Intercontinental ballistic missiles: names, characteristics. Land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles of Russia and foreign countries (rating) Name of intercontinental missiles

11.03.2020

Missile weapons are the dominant direction in the military defense of all leading powers, so it is so important to know: ICBMs - what is it? Today, intercontinental ballistic missiles are the most powerful means of deterring the threat of a nuclear attack.

MBR - what is it?

A guided intercontinental ballistic missile has a ground-to-ground class and a flight range of more than 5,500 km. Its equipment is nuclear warheads, which are designed to destroy extremely important strategic objects of a potential enemy located on other continents. This type of missiles, according to possible methods of basing, are divided into those launched from:

ground stations - this method of basing is now considered obsolete and has not been used since 1960);
stationary mine rocket launcher (silo). The most highly protected launch complex from a nuclear explosion and other damaging factors;
mobile portable, on the basis of the wheel chassis of installations. This and subsequent bases are the most difficult to detect, but have dimensional limitations for the missiles themselves;
railway installations;
submarine.

ICBM flight altitude

One of the most important characteristics for the accuracy of hitting a target is the flight altitude of an intercontinental ballistic missile. The launch is carried out with a strictly vertical position of the rocket, for an accelerated exit from dense atmospheric layers. Then there is a tilt towards the programmed target. Moving along a given trajectory, the rocket at its highest point can reach a height of 1000 km or more.

ICBM flight speed

The accuracy of hitting the enemy's target largely depends on the speed correctly set at the initial stage, at launch. At the highest point of the flight, the ICBM has the lowest speed, while deviating towards the target, the speed increases. Most of the rocket passes by inertia, but in those layers of the atmosphere where air resistance is practically absent. When descending to contact with the target, the speed of an intercontinental ballistic missile can be about 6 km per second.

ICBM tests

The first country to start creating a ballistic missile was German Germany, but there is no reliable data on possibly conducted tests, work was suspended at the stage of developing drawings and creating sketches. In the future, tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile were carried out in the following chronological order:

The United States in 1948 launched a prototype MBA.
The USSR in 1957 successfully launched a two-stage rocket "Semerka".
In 1958, the United States launched the Atlas, and later it became the first ICBM in the state to be put into service.
The USSR in 1962 launched a rocket from a silo.
In 1962, the United States passed the tests, and the first solid-fuel rocket was put into service.
USSR in 1970 passed the tests, and was adopted by the state. armament is a missile with three separable warheads.
United States since 1970 adopted by the state. armament "Minuteman", the only one launched from a ground base.
USSR in 1976 adopted by the state. armament first mobile launch missiles.
The USSR in 1976 adopted the first missiles launched from railway installations.
In 1988, the USSR passed the test, and the most multi-ton and powerful ICBM in the history of weapons was put into service.
Russia in 2009 there was a training launch of the latest modification of the Voevoda ICBM.
India tested ICBMs in 2012.
Russia in 2013 conducted a test launch of a new prototype ICBM from a mobile launch facility.
In 2017, the United States tested the ground-based Minuteman 3.
2017 North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

The best ICBMs in the world

Intercontinental ballistic installations are divided according to several parameters that are important for successfully hitting a target:

The best of the mobile installations is Topol M. Country - Russia, launched in 1994, solid fuel, monoblock.
The most promising for further modernization is the Yars RS-24. Country - Russia, launched in 2007, solid fuel.
The most powerful ICBM is "Satan". Country - USSR, launched in 1970, two-stage, solid fuel.
The best of the long-range - SLBM Trident II D5. Country - USA, launched in 1987, three-stage.
The fastest is the Minuteman LGM-30G. Country - USA, launched in 1966.

Intercontinental ballistic missile "Satan"

"Voevoda" intercontinental ballistic missile is the most powerful nuclear installation in existence in the world. In the West, in the NATO countries, she is called "Satan". There are two technical modifications of this missile in service in Russia. The last of the developments can conduct combat operations (hit a given target) under all possible conditions, including the condition of a nuclear explosion (or repeated explosions).

ICBMs, what does this mean in terms of general characteristics. For example, the fact that Voyevoda is superior in power to the recently launched American Minuteman:

200 m - hit error;
500 sq. km - the radius of destruction;
not infected by radars due to "false targets" created during the flight;
there is no missile defense system in the world capable of destroying a nuclear missile head.

Intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava

Bulava ICBM is the latest development of Russian scientists and engineers. The technical specifications indicate:

solid fuel (fuel of the 5th generation is used);
three-stage;
astroradioinertial control system;
launch from submarines, "on the go";
impact radius 8 thousand km;
weight at launch 36.8 t;
withstands hit by any laser weapon;
tests are not completed;
the rest of the specifications are classified.

Intercontinental missiles of the world

The speed and impact indicators depend on how the intercontinental ballistic missile flies (the amplitude of movement). In addition to Russia and the United States, there are several other world powers armed with ICBMs, these are France and China:

China (DF-5A) - range 13,000 km, two-stage, liquid fuel.
China (DF-31A) - range 11,200 km, solid propellant, three-stage.
France (M51) - flight range 10,000 km, solid fuel, launch from submarines.

The military policy of any state is based on the protection of state borders, state sovereignty and national security. Therefore, it is worth asking the question: ICBMs - what can this mean for the effective protection of the borders of the Russian Federation? Russian military doctrine presupposes the right to retaliate when applied against its aggression. In this regard, ballistic missiles in service are the most effective means of deterring foreign aggression.

