against Russia at a minimum sufficient level;
• Bringing the strength of the Strategic Missile Forces in line with the new organizational structure and the combat missions assigned to them.

The quantitative and qualitative parameters of the grouping of the Strategic Missile Forces are determined by a number of factors, of which the following are of paramount importance:

• First, the economic opportunities of the state. It is no secret that these opportunities are currently quite limited. Therefore, the chosen path of ensuring Russia's military security based on nuclear potential, maintained at the minimum level sufficient to solve the problems of deterrence, today seems to be the most appropriate;
• Secondly, the fulfillment of contractual obligations. As you know, in accordance with the START-2 Treaty, by 2007 the Rocket Forces had to eliminate all heavy PC-20 missiles with multiple warheads and re-equip the PC-18 missile for a monoblock warhead, that is, switch completely to a grouping of monoblock missiles;
• Thirdly, the state of the military-political situation in the world and the level of military threats to Russia. Today the situation is such that we have no grounds to talk about the possibility in the foreseeable future of large-scale aggression against Russia in traditional forms, even if the nuclear deterrence potential is maintained at a lower level. Expert assessments show that in the current military-political situation, the task of nuclear deterrence can be solved by reducing the total number of warheads in the strategic nuclear forces to 1,500 units. Taking into account the economic situation in the country, a mutual reduction of the nuclear potentials of the parties to this level would meet Russia's long-term interests.

Composition of the Strategic Missile Forces and location

The Strategic Missile Forces include three missile armies: the 27th Guards Missile Army (headquartered in Vladimir), the 31st Missile Army (Orenburg), and the 33rd Guards Missile Army (Omsk). The 53rd Rocket Army (Chita) was disbanded at the end of 2002. It is also planned that the 31st Rocket Army (Orenburg) will be disbanded within the next few years. As of July 2004, the missile armies of the Strategic Missile Forces have 15 missile armies, whose divisions are armed with combat missile systems. According to the plan for the development of the Strategic Missile Forces, published in November 2004, the number of missile divisions will be reduced to 10-12.

Now in the Strategic Missile Forces, the main areas for the deployment of silo launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles are six areas: Kozelsk, Tatishchevo, Dombarovsky, Uzhur, Kartaly, Aleysk, in which the RS-20, RS-18, UR-100UTTKh missiles and some others are on alert, as well as nine patrol areas of the Topol and Topol-M mobile DBKs: Yoshkar-Ola, Teikovo, Novosibirsk, Kansk, Irkutsk, Barnaul, Nizhny Tagil, Vypolzovo, Drovyanaya. 12 launchers RS-22 "Scalpel" at the railway complex are at permanent deployment points in Kostroma, Krasnoyarsk and Perm.

Missile systems of the Strategic Missile Forces

As of July 2004, the Strategic Missile Forces were armed with 608 missile systems of five different types, which were capable of carrying 2365 nuclear warheads:

Missile complex	Power of one warhead, kt	Number of warheads	Total power, kt	Locations
R-36MUTTH/R-36M2 (SS-18)	108	10	1080	Dombarovsky, Kartaly, Uzhur
UR-100NUTTH (SS-19)	130	6	780	Kozelsk, Tatishchevo
RT-23UTTH (SS-24)	15	10	150	Kostroma
Poplar (SS-25)	315	1	315	Teikovo, Yoshkar-Ola, Yuria, Nizhny Tagil, Novosibirsk, Kansk, Irkutsk, Barnaul, Vypolzovo
Topol-M (SS-27)	40	1	40	Tatishchevo

Technical equipment of the Strategic Missile Forces

At the end of 2003, the new Iskander operational-tactical missile system will enter service with the Russian Ground Forces. Its deliveries, according to Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Moskovsky, are provided for by the state defense order for the current year.

"Iskander" is designed to strike at especially important small targets. The firing range of the complex does not exceed 300 km. It has two missiles on the launcher, which significantly increases the firepower of missile battalions and brigades. It strikes targets with exceptional accuracy, which is equivalent in effectiveness to the use of a nuclear weapon. "Iskander" was developed in the design bureau of mechanical engineering.

Its sample was first demonstrated at the Ural exhibition of weapons and military equipment in Nizhny Tagil in July 2000.

The development of R-36MUTTKh missiles (also known as RS-20B and SS-18) and R-36M2 (RS-20V, SS-18) was carried out by Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). The deployment of R-36MUTTKh missiles was carried out in 1979-1983, R-36M2 missiles in 1988-1992. The R-36MUTTKh and R-36M2 missiles are two-stage liquid-propellant, can carry 10 warheads (there is also a monoblock version of the missile). The production of missiles was carried out by the Southern Machine-Building Plant (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). The plans for the development of the Strategic Missile Forces provide for the maintenance of all R-36M2 missiles (about 50 missiles) on combat duty. Subject to the planned extension of service life to 25-30 years, the R-36M2 missiles will be able to remain on combat duty until about 2020. The R-36MUTTKh missiles were planned to be decommissioned by 2008.

The UR-100NUTTH (SS-19) missiles were developed by NPO Mashinostroeniya (Reutov, Moscow Region). The missiles were deployed in 1979-1984. Rocket UR-100NUTTH two-stage liquid, carries 6 warheads. The production of missiles was carried out by the plant. M. V. Khrunicheva (Moscow). To date, some of the UR-100NUTTH missiles have been withdrawn from service. At the same time, according to the results of test launches, the life of the missile has apparently been extended to at least 25 years, which means that these missiles can be stored for several years. In addition, Russia purchased 30 UR-100NUTTH missiles from Ukraine, which were in storage. It is planned that after deployment, these missiles will be in service until about 2030.

