Russia tests new missiles

[Mercurius]

Yuri Solomonov, Designer-General of the MITT and designer of the Bulava, told Interfax in May of this year that the missiles needed to arm the Yuri Dolgoruky have already been manufactured.

[Feanor]

Originally Posted by Mercurius

Yuri Solomonov, Designer-General of the MITT and designer of the Bulava, told Interfax in May of this year that the missiles needed to arm the Yuri Dolgoruky have already been manufactured.

This is surprising. Do you have a link by any chance?

[Mercurius]

Originally Posted by Feanor

This is surprising. Do you have a link by any chance?

Interfax interview on 12 May, according to Jane's Missiles & Rockets.

[Feanor]

Originally Posted by Mercurius

Interfax interview on 12 May, according to Jane's Missiles & Rockets.

I did a search on their site but it came up blank...

[Mercurius]

I’ve seen an English-language text of the original Interfax story “No contract signed yet with Russian strategic missile makers”.

Solomonov is reported to have said.

"We are manufacturing the missiles. After the tests were carried through, including flight tests, none of the missiles have been reworked. The first batches were made on schedule. We have been manufacturing these missiles according to plan, accumulating them.”

This stockpiling of manufactured missiles was a result of several factors: "First, the testing of the missile system has not been completed. Second, there is no place to deploy them in the absence of submarines.”

He referred to “the possibility of fitting [the lead boat] out with an entire set of missiles, so experimental-combat operation of the combat unit could begin in 2012.”

I’d interpret the above as meaning that newly-manufactured missiles earmarked for deployment were being stockpiled with the aim of having enough missiles to fully equip the boat by early 2012, but not as implying that the full number of rounds needed had been built.

But obviously I don’t know what version/translation of the story Jane’s was using and whether it differed from the version I’ve seen.

[Wall83]

Acourding to the Russian president the Bulava missile has finished its testing and will now be adopted by the russian navy.

Bulava missile ready to deploy | Defense | RIA Novosti

[Feanor]

Given that it passed the volley-fire test, the next step should be acceptance into service.

[Wall83]

Found this picture of a Bulava missile being loaded on to a Borei class submarine.

owseb.jpg

[Feanor]

A large contract for retooling the Votkinsk plant has been signed. It will mean accelerated production of the RS-24, and possibly the Bulava.

bmpd -

Votkinsk also produces Iskander missiles, but this particular contract seems to be about the ICBM part of the factory.

[Feanor]

Another launch of the new Avangard missile just took place. The missile appears to be the next incremental upgrade to the Topol family, being heavily based on the RS-24 and the Topol-M.

bmpd -

The main difference was named as a new type of fuel used, that improves the missiles ability to accelerate.