Comparative evaluation was carried out according to the following parameters:

firepower (number of warheads (AP), total AP power, maximum firing range, accuracy - KVO)
constructive perfection (launching mass of the rocket, overall characteristics, conditional density of the rocket - the ratio of the launch mass of the rocket to the volume of the transport and launch container (TLC))
operation (based method - mobile ground missile system (PGRK) or placement in a silo launcher (silo), the time of the inter-regulation period, the possibility of extending the warranty period)

The sum of scores for all parameters gave an overall assessment of the compared MBR. At the same time, it was taken into account that each MBR taken from the statistical sample, compared with other MBRs, was evaluated based on the technical requirements of its time.

The variety of land-based ICBMs is so great that the sample includes only ICBMs that are currently in service with a range of more than 5,500 km - and only China, Russia and the United States have such (Great Britain and France abandoned land-based ICBMs , placing them only on submarines).

Intercontinental ballistic missiles

According to the number of points scored, the first four places were taken by:

1. Russian ICBM R-36M2 "Voevoda" (15A18M, START code - RS-20V, according to NATO classification - SS-18 Satan (Russian "Satan"))

Adopted, g. - 1988
Fuel - liquid
Number of accelerating stages - 2
Length, m - 34.3
Maximum diameter, m - 3.0
Starting weight, t - 211.4
Start - mortar (for silos)
Thrown mass, kg - 8 800
Flight range, km -11 000 - 16 000
Number of BB, power, kt -10X550-800
KVO, m - 400 - 500

28.5

The most powerful ground-based ICBM is the 15A18M missile of the R-36M2 "Voevoda" complex (the designation of the Strategic Missile Forces is RS-20V, the NATO designation is SS-18mod4 "Satan". The R-36M2 complex has no equal in terms of technological level and combat capabilities.

15A18M is capable of carrying platforms with several dozen (20 to 36) individually targetable nuclear MIRVs, as well as maneuvering warheads. It is equipped with a missile defense missile defense system, which makes it possible to break through a layered missile defense system using weapons based on new physical principles. R-36M2 are on duty in ultra-protected mine launchers, which are resistant to shock waves at a level of about 50 MPa (500 kg / sq. cm).

The R-36M2 design is based on the ability to launch directly during the period of massive enemy nuclear impact on the positional area and blocking the positional area with high-altitude nuclear explosions. The missile has the highest resistance to the damaging factors of nuclear warheads among the ICBMs.

The missile is covered with a dark heat-shielding coating that makes it easier for the cloud of a nuclear explosion to pass through. It is equipped with a system of sensors measuring neutron and gamma radiation, registering a dangerous level and turning off the control system for the time the rocket passes through the cloud of a nuclear explosion, which remains stabilized until the rocket leaves the danger zone, after which the control system turns on and corrects the trajectory.

A strike of 8-10 15A18M missiles (fully equipped) ensured the destruction of 80% of the industrial potential of the United States and most of the population.

2. US ICBM LGM-118A "Peacekeeper" - MX

Main tactical and technical characteristics (TTX):

Adopted, g. - 1986
Fuel - solid
Number of accelerating stages - 3
Length, m - 21.61
Maximum diameter, m - 2.34
Starting weight, t - 88.443
Start - mortar (for silos)
Thrown weight, kg - 3 800
Flight range, km - 9 600
Number of BB, power, kt - 10X300
KVO, m - 90 - 120

The sum of points for all parameters - 19.5

The most powerful and advanced American ICBM - a three-stage solid-fuel rocket MX - was equipped with ten with a capacity of 300 kt. She had increased resistance to the effects of PFYAV and had the ability to overcome the existing missile defense system, limited by an international treaty.

The MX had the greatest capability of any ICBM in terms of accuracy and ability to hit a heavily protected target. At the same time, the MXs themselves were based only in the improved silos of the Minuteman ICBMs, which were inferior in terms of security to the Russian silos. According to American experts, the MX was 6-8 times superior in combat capabilities to the Minuteman-3.

In total, 50 MX missiles were deployed, which were on combat duty in a state of 30-second readiness for launch. Removed from service in 2005, missiles and all equipment of the positional area are mothballed. Options are being considered for using the MX for delivering high-precision non-nuclear strikes.

3. ICBM of Russia PC-24 "Yars" - Russian solid-propellant mobile-based intercontinental ballistic missile with multiple reentry vehicle

Main tactical and technical characteristics (TTX):

Adopted, g. - 2009
Fuel - solid
Number of accelerating stages - 3
Length, m - 22.0
Maximum diameter, m - 1.58
Starting weight, t - 47.1
Start - mortar
Thrown mass, kg - 1 200
Flight range, km - 11 000
Number of BBs, power, kt - 4X300
KVO, m - 150

The sum of points for all parameters - 17.7

Structurally, the PC-24 is similar to the Topol-M, and has three stages. Differs from RS-12M2 "Topol-M":
a new platform for breeding blocks with warheads
re-equipment of some part of the missile control system
increased payload

The rocket enters service in the factory transport and launch container (TLC), in which it spends its entire service. The body of the rocket product is coated with special compositions to reduce the effects of a nuclear explosion. Probably, the composition was additionally applied using the stealth technology.