The RT-23UTTH (SS-24) missiles were developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (Dnepropetrovsk). Rocket variants were created for the silo-based complex and the railway-based complex. The deployment of the railway version of the complex was carried out in 1987-1991, the mine-in 1988-1989. The RT-23UTTKh missile is a three-stage solid propellant, carries 10 warheads. The production of rockets was carried out by the Pavlograd Machine-Building Plant (Ukraine). To date, the process of removing the RT-23UTTKh missiles from service is underway - all silo-based complexes have been liquidated, and in 2005 it is planned to liquidate the last railway complexes.

Soil missile systems "Topol" (SS-25) were developed at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering. The missiles were deployed in 1985-1992. The rocket of the Topol complex is a three-stage solid propellant, carries one warhead. The production of missiles was carried out by the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant. To date, the process of removing the Topol complexes from service has begun in connection with the expiration of the service life of the missiles.

Brief description of missiles

Pioneer-3

Pioneer-3 is a mobile ground-based missile system with a two-stage medium-range ballistic missile. The development of the complex was carried out by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering. Tested in 1986.

A more advanced launcher, new more efficient and accurate warheads have been developed for the missile. The design bureau of the Minsk Automobile Plant developed a rocket carrier with more comfortable and cozy cabins for personnel. Testing of the complex was interrupted during negotiations on the elimination of medium and shorter range missiles. Serial production of missiles was not deployed.

R-36M. 15A14 (RS-20A)

R-36M is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. It was equipped with a monoblock warhead and MIRV with ten warheads. Developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Mikhail Yangel and Vladimir Utkin. Development started on September 2, 1969. LCTs were held from 1972 to October 1975. Tests of warheads as part of the complex were carried out until November 29, 1979. The complex was put on combat duty on December 25, 1974. Adopted on December 30, 1975.

The first stage is equipped with a main engine RD-264, consisting of four single-chamber engines RD-263. The engine was developed at Energomash Design Bureau under the direction of Valentin Glushko. The second stage is equipped with the RD-0228 propulsion engine, developed at the Chemical Automation Design Bureau under the direction of Alexander Konopatov. The fuel components are UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide. The OS silo was finalized in KBSM under the leadership of Vladimir Stepanov. Start method - mortar. The control system is autonomous, inertial. Developed at NII-692 under the leadership of Vladimir Sergeev. A complex of means of overcoming missile defense was developed at TsNIRTI. The combat stage is equipped with a solid propellant propulsion system. The unified gearbox was developed at TsKB TM by the leadership of Nikolai Krivoshein and Boris Aksyutin.

Serial production of missiles was launched at the Southern Machine-Building Plant in 1974.

TTX missiles"Voevoda" R-36M2. 15A18M
Maximum firing range with a "light" monoblock warhead	16,000 km
Firing range of a missile with a "heavy" warhead	11,200 km
Range of missiles with MIRV	10,200 km
Max launch weight	211 t
Head weight	7.3 t
Rocket length	34 m
Maximum case diameter	3m
Fuel mass	188 t
	400 tf
	450 tf
	293 kgf s/kg
	312 kgf s/kg
Pressure in the combustion chamber of the propulsion engine of the first stage	200 atm
The inner diameter of the reinforced concrete shaft of the silo	5.9 m
silo barrel depth	39 m
Missile readiness	30 s

R-36M UTTH. 15A18 (RS-20B)

R-36M UTTH is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. Developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Vladimir Utkin. Equipped with MIRV with ten warheads. Development started on August 16, 1976. LCTs were carried out at the Baikonur training ground from October 31, 1977 to November 1979. The complex was put on combat duty on September 18, 1979. Adopted on December 17, 1980.

• The maximum firing range is 11,500 km.
• Initially established warranty period of storage is 10 years.

The main characteristics of the R-36M UTTKh missile are similar to those of the R-36M.

"Voevoda" R-36M2. 15A18M (RS-20V)

R-36M2 is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. It was equipped with a MIRV with ten warheads and a monoblock warhead. Developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Vladimir Utkin. The technical proposal was developed in June 1979. Development started on August 9, 1983. LCTs were held from March 1986 to March 1988. The complex was put into service on August 11, 1988. Placed on combat duty in December 1988.

The first stage is equipped with a sustainer engine RD-274, consisting of four independent single-chamber propulsion units RD-273. Developed under the direction of Valentin Glushko and Vitaly Radovsky. The second stage is equipped with a single-chamber propulsion engine RD-0255, made in a closed circuit. The LRE was developed at the Chemical Automation Design Bureau under the direction of Alexander Konopatov. The steering engine of the second stage has four rotary combustion chambers and one THA. The fuel components are UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide. The autonomous inertial control system was developed under the leadership of the chief designer of the Kharkov Research Institute-692 (NPO "Khartron") Vladimir Sergeev. The unified gearbox was developed at TsKB TM under the leadership of Boris Aksyutin. The missile is equipped with a set of means to overcome the enemy's missile defense system.

Serial production of missiles has been launched at the Southern Machine-Building Plant in Dnepropetrovsk.

TTX missiles "Voevoda" R-36M2. 15A18M
	11,000 km
	15,000 km
Max launch weight	211 t
Head weight	8.8 t
Rocket length	34.3 m
Maximum case diameter	3m
Thrust of the main engine of the first stage near the ground	144 ts
	296 kgf s/kg
	15 years.

MR-UR-100. 15A15 (RS-16A)

MR-UR-100 is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. It was equipped with a MIRV with four warheads and a monoblock warhead. Developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Mikhail Yangel and Vladimir Utkin. The development of the project began in 1967. The government decree was issued on September 2, 1969. Flight design tests were carried out from December 26, 1972 to December 17, 1974 at the Baikonur training ground. The complex was put into service on December 30, 1975. Placed on combat duty May 6, 1975.

