| Topol-M SS-27 "Sickle B" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Intercontinental ballistic missile |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | December 2000–present |
| Used by | RussianStrategic Rocket Forces |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology |
| Manufacturer | Votkinsk Machine Building Plant |
| Produced | December 1994–2010 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 47,200 kg (104,000 lb) |
| Length | 22.7 m (74 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Warhead | 1 x 1.0 Mt[1] |
| Engine | Three-stageSolid-fuel rocket |
Operational range | 11,000 km (6,800 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 7,520 metres per second (27,100 km/h; 16,800 mph; Mach 22)[2] |
Guidance system | Inertial withGLONASS[3] |
| Accuracy | 200 mCEP[2] |
Launch platform | Silo, road-mobileTEL |
TheRT-2PM2 «Topol-M» (Russian:РТ-2ПМ2 «Тополь-М»,NATO reporting name:SS-27 "Sickle B"[4], other designations:SS-27 Mod 1,[5][6]RS-12M1,RS-12M2, formerly incorrectlyRT-2UTTKh)[7] is one of the most recentintercontinental ballistic missiles to be deployed by Russia,[8] and the first to be developed after the dissolution of theSoviet Union. It was developed from theRT-2PM Topol mobileintercontinental ballistic missile.
In its Russian designationРТ stands for "ракета твердотопливная", raketa tverdotoplivnaya ("solid fuel rocket"), whileУТТХ – for "улучшенные тактико-технические характеристики", uluchshenniye taktiko-tekhnicheskie kharakteristiki ("improved tactical and technical characteristics"). "Topol" (тополь) in Russian means "white poplar". It is designed and produced exclusively by theMoscow Institute of Thermal Technology, and built at theVotkinsk Machine Building Plant.[9][10]
The Topol-M is acold-launched, three-stage, solid-propellant, silo-based or road-mobileintercontinental ballistic missile.[11] The missile's length is 22.7 meters and the first stage has a body diameter of 1.9 meters. The mass at launch is 47,200 kg, including the 1,200 kgpayload. Topol-M carries a singlewarhead with an 800kiloton yield[1] but the design is compatible withMIRV warheads. According to chief designer Yury Solomonov, the missile can carry four to six warheads along with decoys.[12] It is claimed to have the highest accuracy of any Russian ICBM.[13] The body of the rocket is made by winding carbon fiber.
The Topol-M may be deployed either inside a reinforcedmissile silo or from an APU launcher mounted on theMZKT-79221 "Universal" 16-wheeledtransporter-erector-launcher.[13] The designation for the silo-based Topol-M missile is believed to beRS-12M2, while the mobile version isRS-12M1.[7]
The first stage has rocket motors developed by the Soyuz Federal Center for Dual-Use Technologies. These give the missile a much higher acceleration than other ICBM types. They enable the missile to accelerate to the speed of 7,320 m/s and to travel a flatter trajectory to distances of up to 10,000 km.[2]
As a solid propellant design, the missile can be maintained on alert for prolonged periods of time and can launch within minutes of being given the order.[12]
The development of the missile began in the late 1980s as a response to the AmericanStrategic Defense Initiative.[14] Initially an evolutionary upgrade of theRT-2PM Topol,[15] the missile was redesigned in 1992.[citation needed] The missile's principal designer was Yuri Solomonov, who would later oversee the development of theRSM-56 Bulava.[16]
The first flight test took place on December 20, 1994, during which the missile, launched fromPlesetsk, hit its target 6,400 kilometres (4,000 mi) away.[17][18] Two missiles were put on experimental combat duty in December 1997 atTatishchevo.[17] The fifth test flight on 22 October 1998 was unsuccessful as the missile exploded after being launched; the sixth test flight two months later was successful.[17] The 104th Regiment of the Taman Missile Division, based inSaratov, introduced 10 missiles into service on 30 December 1998; another ten entered service with a second regiment in December 1999.[17][19]
Silo launcher Topol-M entered service by presidential decree on 13 July 2000, the third, fourth and fifth regiments entered service in 2000, 2003, and 2005. The last regiment was to arrive in 2012.[20]
On December 12, 2006, the first three mobile Topol-M missile systems entered duty with a missile unit stationed near the town ofTeykovo.[21]
Current Strategic Rocket Forces Order of Battle lists the following sites with Topol-M missiles:[22]
The Topol-M missiles have a lifetime between 15 and 20 years.
According to Russia this missile and its derivatives,RS-24 Yars,RS-26 Rubezh andRSM-56 Bulava are designed to counter and evade current or planned United Statesmissile defense system.[23] It is said to be capable of makingevasive maneuvers to avoid a kill by interceptors, and carries targeting countermeasures anddecoys.[24]
One of the Topol-M's most notable features is its short engine burn time following take-off, intended to minimize satellite detection of launches and thereby complicate both early warning and interception by missile defense systems during boost phase. The missile also has a relatively flat ballistic trajectory, complicating defense acquisition and interception.[25]
According toThe Washington Times, Russia has conducted a successful test of the evasive payload delivery system.[26] The missile was launched on1 November 2005 from theKapustin Yar facility. The warhead changed course after separating from the launcher, making it difficult to predict a re-entry trajectory.
A new missile loosely based on Topol-M and equipped withmultiple re-entry vehicles (MIRV) is calledRS-24 Yars. In January 2009 Russian sources hinted that the production of the mobile Topol-M missile would be shutting down in 2009 and that the new MIRVedRS-24 version would replace it.[27]
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TheStrategic Missile Troops are the only operator of the RT-2PM2 Topol-M. As of March 2020,[28] 60 silo-based and 18 mobile RT-2PM2 Topol-M missiles are deployed with 2 rocket divisions:
Silo-based:
Road-mobile:
It is believed that since 2010 no more RT-2PM2 Topol-M missiles have been purchased in favor of the newestRS-24 Yars.