Guidance and control system (SNU) - an autonomous inertial control system with an on-board digital computer (OCVM), astro-correction is probably used. The alleged developer of the control system is the Moscow Research and Production Center for Instrumentation and Automation.

The use of the active section of the trajectory has been reduced. To improve the speed characteristics at the end of the third stage, it is possible to use a turn with the direction of a zero increment of the distance until the last stage is completely used up.

The instrument compartment is completely sealed. The missile is able to overcome the cloud of a nuclear explosion at the start and perform a program maneuver. For testing, the missile will most likely be equipped with a telemetry system - the T-737 Triad receiver.

To counter missile defense systems, the missile is equipped with a countermeasures complex. From November 2005 to December 2010, missile defense systems were tested using Topol and K65M-R missiles.

4. Russian ICBM UR-100N UTTH (GRAU index - 15A35, START code - RS-18B, according to NATO classification - SS-19 Stiletto (English "Stiletto"))

Main tactical and technical characteristics (TTX):

Adopted, g. - 1979
Fuel - liquid
Number of accelerating stages - 2
Length, m - 24.3
Maximum diameter, m - 2.5
Starting weight, t - 105.6
Start - gas dynamic
Thrown mass, kg - 4 350
Flight range, km - 10,000
Number of BB, power, kt - 6X550
KVO, m - 380

The sum of points for all parameters - 16.6

ICBM 15A35 - two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile, made according to the "tandem" scheme with sequential separation of stages. The rocket has a very dense layout and virtually no "dry" compartments. According to official data, as of July 2009, the Russian Strategic Missile Forces had 70 deployed 15A35 ICBMs.

The last division was previously in the process of liquidation, however, by the decision of the President of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev in November 2008, the liquidation process was terminated. The division will continue to be on duty with 15A35 ICBMs until re-equipped with "new missile systems" (apparently either Topol-M or RS-24).

Apparently, in the near future, the number of 15A35 missiles on combat duty will continue to decrease until stabilization at the level of about 20-30 units, taking into account the purchased missiles. The UR-100N UTTKh missile system is extremely reliable - 165 test and combat training launches were carried out, of which only three were unsuccessful.

The American magazine of the Air Force Missile Association called the UR-100N UTTKh missile "one of the most outstanding technical developments of the Cold War." The first complex, still with UR-100N missiles, was put on combat duty in 1975 with a warranty period of operation of 10 years. When it was created, all the best design solutions worked out on previous generations of "hundreds" were implemented.

The high reliability indicators of the missile and the complex as a whole, which were then achieved during the operation of the improved complex with the UR-100N UTTKh ICBM, allowed the military-political leadership of the country to set before the RF Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, the Strategic Missile Forces command and the lead developer in the person of NPO Mashinostroeniya the task of gradually extending the service life of the complex with 10 to 15, then to 20, 25 and finally to 30 and beyond.

The intercontinental ballistic missile is an impressive human creation. Huge size, thermonuclear power, a column of flame, the roar of engines and the menacing rumble of launch ... However, all this exists only on earth and in the first minutes of launch. After their expiration, the rocket ceases to exist. Further into the flight and the performance of the combat mission, only what remains of the rocket after acceleration - its payload - goes.

With long launch ranges, the payload of an intercontinental ballistic missile goes into space for many hundreds of kilometers. It rises into the layer of low-orbit satellites, 1000-1200 km above the Earth, and briefly settles among them, only slightly behind their general run. And then, along an elliptical trajectory, it begins to slide down ...

What exactly is this load?

A ballistic missile consists of two main parts - an accelerating part and another, for the sake of which acceleration is started. The accelerating part is a pair or three large multi-ton stages, stuffed to the eyeballs with fuel and with engines from below. They give the necessary speed and direction to the movement of the other main part of the rocket - the head. The accelerating stages, replacing each other in the launch relay, accelerate this warhead in the direction of the area of its future fall.

The head part of the rocket is a complex cargo of many elements. It contains a warhead (one or more), a platform on which these warheads are placed along with the rest of the economy (such as means of deceiving enemy radars and anti-missiles), and a fairing. Even in the head part there is fuel and compressed gases. The entire warhead will not fly to the target. It, like the ballistic missile itself before, will be divided into many elements and simply cease to exist as a whole. The fairing will separate from it not far from the launch area, during the operation of the second stage, and somewhere along the road it will fall. The platform will fall apart upon entering the air of the impact area. Elements of only one type will reach the target through the atmosphere. Warheads.

Close up, the warhead looks like an elongated cone a meter or a half long, at the base as thick as a human torso. The nose of the cone is pointed or slightly blunt. This cone is a special aircraft whose task is to deliver weapons to the target. We will return to warheads later and get to know them better.

Head of the "Peacemaker"
The pictures show breeding stages of the American heavy ICBM LGM0118A Peacekeeper, also known as MX. The missile was equipped with ten 300 kt multiple warheads. The missile was decommissioned in 2005.

Pull or push?

In a missile, all of the warheads are located in what is known as the disengagement stage, or "bus". Why a bus? Because, having freed itself first from the fairing, and then from the last booster stage, the disengagement stage carries the warheads, like passengers, to the given stops, along their trajectories, along which the deadly cones will disperse to their targets.