The launcher was developed at the Leningrad Special Engineering Design Bureau under the leadership of Alexei Utkin. Start method - mortar. A unified shaft type increased security gearbox was developed at the Central Design Bureau TM under the leadership of Nikolai Krivoshein and Boris Aksyutin. The first stage is equipped with a marching single-chamber fixed-mounted liquid-propellant rocket engine RD-268, made according to a closed circuit. The steering engine has four rotary combustion chambers. The first-stage sustainer liquid-propellant rocket engine was developed at Energomash Design Bureau under the direction of Valentin Glushko. The second stage is equipped with a single-chamber fixed engine 15D169, developed in KB-4 of Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Ivan Ivanov. The control of the second stage is provided by gas injection into the supercritical part of the nozzle and four steering nozzles. The fuel components are UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide. Breeding of warheads is carried out using a solid rocket engine. The control system is autonomous, inertial. Developed at NIIAP under the direction of Nikolai Pilyugin. Gyroscopic devices were developed at the Research Institute of Applied Mechanics under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. Solid propellant charges of powder pressure accumulators were developed under the guidance of the chief designer of LNPO Soyuz Boris Zhukov. The missile is equipped with a set of anti-missile defense systems developed at TsNIRTI. For the MR-UR-100, R-36M and UR-100N missile systems, the Leningrad NPO "Impulse" developed a unified automated combat control system.

Serial production of missiles was launched at the Southern Machine-Building Plant in 1973.

TTX missiles MR-UR-100. 15А15
Maximum range of missiles with MIRV	10,200 km
The maximum firing range of a missile with a monoblock warhead	10,300 km
Max launch weight	71 t
Head weight	2.5 t
Rocket length	21 m
Maximum first stage body diameter	2.25 m
Maximum second stage body diameter	2.1 m
Thrust of the main engine of the first stage near the ground	117 ts
Specific thrust impulse of the first stage engine near the ground	296 kgf s/kg
Initial warranty period	10 years

MR-UR-100 UTTH. 15A16 (RS-16B)

MR-UR-100 UTTKh is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. It was equipped with a MIRV with four warheads and a monoblock warhead. Developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Vladimir Utkin. Development started on August 16, 1976. Flight design tests were carried out from October 25, 1977 to December 15, 1979 at the Baikonur training ground. The complex was put on combat duty on October 17, 1978. Adopted on December 17, 1980.

The main characteristics of the MR-UR-100 UTTKh missile are similar to those of the MR-UR-100.

"Perimeter" 15A11

"Perimeter" - command rocket. The development of a draft design of the command missile of the Perimeter system was started at the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Vladimir Utkin in accordance with a government decree of August 30, 1974. In December 1975, a preliminary design of the rocket was developed.

In December 1977, a draft design of the 15A11 command rocket with the 15B99 warhead of the Perimeter system was developed. In December 1979, the first launches of 15A11 missiles were carried out for testing and issuing commands for launching missiles in a special period. In March 1982, flight design tests of the rocket were completed.

UR-100N. 15A30 (RS-18A)

UR-100N is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. Equipped with MIRV with six warheads. Developed at the Central Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering under the direction of Vladimir Chelomey and at Branch No. 1 of the Central Design Bureau under the direction of Viktor Bugaisky. Development started on September 2, 1969. Tests were carried out at the Baikonur test site from April 9, 1973 to October 1975. The complex was put on alert on April 26, 1975. Adopted on December 30, 1975.

The OS silo launch complex was developed at Branch No. 2 of the TsKBM (GNIP OKB Vympel) under the leadership of Vladimir Baryshev. The launch method is gas-dynamic. The first stage was equipped with four single-chamber rotary rocket engines RD-0233 and RD-0234. The engines are made in a closed circuit. For the second stage, marching single-chamber rocket engines were created: RD-0235, made according to a closed circuit, and RD-0236, made according to an open circuit. The main engine of the second stage is installed motionless. Marching LREs of the first and second stages and LREs of the combat stage were developed in the Chemical Automation Design Bureau under the leadership of Alexander Konopatov. The second stage is controlled by a steering motor with four rotary combustion chambers. The fuel components are UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide. Brake motors were developed in Design Bureau No. 2 of Plant No. 81 (MKB Iskra) under the direction of Ivan Kartukov. The autonomous inertial control system was developed at the Kharkov Research Institute-692 (NPO "Khartron") under the leadership of Vladimir Sergeev.

Serial production of missiles was launched in 1974 at the Khrunichev Moscow Machine-Building Plant.

UR-100N UTTH. 15A35 (RS-18B)

UR-100N UTTH is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. Equipped with MIRV with six warheads. Developed at the Central Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering under the leadership of Vladimir Chelomey and Herbert Efremov. Development started on August 16, 1976. Tests were carried out at the Baikonur test site from December 1977 to June 1979. The complex was put into service on December 17, 1980. Placed on combat duty in January 1981. Serial production of missiles at the Moscow Machine-Building Plant named after M. Khrunichev continued until 1985.

The main characteristics of the UR-100N UTTKh missile are similar to those of the UR-100N missile.

RT-23. 15Zh43

RT-23. 15Zh43 - combat railway missile system with a solid-propellant three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. The development was carried out at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Mikhail Yangel in accordance with the order of the Minister of General Mechanical Engineering "On the creation of a mobile combat railway missile system (BZHRK) with the RT-23 missile" dated January 13, 1969. In October 1975, the Pavlograd Mechanical Plant began construction of a solid-propellant engine assembly building for the RT-23 ICBM.