Another "bus" is called the combat stage, because its work determines the accuracy of pointing the warhead at the target point, and hence the combat effectiveness. The breeding stage and how it works is one of the biggest secrets in a rocket. But we will still take a little, schematically, look at this mysterious step and its difficult dance in space.

The breeding stage has different forms. Most often, it looks like a round stump or a wide loaf of bread, on which warheads are mounted on top with their points forward, each on its own spring pusher. The warheads are pre-positioned at precise separation angles (on a missile base, by hand, with theodolites) and look in different directions, like a bunch of carrots, like a hedgehog's needles. The platform, bristling with warheads, occupies a predetermined, gyro-stabilized position in space in flight. And at the right moments, warheads are pushed out of it one by one. They are ejected immediately after the completion of the acceleration and separation from the last accelerating stage. Until (you never know?) they shot down this entire unbred hive with anti-missile weapons or something failed on board the breeding stage.

But that was before, at the dawn of multiple warheads. Now breeding is a completely different picture. If earlier the warheads “sticked out” forward, now the stage itself is ahead along the way, and the warheads hang from below, with their tops back, turned upside down like bats. The “bus” itself in some rockets also lies upside down, in a special recess in the upper stage of the rocket. Now, after separation, the disengagement stage does not push, but drags the warheads along with it. Moreover, it drags, resting on four cross-shaped "paws" deployed in front. At the ends of these metal paws are rear-facing traction nozzles of the dilution stage. After separation from the booster stage, the "bus" very precisely, precisely sets its movement in the beginning space with the help of its own powerful guidance system. He himself occupies the exact path of the next warhead - its individual path.

Then, special inertia-free locks are opened, holding the next detachable warhead. And not even separated, but simply now not connected with the stage, the warhead remains motionless hanging here, in complete weightlessness. The moments of her own flight began and flowed. Like one single berry next to a bunch of grapes with other warhead grapes that have not yet been plucked from the stage by the breeding process.

fiery ten
K-551 "Vladimir Monomakh" is a Russian strategic nuclear submarine (Project 955 Borey), armed with 16 Bulava solid-propellant ICBMs with ten multiple warheads.

Delicate movements

Now the task of the stage is to crawl away from the warhead as delicately as possible, without violating its precisely set (targeted) movement of its nozzles by gas jets. If a supersonic nozzle jet hits a detached warhead, it will inevitably add its own additive to the parameters of its movement. During the subsequent flight time (and this is half an hour - fifty minutes, depending on the launch range), the warhead will drift from this exhaust “slap” of the jet half a kilometer-kilometer sideways from the target, or even further. It will drift without barriers: there is space in the same place, they slapped it - it swam, not holding on to anything. But is a kilometer to the side the accuracy today?

To avoid such effects, four upper “paws” with engines spaced apart are needed. The stage, as it were, is pulled forward on them so that the exhaust jets go to the sides and cannot catch the warhead detached by the belly of the stage. All thrust is divided between four nozzles, which reduces the power of each individual jet. There are other features as well. For example, if on a donut-shaped breeding stage (with a void in the middle - this hole is worn on the booster stage of the rocket, like a wedding ring on a finger) of the Trident-II D5 rocket, the control system determines that the separated warhead still falls under the exhaust of one of the nozzles, then the control system disables this nozzle. Makes "silence" over the warhead.

The step gently, like a mother from the cradle of a sleeping child, fearing to disturb his peace, tiptoes away in space on the three remaining nozzles in low thrust mode, and the warhead remains on the aiming trajectory. Then the “donut” of the stage with the cross of the traction nozzles rotates around the axis so that the warhead comes out from under the zone of the torch of the switched off nozzle. Now the stage moves away from the abandoned warhead already at all four nozzles, but so far also at low gas. When a sufficient distance is reached, the main thrust is turned on, and the stage moves vigorously into the area of the aiming trajectory of the next warhead. There it is calculated to slow down and again very accurately sets the parameters of its movement, after which it separates the next warhead from itself. And so on - until each warhead is landed on its trajectory. This process is fast, much faster than you read about it. In one and a half to two minutes, the combat stage breeds a dozen warheads.

Abyss of mathematics

The foregoing is quite enough to understand how the warhead's own path begins. But if you open the door a little wider and look a little deeper, you can see that today the turn in space of the disengagement stage carrying the warhead is the area of \u200b\u200bapplication of the quaternion calculus, where the onboard attitude control system processes the measured parameters of its movement with continuous construction of the orientation quaternion on board. A quaternion is such a complex number (a flat body of quaternions lies above the field of complex numbers, as mathematicians would say in their exact language of definitions). But not with the usual two parts, real and imaginary, but with one real and three imaginary. In total, the quaternion has four parts, which, in fact, is what the Latin root quatro says.

The breeding stage performs its work quite low, immediately after turning off the booster stages. That is, at an altitude of 100-150 km. And there the influence of gravitational anomalies of the Earth's surface, heterogeneities in the even gravitational field surrounding the Earth still affects. Where are they from? From uneven terrain, mountain systems, occurrence of rocks of different densities, oceanic depressions. Gravitational anomalies either attract the step to themselves with an additional attraction, or, on the contrary, slightly release it from the Earth.

In such heterogeneities, the complex ripples of the local gravity field, the disengagement stage must place the warheads with precision. To do this, it was necessary to create a more detailed map of the Earth's gravitational field. It is better to “explain” the features of a real field in systems of differential equations that describe the exact ballistic motion. These are large, capacious (to include details) systems of several thousand differential equations, with several tens of thousands of constant numbers. And the gravitational field itself at low altitudes, in the immediate near-Earth region, is considered as a joint attraction of several hundred point masses of different "weights" located near the center of the Earth in a certain order. In this way, a more accurate simulation of the real gravitational field of the Earth on the flight path of the rocket is achieved. And more accurate operation of the flight control system with it. And yet ... but full! - let's not look further and close the door; we have had enough of what has been said.

Flight without warheads

The disengagement stage, dispersed by the missile in the direction of the same geographical area where the warheads should fall, continues its flight with them. After all, she can not lag behind, and why? After breeding the warheads, the stage is urgently engaged in other matters. She moves away from the warheads, knowing in advance that she will fly a little differently from the warheads, and not wanting to disturb them. The breeding stage also devotes all its further actions to warheads. This maternal desire to protect the flight of her “children” in every possible way continues for the rest of her short life.

Short, but intense.

Space for a little while
The payload of an intercontinental ballistic missile spends most of the flight in the mode of a space object, rising to a height three times the height of the ISS. A trajectory of enormous length must be calculated with extreme precision.

After the separated warheads, it is the turn of other wards. To the sides of the step, the most amusing gizmos begin to scatter. Like a magician, she releases into space a lot of inflating balloons, some metal things resembling open scissors, and objects of all sorts of other shapes. Durable balloons sparkle brightly in the cosmic sun with a mercury sheen of a metallized surface. They are quite large, some shaped like warheads flying nearby. Their surface, covered with aluminum sputtering, reflects the radar signal from a distance in much the same way as the warhead body. Enemy ground radars will perceive these inflatable warheads on a par with real ones. Of course, in the very first moments of entry into the atmosphere, these balls will fall behind and immediately burst. But before that, they will distract and load the computing power of ground-based radars - both early warning and guidance of anti-missile systems. In the language of ballistic missile interceptors, this is called "complicating the current ballistic situation." And the entire celestial host, inexorably moving towards the area of impact, including real and false warheads, inflatable balls, chaff and corner reflectors, this whole motley flock is called "multiple ballistic targets in a complicated ballistic environment."

Metal scissors open and become electric chaff - there are many of them, and they reflect well the radio signal of the early warning radar beam that probes them. Instead of ten required fat ducks, the radar sees a huge fuzzy flock of small sparrows, in which it is difficult to make out anything. Devices of all shapes and sizes reflect different wavelengths.

In addition to all this tinsel, the stage itself can theoretically emit radio signals that interfere with enemy anti-missiles. Or distract them. In the end, you never know what she can be busy with - after all, a whole step is flying, large and complex, why not load her with a good solo program?

House for "Mace"
Submarines of project 955 "Borey" - a series of Russian nuclear submarines of the fourth generation "strategic missile submarine cruiser" class. Initially, the project was created for the Bark missile, which was replaced by the Bulava.

Last cut

However, in terms of aerodynamics, the stage is not a warhead. If that one is a small and heavy narrow carrot, then the stage is an empty vast bucket, with echoing empty fuel tanks, a large non-streamlined body and a lack of orientation in the flow that begins to flow. With its wide body with a decent windage, the step responds much earlier to the first breaths of the oncoming flow. The warheads are also deployed along the stream, penetrating the atmosphere with the least aerodynamic resistance. The step, on the other hand, leans into the air with its vast sides and bottoms as it should. It cannot fight the braking force of the flow. Its ballistic coefficient - an "alloy" of massiveness and compactness - is much worse than a warhead. Immediately and strongly it begins to slow down and lag behind the warheads. But the forces of the flow are growing inexorably, at the same time the temperature warms up the thin unprotected metal, depriving it of strength. The rest of the fuel boils merrily in the hot tanks. Finally, there is a loss of stability of the hull structure under the aerodynamic load that has compressed it. Overload helps to break bulkheads inside. Krak! Fuck! The crumpled body is immediately enveloped by hypersonic shock waves, tearing the stage apart and scattering them. After flying a little in the condensing air, the pieces again break into smaller fragments. The remaining fuel reacts instantly. Scattered fragments of structural elements made of magnesium alloys are ignited by hot air and instantly burn out with a blinding flash, similar to a camera flash - it was not for nothing that magnesium was set on fire in the first flashlights!

America's Underwater Sword
The American Ohio-class submarines are the only type of missile carriers in service with the United States. Carries 24 Trident-II (D5) MIRVed ballistic missiles. The number of warheads (depending on power) - 8 or 16.

Everything now burns with fire, everything is covered with red-hot plasma and shines well around with the orange color of coals from the fire. The denser parts go forward to slow down, the lighter and sail parts are blown into the tail, stretching across the sky. All burning components give dense smoke plumes, although at such speeds these densest plumes cannot be due to the monstrous dilution by the flow. But from a distance, they can be seen perfectly. Ejected smoke particles stretch across the flight trail of this caravan of bits and pieces, filling the atmosphere with a wide trail of white. Impact ionization generates a nighttime greenish glow of this plume. Due to the irregular shape of the fragments, their deceleration is rapid: everything that has not burned down quickly loses speed, and with it the intoxicating effect of air. Supersonic is the strongest brake! Standing in the sky, like a train falling apart on the tracks, and immediately cooled by high-altitude frosty subsound, the band of fragments becomes visually indistinguishable, loses its shape and order and turns into a long, twenty minutes, quiet chaotic dispersion in the air. If you are in the right place, you can hear how a small, burnt piece of duralumin clanks softly against a birch trunk. Here you have arrived. Farewell, breeding stage!

sea trident
In the photo - the launch of an intercontinental missile Trident II (USA) from a submarine. At the moment, Trident ("Trident") is the only family of ICBMs whose missiles are installed on American submarines. The maximum casting weight is 2800 kg.