RT-23. 15Zh44

RT-23. 15ZH44 is a three-stage solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile for silo launchers. The development was carried out in the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Mikhail Yangel in accordance with the decree of the government of the country of July 23, 1976. The control system was created at the Research Institute of Automation and Instrumentation under the leadership of Nikolai Pilyugin and Vladimir Lapygin.
The first draft design of a rocket with a monoblock warhead was completed in March 1977. On June 1, 1979, a government decree was issued on the development of an MIRV for the missile. The second, modified, preliminary design of the rocket with MIRV IN 15F143 and increased energy was completed in December 1979. Flight design tests of the silo variant began in December 1982. On February 10, 1983, by the decision of the Council of Defense of the USSR, the RT-23 rocket. 15Zh44 was not accepted into service.

RT-23. 15Zh52 (RS-22)

RT-23.15ZH52 is a three-stage solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile for the BZHRK. Equipped with MIRV with ten warheads. Developed at Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Mikhail Yangel and Vladimir Utkin. Development started in 1976. The government decree was issued on July 6, 1979. The complex was put into trial operation on February 10, 1983, but was not accepted into service.

The autonomous control system was developed at the Moscow Research Institute of Automation and Instrumentation under the leadership of Vladimir Lapygin. The launcher was developed at the Leningrad Design Bureau Spetsmash under the leadership of Alexei Utkin. Start method - mortar. The missile is equipped with a set of means to overcome missile defense. The mixed propellant and solid propellant charge of the first stage of the rocket were developed in Biysk under the leadership of Yakov Savchenko, the second and third stages - in the city of Dzerzhinsky under the leadership of Boris Zhukov. The command module was developed at TsKBTM under the leadership of Boris Aksyutin and Alexander Leontenkov.

The assembly of missiles was mastered at the Pavlograd Mechanical Plant. The railway launcher was mass-produced by the Yurga Machine-Building Plant.

"Well done" RT-23UTTH. 15ZH60 (RS-22)

RT-23 UTTH is a three-stage solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile for three types of basing. Equipped with MIRV with ten warheads. The development of the Molodets RT-23 UTTKh complex was started at the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau under the leadership of Vladimir Utkin on August 9, 1983. Tests of the mine version 15ZH60 at the Plesetsk training ground took place from July 31, 1986 to September 26, 1988. The complex in the OS silo was put on combat duty on August 19, 1988. Adopted on November 28, 1989.
The silo was developed at the GNIP "OKB Vympel" under the leadership of Oleg Baskakov. Start method - mortar. The autonomous control system was developed at the Moscow Research Institute of Automation and Instrumentation under the leadership of Vladimir Lapygin. The mixed propellant and solid propellant charge of the first stage of the rocket were developed in Biysk under the leadership of Yakov Savchenko, the second and third stages - in the city of Dzerzhinsky under the leadership of Boris Zhukov. The system of temperature and humidity conditions and heat removal was created in the Moscow Design Bureau of Transport and Chemical Engineering. The missile is equipped with a set of means to overcome missile defense.

Topol-M (SS-27)

The Topol-M missile system (SS-27) was developed at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering. The complex is being created in a silo-based version and in a mobile ground-based version. The deployment of the mine version of the complex began in 1997. Testing of the mobile version of the complex was completed in December 2004. The deployment of mobile complexes is planned to begin in 2006. From three to nine complexes will be put into operation annually. The rocket of the Topol-M complex is a three-stage solid propellant, created in a monoblock version. The production of missiles is carried out by the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant.

Three engines allow her to pick up speed much faster than all previous types of rockets. In addition, several dozen auxiliary engines and control equipment provide a flight that is unpredictable for the enemy.

R-1. 8A11

R-1 is a single-stage tactical ballistic missile (long-range ballistic missile). Developed at NII-88 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. Chief designer - Alexander Shcherbakov. The work was started by Korolev in 1946. The government decree on development was issued on April 14, 1948. Tests at the Kapustin Yar range were carried out from September 17, 1948 to October 1949. The complex was put into service on November 25, 1950.
The marching single-chamber rocket engine RD-100 (8D51) was developed in OKB-456 under the leadership of Valentin Glushko. The fuel components are ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. The complex of ground facilities was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. The starting device is a stationary ground table. The launch method is gas-dynamic (the launch was carried out due to the main engine). The control system is autonomous, inertial. Developed at NII-885 under the direction of Nikolai Pilyugin and at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. The transport units of the missile system were developed by the Moscow Design Bureau under the leadership of Anatoly Gurevich. The rocket installer was developed at the Central Design Bureau for Heavy Engineering under the direction of Nikolai Leikin. Fuel tanks suspended (non-bearing). Controls - air and gas-jet rudders. The rocket has a monoblock non-nuclear warhead that cannot be separated in flight.
The production of missiles is deployed at the NII-88 Pilot Plant in Podlipki. Serial production of R-1 missiles and RD-100 engines was launched in November 1952 at the State Union Plant No. 586 in Dnepropetrovsk.

TTX missiles R-1. 8А11
	270 km
Max launch weight	13.4 t
Dry weight of the rocket	4 t
Head weight	1 t
	785 kg
Fuel mass	8.5 t
Rocket length	14.6 m
Maximum case diameter	1.65 m
	27 ts
	31 ts
	199 kgf s/kg
	232 kgf s/kg
	206 p.
Main engine weight	885 kg

R-2. 8Ж38

R-2 is a single-stage operational-tactical ballistic missile (long-range ballistic missile). Developed at NII-88 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. Sergey Korolev started the project of a rocket with twice the flight range in 1946. A government decree that determined the stages of work on the project was issued on April 14, 1947. The preliminary design of the rocket was defended on April 25, 1947. Tests were carried out at the Kapustin Yar test site from September 21, 1949 to July 1951. The complex was put into service on November 27, 1951.