The intercontinental ballistic missile is a very impressive human creation. Huge size, thermonuclear power, a column of flame, the roar of engines and a formidable roar of launch. However, all this exists only on the ground and in the first minutes of launch. After their expiration, the rocket ceases to exist. Further into the flight and the performance of the combat mission, only what remains of the rocket after acceleration - its payload - goes.

The head of the "Peacemaker", The pictures show the breeding stages of the American heavy ICBM LGM0118A Peacekeeper, also known as MX. The missile was equipped with ten 300 kt multiple warheads. The missile was decommissioned in 2005.

Pull or push?

Fiery Ten, K-551 "Vladimir Monomakh" - Russian strategic nuclear submarine (project 955 "Borey"), armed with 16 Bulava solid-propellant ICBMs with ten multiple warheads.

Delicate movements

Abyss of mathematics

Intercontinental ballistic missile R-36M Voyevoda Voyevoda,

Flight without warheads

In the photo - the launch of an intercontinental missile Trident II (USA) from a submarine. At the moment, Trident ("Trident") is the only family of ICBMs whose missiles are installed on American submarines. The maximum casting weight is 2800 kg.

Short, but intense.

The payload of an intercontinental ballistic missile spends most of the flight in the mode of a space object, rising to a height three times the height of the ISS. A trajectory of enormous length must be calculated with extreme precision.

Last cut

America's underwater sword, the American Ohio-class submarines are the only type of missile carriers in service with the US. Carries 24 Trident-II (D5) MIRVed ballistic missiles. The number of warheads (depending on power) - 8 or 16.

Time does not stand still.

Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing have completed the first and key phase of development of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), a defense kinetic interceptor (EKV) that is part of the Pentagon's mega-project, a global missile defense system based on interceptor missiles, each of which is capable of carry SEVERAL kinetic interception warheads (Multiple Kill Vehicle, MKV) to destroy ICBMs with multiple, as well as "dummy" warheads

"The milestone reached is an important part of the concept development phase," Raytheon said in a statement, adding that it "is in line with the MDA's plans and is the basis for further concept alignment scheduled for December."

It is noted that Raytheon in this project uses the experience of creating EKV, which has been involved in the US global missile defense system, which has been operating since 2005 - Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GBMD), which is designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles and their combat units in outer space outside the Earth's atmosphere. Currently, 30 anti-missiles are deployed in Alaska and California to protect the US continental territory, and another 15 missiles are planned to be deployed by 2017.

The transatmospheric kinetic interceptor, which will become the basis for the currently created MKV, is the main striking element of the GBMD complex. A 64-kilogram projectile is launched by an anti-missile into outer space, where it intercepts and engages an enemy warhead thanks to an electro-optical guidance system protected from extraneous light by a special casing and automatic filters. The interceptor receives target designation from ground-based radars, establishes sensory contact with the warhead and aims at it, maneuvering in outer space with the help of rocket engines. The warhead is hit by a frontal ram on a head-on course with a combined speed of 17 km/s: the interceptor flies at a speed of 10 km/s, the ICBM warhead at a speed of 5-7 km/s. The kinetic energy of the impact, which is about 1 ton of TNT, is enough to completely destroy the warhead of any conceivable design, and in such a way that the warhead is completely destroyed.

In 2009, the United States suspended the development of a program to combat multiple warheads due to the extreme complexity of the production of the disengagement mechanism. However, this year the program was revived. According to the analytical data of Newsader, this is due to the increased aggression from Russia and the corresponding threats to use nuclear weapons, which have been repeatedly expressed by top officials of the Russian Federation, including President Vladimir Putin himself, who frankly admitted in a commentary on the situation with the annexation of Crimea that he allegedly was ready to use nuclear weapons in a possible conflict with NATO (recent events related to the destruction of a Russian bomber by the Turkish Air Force cast doubt on Putin's sincerity and suggest a "nuclear bluff" on his part). Meanwhile, as is known, it is Russia that is the only state in the world that allegedly owns ballistic missiles with multiple nuclear warheads, including "dummy" (distracting) ones.

Raytheon said that their brainchild will be able to destroy several objects at once using an improved sensor and other latest technologies. According to the company, during the time that has passed between the implementation of the Standard Missile-3 and EKV projects, the developers managed to achieve a record performance in the interception of training targets in space - more than 30, which exceeds the performance of competitors.

Russia also does not stand still.

According to open sources, this year will see the first launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile RS-28 "Sarmat", which should replace the previous generation of RS-20A missiles, known by NATO classification as "Satan", but in our country as "Voevoda" .

The RS-20A ballistic missile (ICBM) development program was implemented as part of the "assured retaliatory strike" strategy. President Ronald Reagan's policy of aggravating the confrontation between the USSR and the United States forced him to take adequate retaliatory measures in order to cool the ardor of the "hawks" from the presidential administration and the Pentagon. American strategists believed that they were quite capable of providing such a level of protection of their country's territory from an attack by Soviet ICBMs that they could simply give a damn about the international agreements reached and continue to improve their own nuclear potential and missile defense (ABM) systems. "Voevoda" was just another "asymmetric response" to Washington's actions.

The most unpleasant surprise for the Americans was the missile's multiple warhead, which contained 10 elements, each of which carried an atomic charge with a capacity of up to 750 kilotons of TNT. On Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for example, bombs were dropped, the yield of which was "only" 18-20 kilotons. Such warheads were able to overcome the then American missile defense systems, in addition, the infrastructure for launching missiles was also improved.

The development of a new ICBM is designed to solve several problems at once: first, to replace the Voevoda, whose ability to overcome modern American missile defense (ABM) has decreased; secondly, to solve the problem of the dependence of the domestic industry on Ukrainian enterprises, since the complex was developed in Dnepropetrovsk; finally, to give an adequate response to the continuation of the program for the deployment of missile defense in Europe and the Aegis system.

According to the expectations of The National Interest, the Sarmat missile will weigh at least 100 tons, and the mass of its warhead could reach 10 tons. This means, the publication continues, that the rocket will be able to carry up to 15 separable thermonuclear warheads.
"The range of the Sarmat will be at least 9,500 kilometers. When it is put into service, it will be the largest missile in world history," the article says.

According to press reports, NPO Energomash will become the head enterprise for the production of the rocket, while Perm-based Proton-PM will supply the engines.

The main difference between "Sarmat" and "Voevoda" is the ability to launch warheads into a circular orbit, which drastically reduces range restrictions; with this launch method, it is possible to attack enemy territory not along the shortest trajectory, but along any and from any direction - not only through the North Pole , but also through the South.

In addition, the designers promise that the idea of maneuvering warheads will be implemented, which will make it possible to counter all types of existing anti-missiles and promising systems using laser weapons. Anti-aircraft missiles "Patriot", which form the basis of the American missile defense system, cannot yet effectively deal with actively maneuvering targets flying at speeds close to hypersonic.
Maneuvering warheads promise to become such an effective weapon, against which there are no countermeasures equal in reliability, that the option of creating an international agreement prohibiting or significantly limiting this type of weapon is not ruled out.

Thus, together with sea-based missiles and mobile railway systems, Sarmat will become an additional and quite effective deterrent.

If that happens, then efforts to deploy missile defense systems in Europe could be in vain, since the missile's launch trajectory is such that it is not clear exactly where the warheads will be aimed.

It is also reported that the missile silos will be equipped with additional protection against close explosions of nuclear weapons, which will significantly increase the reliability of the entire system.

The first prototypes of the new rocket have already been built. Start of launch tests is scheduled for the current year. If the tests are successful, serial production of Sarmat missiles will begin, and in 2018 they will go into service.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are the primary means of nuclear deterrence. The following countries have this type of weapon: Russia, USA, Great Britain, France, China. Israel does not deny that it has such types of missiles, but it does not officially confirm it either, but it has the capabilities and well-known developments to create such a missile.

Below is a list of ICBMs ranked by maximum range.

1. P-36M (SS-18 Satan), Russia (USSR) - 16,000 km

The P-36M (SS-18 Satan) is an intercontinental missile with the world's longest range of 16,000 km. Hit accuracy 1300 meters.
Starting weight 183 tons. The maximum range is achieved with a warhead mass of up to 4 tons, with a warhead mass of 5825 kg, the missile flight range is 10200 kilometers. The missile can be equipped with multiple and monoblock warheads. To protect against missile defense (ABM), when approaching the affected area, the missile throws out decoys for missile defense. The rocket was developed at the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau named after M.V. M. K. Yangelya, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. The main basing of the rocket is mine.
The first R-36Ms entered the USSR Strategic Missile Forces in 1978.
The rocket is two-stage, with liquid propellant rocket engines providing a speed of about 7.9 km/sec. Withdrawn from service in 1982, replaced by a next-generation missile based on the R-36M, but with increased accuracy and ability to overcome missile defense systems. Currently, the rocket is used for peaceful purposes, for launching satellites into orbit. The created civilian rocket was named Dnepr.

2. DongFeng 5А (DF-5A), China - 13,000 km.

The DongFeng 5A (NATO reporting name: CSS-4) has the longest range among the Chinese Army's ICBMs. Its flight range is 13,000 km.
The missile was designed to be capable of hitting targets within the continental United States (CONUS). The DF-5A missile entered service in 1983.
The missile can carry six warheads weighing 600 kg each.
The inertial guidance system and on-board computers provide the desired direction of the missile's flight. Rocket engines are two-stage with liquid fuel.

3. R-29RMU2 Sineva (RSM-54, according to NATO classification SS-N-23 Skiff), Russia - 11,547 kilometers

The R-29RMU2 Sineva, also known as the RSM-54 (NATO code name: SS-N-23 Skiff), is a third-generation intercontinental ballistic missile. The main missile base is submarines. Sineva showed a maximum range of 11,547 kilometers during testing.
The missile entered service in 2007 and is expected to be in use until 2030. The missile is capable of carrying four to ten individually targetable warheads. The Russian GLONASS system is used for flight control. Targets are hit with high accuracy.
The rocket is three-stage, liquid-propellant jet engines are installed.