The marching single-chamber rocket engine RD-101 (8D52) was developed in OKB-456 under the leadership of Valentin Glushko. The fuel components are ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. The complex of ground facilities was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. The starting device is a stationary ground launch pad. The launch method is gas-dynamic. The transport units of the missile system were developed by the Moscow Design Bureau under the leadership of Anatoly Gurevich. The installer was developed at the Central Design Bureau for Heavy Engineering under the direction of Nikolai Leikin. The autonomous inertial control system was developed at NII-885 under the direction of Nikolai Pilyugin and at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. The radio correction system was developed under the leadership of chief designer Mikhail Borisenko. Rocket controls - air and gas-jet rudders. The fuel tank is load-bearing, the oxidizer tank is suspended. The missile has a monoblock non-nuclear warhead detachable in flight.

Serial production of R-2 missiles and RD-101 engines was launched at the State Union Plant No. 586 in Dnepropetrovsk in June 1953.

TTX missilesR-2. 8Ж38
Maximum firing range	600 km
Max launch weight	20.4 t
Head weight	1.5 t
Mass of conventional explosive warhead	1 008 kg
Fuel mass	14.5 t
Rocket length	17.7 m
Maximum case diameter	1.65 m
Propulsion engine thrust near the ground	37 ts
Propulsion engine thrust in the void	41 ts
Specific thrust impulse of a main engine near the ground	210 kgf s/kg
The specific thrust impulse of a propulsion engine in a vacuum	237 kgf s/kg
Main engine weight	1 178 kg

R-3. 8А67

R-3 is a single-stage medium-range ballistic missile (long-range ballistic missile). The development was carried out at NII-88 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev from April 14, 1947. The preliminary design was approved on December 7, 1949 at a meeting of the NTS NII-88. On October 4, 1950, a government decree was issued on the creation of the R-3 ballistic missile with a firing range of up to 3,000 km. In December 1951, S.P. Korolev stopped work on the project in favor of the R-5 project.

The marching single-chamber rocket engine RD-110 was developed at OKB-456 under the leadership of Valentin Glushko. The fuel components are oxygen and kerosene. The complex of ground facilities was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. The starting device is a stationary ground launch pad. The launch method is gas-dynamic. The autonomous control system with radio correction was developed at NII-885 under the direction of Mikhail Ryazansky and Nikolai Pilyugin, as well as at NII-20 under the direction of Boris Konoplev. Command devices (gyroscopes) were developed at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov.

R-5. 8А62

R-5 is a single-stage medium-range ballistic missile (long-range ballistic missile). Developed at NII-88 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. Leading designer - Dmitry Kozlov. Development started in 1949. A government decree on the creation of a rocket was issued in 1952. Tests took place at the Kapustin Yar test site from April 2, 1953 to February 1955. In 1954, on the basis of the R-5 rocket, the development of the R-5M rocket began.
The sustainer single-chamber engine RD-103 (8D54) was developed in OKB-456 under the leadership of the chief designer Valentin Glushko. The fuel components are ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. The starting device - a stationary ground launcher - was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. The launch method is gas-dynamic. Inertial control system with radio correction of the flight path. The inertial control system was developed at NII-885 under the direction of Mikhail Ryazansky and Nikolai Pilyugin, and at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. The radio control system was developed at NII-20 under the leadership of Boris Konoplev. Controls - gas-jet and aerodynamic rudders. The missile has a monoblock non-nuclear warhead detachable in flight. Pilot production of rockets was mastered at the Pilot Plant NII-88.

TTX missilesR-5 8A62
Maximum firing range	1,200 km
Max launch weight	26 - 28.5 t
Head weight	1.42 t
Mass of unfuelled rocket	4.2 t
Rocket length	20.75 m
Maximum case diameter	1.65 m
The speed of the MS at the entrance to the dense layers of the atmosphere at an altitude of 90 km	about 3 km/s
Propulsion engine thrust near the ground	44 ts
Propulsion engine thrust in the void	50 tf
Specific thrust impulse of a main engine near the ground	220 kgf s/kg
The specific thrust impulse of a propulsion engine in a vacuum	243 kgf s/kg
Running engine operating time	219 s
Main engine weight	870 kg

R-5M. 8K51

R-5M is a single-stage medium-range ballistic missile (long-range ballistic missile). Developed in OKB-1 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. Leading designer - Dmitry Kozlov. Development started on April 10, 1954. The tests took place at the Kapustin Yar test site from January 20, 1955 to February 1956. The missile was put into service on June 21, 1956.

The RD-103M single-chamber main engine was developed at OKB-456 under the direction of Valentin Glushko. The ground launch complex was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. Transport units were developed at KBTM under the leadership of Vladimir Petrov. The rocket installer was developed at TsKB TM under the direction of Nikolai Krivoshein. The autonomous inertial control system was developed at NII-885 under the direction of Mikhail Ryazansky and Nikolai Pilyugin, and at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. The radio control system was developed at NII-20 under the leadership of Boris Konoplev. Controls - air and gas-jet rudders. The missile has a monoblock nuclear warhead detachable in flight. The atomic warhead was developed in Arzamas-16 under the leadership of Samvel Kocharyants. The means of detonating an atomic warhead were created at the Moscow Branch No. 1 (now the All-Russian Research Institute of Automation named after N.L. Dukhov) KB-11 (Arzamas-16) under the leadership of Nikolai Dukhov and Viktor Zuevsky.