4. UGM-133A Trident II (D5), USA - 11,300 kilometers

The UGM-133A Trident II is an ICBM designed for submarine deployment.
The missile submarines are currently based on the Ohio (USA) and Wangard (UK) submarines. In the United States, this missile will be in service until 2042.
The first launch of UGM-133A was carried out from the launch site at Cape Canaveral in January 1987. The missile was adopted by the US Navy in 1990. UGM-133A can be equipped with eight warheads for various purposes.
The missile is equipped with three solid rocket motors, providing a range of up to 11,300 kilometers. It is distinguished by high reliability, so during the tests 156 launches were carried out and only 4 of them were unsuccessful, and 134 launches in a row were successful.

5. DongFeng 31 (DF-31A), China - 11,200 km

DongFeng 31A or DF-31A (NATO reporting name: CSS-9 Mod-2) is a Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 11,200 kilometers.
The modification was developed on the basis of the DF-31 missile.
The DF-31A missile has been put into operation since 2006. Based on Julang-2 (JL-2) submarines. Modifications of ground-based missiles on a mobile launcher (TEL) are also being developed.
The three-stage rocket has a launch weight of 42 tons and is equipped with solid propellant rocket engines.

6. RT-2PM2 "Topol-M", Russia - 11,000 km

RT-2PM2 "Topol-M", according to NATO classification - SS-27 Sickle B with a range of about 11,000 kilometers, is an improved version of the Topol ICBM. The missile is installed on mobile launchers, and the silo-based version can also be used.
The total mass of the rocket is 47.2 tons. It was developed at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering. Produced at the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant. This is the first ICBM in Russia, which was developed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
A missile in flight is capable of withstanding powerful radiation, an electromagnetic pulse, and a nuclear explosion in close proximity. There is also protection against high-energy lasers. When flying, it maneuvers thanks to additional engines.
Three-stage rocket engines use solid fuel, the maximum rocket speed is 7,320 meters / sec. Tests of the missile began in 1994, adopted by the Strategic Missile Forces in 2000.

7. LGM-30G Minuteman III, USA - 10,000 km

The LGM-30G Minuteman III has an estimated range of 6,000 kilometers to 10,000 kilometers, depending on the type of warhead. This missile entered service in 1970 and is the oldest missile in service in the world. It is also the only silo-based missile in the United States.
The first rocket launch took place in February 1961, modifications II and III were launched in 1964 and 1968, respectively.
The rocket weighs about 34,473 kilograms and is equipped with three solid propellant engines. Rocket flight speed 24 140 km / h

8. M51, France - 10,000 km

The M51 is an intercontinental range missile. Designed for basing and launching from submarines.
Produced by EADS Astrium Space Transportation, for the French Navy. Designed to replace the M45 ICBM.
The missile was put into operation in 2010.
Based on Triomphant-class submarines of the French Navy.
Its combat range is from 8,000 km to 10,000 km. An improved version with new nuclear warheads is scheduled to enter service in 2015.
The M51 weighs 50 tons and can carry six individually targetable warheads.
The rocket uses a solid propellant engine.

9. UR-100N (SS-19 Stiletto), Russia - 10,000 km

UR-100N, according to the START treaty - RS-18A, according to NATO classification - SS-19 mod.1 Stiletto. This is the fourth generation ICBM, which is in service with the Russian Strategic Missile Forces.
The UR-100N entered service in 1975 and is expected to be in service until 2030.
Can carry up to six individually targetable warheads. It uses an inertial targeting system.
The missile is two-stage, based type - mine. Rocket engines use liquid propellant.

10. RSM-56 Bulava, Russia - 10,000 km

Mace or RSM-56 (NATO code name: SS-NX-32) is a new intercontinental missile designed for deployment on Russian Navy submarines. The missile has a range of up to 10,000 km and is intended for Borey-class nuclear submarines.
The Bulava missile was put into service in January 2013. Each missile can carry six to ten individual nuclear warheads. The total usable weight delivered is about 1,150 kg.
The rocket uses solid propellant for the first two stages and liquid propellant for the third stage.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles: names, characteristics. Land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles of Russia and foreign countries (rating) Name of intercontinental missiles

MBR - what is it?

ICBM flight altitude

ICBM flight speed

ICBM tests

The best ICBMs in the world

Intercontinental ballistic missile "Satan"

Intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava

Intercontinental missiles of the world

What exactly is this load?

Pull or push?

Delicate movements

Abyss of mathematics

Flight without warheads

Last cut

Pull or push?

Delicate movements

Abyss of mathematics

Flight without warheads

Last cut

Time does not stand still.

Russia also does not stand still.

1. P-36M (SS-18 Satan), Russia (USSR) - 16,000 km

2. DongFeng 5А (DF-5A), China - 13,000 km.

3. R-29RMU2 Sineva (RSM-54, according to NATO classification SS-N-23 Skiff), Russia - 11,547 kilometers

4. UGM-133A Trident II (D5), USA - 11,300 kilometers

5. DongFeng 31 (DF-31A), China - 11,200 km

6. RT-2PM2 "Topol-M", Russia - 11,000 km

7. LGM-30G Minuteman III, USA - 10,000 km

8. M51, France - 10,000 km

9. UR-100N (SS-19 Stiletto), Russia - 10,000 km

10. RSM-56 Bulava, Russia - 10,000 km

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