Serial production of rockets and engines was launched in 1956 at the State Union Plant No. 586 in Dnepropetrovsk.

TTX missiles R-5M 8K51
Maximum firing range	1,200 km
Max launch weight	29.1 t
Head weight	1.35 t
The power of a nuclear warhead	300 kt (there are data about warheads with a capacity 80 kt and 1 Mt)
Mass of unfuelled rocket	4.39 t
Mass of fuel, hydrogen peroxide and compressed air	24.5 t
Mass of liquid oxygen	13.99 t
Mass of ethyl alcohol	10.01 t
Rocket length	20.75 m
Maximum case diameter	1.65 m
Rocket speed at engine shutdown	3016 m/s
Top of the path	304 km
Flight time to target	637 s
Propulsion engine thrust near the ground	43 ts
Propulsion engine thrust in the void	50 tf
Specific thrust impulse of a main engine near the ground	216 kgf s/kg
The specific thrust impulse of a propulsion engine in a vacuum	243 kgf s/kg
Main engine weight	870 kg

R-7. 8K71

R-7 is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. Developed in OKB-1 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. Leading designer - Dmitry Kozlov. Development started on May 20, 1954. The tests took place at the Baikonur test site from May 15, 1957 to June 1958. The missile system was put into service on January 20, 1960, but was not put on combat duty.
The first stage (four side blocks) is equipped with four four-chamber sustainer rocket engines RD-107 (8D74) and four steering two-chamber engines. The second stage is equipped with a four-chamber sustainer rocket engine RD-108 (8D75) and a steering four-chamber engine. Propulsion engines RD-107 and RD-108 were developed in OKB-456 under the direction of Valentin Glushko. Steering engines were developed in OKB-1 under the leadership of Mikhail Melnikov. The fuel components are T-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen. The starting device - a stationary ground launcher - was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. The launch method is gas-dynamic. The transport units of the complex were developed at KBTM under the leadership of Vladimir Petrov. Ground handling units were developed at the Central Design Bureau for Heavy Engineering under the leadership of Nikolai Krivoshein. Inertial control system with radio correction of the flight path. The autonomous control system was developed at NII-885 under the leadership of Nikolai Pilyugin. The radio control system was developed at NII-885 under the leadership of Mikhail Ryazansky. Command instruments were developed at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. Rocket controls - steering motors and air rudders. The electrical equipment complex was developed at NII-627 of the Ministry of the Electrical Industry under the leadership of Andronik Iosifyan. The missile has a monoblock nuclear warhead detachable in flight. The atomic warhead was created under the leadership of chief designer Samvel Kocharyants.
Experimental production of missiles was carried out at the Experimental Plant OKB-1 in Podlipki. Serial production of missiles was launched in 1958 at the Kuibyshev Aircraft Plant No. 1. The production of first and second stage main engines was launched at the Kuibyshev Engine Plant No. 24 named after M.V. Frunze.

TTX missiles R-7 8K71
Maximum firing range	9,500 km
Max launch weight	283 t
Dry weight of the rocket with warhead	27 t
Head weight	5.4 t
The power of a nuclear warhead	3 Mt (5 Mt)
Fuel mass	250 t
Rocket length	31 - 33 m
The length of the central block of the rocket	19.2 m
Taper head length	3.5 m
The maximum transverse dimension of the assembled package	10.3 m
Thrust of the main engine of the first stage near the ground	82 ts
The thrust of the main engine of the first stage in the void	100 tf
Specific thrust impulse of the main engine of the first stage near the ground	252 kgf s/kg
Specific thrust impulse of the main engine of the first stage in the void	308 kgf s/kg
Operation time of main engines of side blocks (first stage)	120 s
	1 155 kg
	75 tf
	94 ts
	243 kgf s/kg
	309 kgf s/kg
Operating time of the main engine of the central unit (second stage)	up to 290 s
	1 250 kg

R-7A. 8K74

R-7A is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. Developed in OKB-1 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. Leading designer - Dmitry Kozlov. Development started on July 2, 1958. Tests at the Baikonur test site took place from December 24, 1958 to July 1960. The missile system was put on combat duty on January 1, 1960. Adopted on September 12, 1960.
The first stage (four side blocks) is equipped with four four-chamber sustainer rocket engines RD-107 and four steering two-chamber engines. The second stage is equipped with a four-chamber sustainer rocket engine RD-108 and a steering four-chamber engine. Propulsion engines RD-107 and RD-108 were developed in OKB-456 under the direction of Valentin Glushko. Steering engines were developed in OKB-1 under the leadership of Mikhail Melnikov. The fuel components are T-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen. The starting device - a stationary ground launcher - was developed at GSKB Spetsmash under the leadership of Vladimir Barmin. The launch method is gas-dynamic. The transport units of the complex were developed at KBTM under the leadership of Vladimir Petrov. Ground handling units were developed at the Central Design Bureau for Heavy Engineering under the leadership of Nikolai Krivoshein. Inertial control system with radio correction of the flight path. The autonomous control system was developed at NII-885 under the leadership of Nikolai Pilyugin. The radio control system was developed at NII-885 under the leadership of Mikhail Ryazansky. Command instruments were developed at NII-944 under the direction of Viktor Kuznetsov. Rocket controls - steering motors and air rudders. The electrical equipment complex was developed at NII-627 of the Ministry of the Electrical Industry under the leadership of Andronik Iosifyan. The missile has a monoblock nuclear warhead detachable in flight. The atomic warhead was created under the leadership of chief designer Samvel Kocharyants.
Serial production of missiles has been launched at the Kuibyshev Aircraft Plant No. 1. The production of first- and second-stage sustainer engines has been launched at the Kuibyshev Engine Plant No. 24 named after M.V. Frunze.

TTX missiles R-7A 8K74
Maximum firing range	9,500 km
Max launch weight	276 t
Head weight	3.7 t
The power of a nuclear warhead	3 Mt
Fuel mass	250 t
Rocket length	31.4 m
Maximum case package diameter	10.3 m
Thrust of the main engine of the first stage near the ground	82 ts
The thrust of the main engine of the first stage in the void	100 tf
Specific thrust impulse of the main engine of the first stage near the ground	252 kgf s/kg
Specific thrust impulse of the main engine of the first stage in the void	308 kgf s/kg
Mass of the main engine of the first stage	1 155 kg
Thrust of the main engine of the second stage near the ground	75 tf
Thrust of the main engine of the second stage in the void	94 ts
Specific thrust impulse of the propulsion engine of the second stage near the ground	243 kgf s/kg
Specific thrust impulse of the main engine of the second stage in the void	309 kgf s/kg
Mass of the main engine of the second stage	1 250 kg

Outlook and trends

The reality is that so far there is no alternative to nuclear weapons in solving the global tasks of ensuring the country's security, both now and in the foreseeable future. That is why the leadership of Russia and the Ministry of Defense, within the framework of the agreements reached, are taking persistent steps to preserve and strengthen the nuclear missile potential of our state. These issues are in the center of attention of the military-political leadership of the country and are highlighted as priorities by the President of Russia - Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces V.V. Putin at a meeting of the leadership of the Armed Forces on October 2, 2001 and in the Address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The decisions made allowed the Rocket Forces to exclude the early removal from combat duty of missile regiments with systems that had not worked out their service life, including keeping combat railroad missile systems until 2006.

Within the framework of the existing solutions, the complete decommissioning of missile systems, the service life of which will expire, is planned to be carried out only in the next decade. The strength characteristics of missile weapons and the emerging new technologies for assessing its objective state, along with regular checks of the reliability of missiles through combat training launches, make it possible to implement programs to extend their lifespan. As part of this work, in 2001, a survey was carried out and storage of the so-called "dry" missiles ("Stiletto") was organized. As the survey showed, despite the long storage periods, there are no signs of aging of these missiles. According to the general designer, this will make it possible to extend the maintenance of part of the missile regiments on combat duty until 2020 and possibly beyond. This work was highly appreciated by the President of Russia V.V. Putin and gave him the opportunity to declare at a meeting of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense that "... Russia has a significant stock of strategic ground-based missiles."

This year, work has begun to extend the service life of "heavy" missiles, which will also allow us to keep the most powerful missiles for the coming years.

After 2015, the basis of the grouping of the Strategic Missile Forces will be Topol-M missile systems, both silo-based and mobile, with various combat equipment. Every year we will put on combat duty the number of these missile systems established by the plans. So these days in the Saratov region, another regiment equipped with the Topol-M missile system will take up combat duty.

As for the longer term, the existing scientific, technical and design groundwork allows us to respond flexibly to emerging challenges and threats. But it should be borne in mind that the development of a fundamentally new missile system will take 10-15 years. We still have that much time.

Thus, in the medium term, the Rocket Forces will have the required number of missile formations and, accordingly, launchers, consistent in their capabilities with the country's economic resources and modern military-strategic realities.

By December 31, 2012, according to the SOR Treaty, Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces were to have no more than 1,700 - 2,200 nuclear warheads, which should ensure adequate nuclear deterrence, given various options for the possible development of the military-strategic situation. In view of the foregoing, in the nuclear triad, due to the inherent qualities of the Strategic Missile Forces (efficiency, reliability, independence from weather conditions), the Rocket Forces will continue to be assigned the role of the backbone of the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces, capable of reliably providing a deterrent potential from unleashing not only a nuclear, but also a large-scale war against using conventional weapons.

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Magnitogorsk Medical College named after P.F. Nadezhdina.

abstract

in disaster medicine and life safety.

Subject:

"Strategic Rocket Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation"

Checked by: Burdina I.P.

Completed by: Murzabaeva Zh.

Magnitogorsk 2010.

Introduction ................................................ ................................................. ...............2p.

Emblems ................................................. ................................................. ...............4p.

History reference................................................ ...............................................5p.

Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces .................................. 11str.

The structure of the missile forces .............................................................. ................................................13p.

Armament of missile troops .................................................................. .................................16p.

Tasks of the Missile Forces .............................................................. .................................................18p.

Literature................................................. ................................................. ...........19p.

INTRODUCTION

The Armed Forces are an inalienable attribute of statehood. They are a state military organization that forms the basis of the country's defense and is designed to repel aggression and defeat the aggressor, as well as to perform tasks in accordance with Russia's international obligations.

The Armed Forces of Russia were created by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on May 7, 1992. They form the basis of the defense of the state.

In addition, the following are involved in the defense:

Border Troops of the Russian Federation,

Internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation,

Railway troops of the Russian Federation,

Troops of the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information under the President of the Russian Federation,

The Civil Defense Troops.

Strategic Rocket Forces (RVSN) - branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the main component of its strategic nuclear forces. Designed for nuclear deterrence of possible aggression and destruction as part of strategic nuclear forces or independently massive, group or single nuclear missile strikes of strategic objects located in one or more strategic aerospace directions and forming the basis of the military and military-economic potential of the enemy.

Modern Strategic Missile Forces are the main component of all our strategic nuclear forces.

The Strategic Missile Forces account for 60% of warheads. They are entrusted with 90% of the tasks of nuclear deterrence.

EMBLEMS:

Patch of the Rocket Forces

Emblemmissiletroops

Control missiletroopsand Artillery of the Armed Forces

History reference

The origin of the Strategic Missile Forces is associated with the development of domestic and foreign missile weapons, and then nuclear missile weapons, with the improvement of their combat use. In the history of the Rocket Forces:

1946 - 1959 - the creation of nuclear weapons and the first samples of guided ballistic missiles, the deployment of missile formations capable of solving operational tasks in front-line operations and strategic tasks in nearby theaters of military operations.

1959 - 1965 - the formation of the Strategic Missile Forces, the deployment and putting on combat duty of missile formations and parts of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and medium-range missiles (IRMs) capable of solving strategic tasks in military geographical regions and in any theater of operations. In 1962, the Strategic Missile Forces took part in Operation Anadyr, during which 42 RSD R-12s were secretly deployed in Cuba, and made a significant contribution to resolving the Caribbean crisis and preventing the American invasion of Cuba.

1965 - 1973 - deployment of a group of intercontinental ballistic missiles with single launches (OS) of the 2nd generation, equipped with monoblock warheads (warheads), the transformation of the Strategic Missile Forces into the main component of strategic nuclear forces, which made the main contribution to the achievement of military-strategic balance (parity) between the USSR and USA.

1973 - 1985 - equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with third-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles with multiple warheads and means of overcoming the anti-missile defense of a potential enemy and mobile missile systems (RK) with IRMs.

1985 - 1992 - armament of the Strategic Missile Forces with intercontinental stationary and mobile missile systems of the 4th generation, liquidation in 1988-1991. medium range missiles.

Since 1992 - the formation of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the elimination of missile systems of intercontinental ballistic missiles on the territory of Ukraine and Kazakhstan and the withdrawal of mobile missile systems "Topol" from Belarus to Russia, the re-equipment of obsolete types of missile systems in the Republic of Kazakhstan with unified monoblock ICBMs of stationary and mobile basing RS- 12M2 5th generation (RK "Topol-M").

The material basis for the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces was the deployment in the USSR of a new branch of the defense industry - rocket science. In accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1017-419 dated May 13, 1946 "Issues of jet weapons", cooperation between the leading ministries of industry was determined, research and experimental work began, and a Special Committee on jet technology was created under the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

The Ministry of the Armed Forces has formed: a special artillery unit for the development, preparation and launch of FAU-2 missiles, the Research Rocket Institute of the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU), the State Central Range of Rocket Equipment (the Kapustin Yar training ground), and the Department of Rocket Weapons in part of the GAU. The first missile formation armed with long-range ballistic missiles was the special-purpose brigade of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command - armored RVGK (commander - Major General of Artillery A.F. Tveretsky). In December 1950, the second special-purpose brigade was formed, in 1951-1955. - 5 more formations that received a new name (since 1953), - engineering brigades of the RVGK. Until 1955, they were armed with R-1 and R-2 ballistic missiles, with a range of 270 and 600 km, equipped with warheads with conventional explosives (general designer S.P. Korolev). By 1958, the personnel of the brigades conducted more than 150 combat training launches of missiles. In 1946 - 1954, the brigades were part of the RVGK artillery and were subordinate to the artillery commander of the Soviet Army. They were managed by a special department of the artillery headquarters of the Soviet Army. In March 1955, the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR for special weapons and rocket technology was introduced (Marshal of Artillery M.I. Nedelin), under which the headquarters of rocket units was created.

The combat use of engineering brigades was determined by the order of the Supreme Command, the decision of which provided for the assignment of these formations to the fronts. The front commander carried out the leadership of the engineering brigades through the artillery commander.

On October 4, 1957, for the first time in world history, the first artificial satellite of the Earth was successfully launched from the Baikonur test site by the personnel of a separate engineering test unit using a combat missile R-7. Thanks to the efforts of Soviet rocket scientists, a new era in the history of mankind began - the era of practical astronautics.

In the second half of the 1950s. The R-5 and R-12 strategic RSDs equipped with nuclear warheads (general designers S.P. Korolev and M.K. Yangel) with a range of 1200 and 2000 km and R-7 and R-7A ICBMs (general designer S.P. Korolev). In 1958, the RVGK engineering brigades, armed with R-11 and R-11M tactical missiles, were transferred to the Ground Forces. The first formation of ICBMs was an object with the code name "Angara" (commander - Colonel M.G. Grigoriev), which completed its formation at the end of 1958. In July 1959, the personnel of this formation carried out the first combat training launch of ICBMs in the USSR.

The need for centralized leadership of troops equipped with strategic missiles led to the organizational design of a new type of armed forces. In accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1384-615 dated 12/17/1959, the Strategic Missile Forces were created as an independent branch of the Armed Forces. According to Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1239 of December 10, 1995, this day is celebrated as an annual holiday - the Day of the Strategic Missile Forces.

On December 31, 1959, the following were formed: the Main Headquarters of the Missile Forces, the Central Command Post with a communications center and a computer center, the Main Directorate of Missile Weapons, the Combat Training Directorate, and a number of other directorates and services. The Strategic Missile Forces included the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, which was in charge of nuclear weapons, engineering formations previously subordinate to the Deputy Minister of Defense for special weapons and jet equipment, missile regiments and directorates of three air divisions subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, missile arsenals, bases and warehouses of special weapons. The structure of the Strategic Missile Forces also included the 4th State Central Range of the Ministry of Defense ("Kapustin Yar"); 5th Research Test Site of the Moscow Region (Baikonur); a separate scientific and testing station in the village. Keys in Kamchatka; 4th Research Institute of the Moscow Region (Bolshevo, Moscow Region). In 1963, on the basis of the Angara facility, the 53rd research test site for rocket and space weapons of the Moscow Region (Plesetsk) was formed.