In the wind and rain, I'm waiting for you here~
On August 5, 2019, the US Congress Research and Service submitted a report on "Russia's Nuclear Weapons: Doctrine, Power and Modernization" to Congress, and conducted an inventory of Russia's nuclear power.
Russian nuclear force consists of long-range strategic weapon systems (including land-based intercontinental ballistic missile , submarine-launched ballistic missiles, heavy bombers, etc.) and medium and short-range delivery systems. Russia is modernizing its nuclear power, replacing Soviet-era equipment with new intercontinental missiles, submarines and aircraft, while also developing new weapons. Although the number of Russian nuclear weapons has dropped sharply since the Cold War, thousands of nuclear warheads remain, and more than 1,500 nuclear warheads hit the United States through missiles and bombers.
Russia maintains a "trial-in-one" nuclear force composed of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers, and its strategic nuclear weapons are deployed in more than a dozen bases spread across the country (as shown in Figure 1).
Figure 1 Russian strategic nuclear force deployment base
1. Active nuclear force
(I) Land-based intercontinental ballistic missile
Similar to the Soviet era, Russian strategic rocket (SRF) is an independent group of armed forces and is one of the important components of the "Trinity" nuclear force. Currently, the Russian strategic rocket forces include three missile forces, divided into 11 missile divisions, and the deployment sites span Russia's territory: from Viporzovo in the west to Irkutsk region in East Siberia in . It is estimated that the number of strategic rocket troops is nearly 60,000.
According to official and unofficial sources, Russia's intercontinental missile forces currently have 318 missiles that can carry 1,165 nuclear warheads, but only about 860 nuclear warheads are in deployment and available. More than half of the missiles use multiple warhead technology and can carry multiple warheads.
Russia is modernizing the intercontinental ballistic missiles and replacing the last batch of missiles left over from the Soviet era. According to the United States, Russia is likely to complete the work around 2022. It is expected that by then Russia's intercontinental ballistic missile will mainly consist of two types: the single-warhead SS-27Mod 1 ("Polka-M") and the SS-27Mod 2 ("Yars") that can carry 4 sub-missile heads.
Figure 2 " Salmat " intercontinental ballistic missile
Russia is developing a new heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, namely SS-X-30 ("Salmat"), which is expected to carry 10 or more nuclear warheads. The missile may also carry a new "Pioneer" hypersonic missile. Russia is reportedly developing other projects, including the medium-range version of the SS-27 Mod 1 (also known as RS-26), and the "Balguzin" railway intercontinental ballistic missile.
Table 1 Russian active and under research intercontinental ballistic missile
(II) Submarine-launched ballistic missile
Russian strategic naval forces are affiliated with the navy. Ballistic missile nuclear submarines are deployed in the Northern Fleet (headquartered in North Morsk in Murmansk region) and the Pacific Fleet (headquartered in Vladivostok ).
Strategic Navy units have three types of strategic submarines: "Delta" class, "Typhoon" and " North Wind God ". The last Typhoon-class submarine was used as a test platform for the Brava missile (the missile was equipped on the North Wind God class submarine). Both the "Delta" class and the "North Wind God" class can carry 16 multi-warhead missiles, with a total of more than 700 nuclear warheads. Due to restrictions in the 2010 New Strategic Weapon Reduction Treaty, Russia has reduced the number of nuclear warheads on some missiles, and the number of submarine forces may be only 600.
Table 2 Russian strategic nuclear submarines and submarine-launched ballistic missiles
The "Delta" class accounts for the majority, including one "Delta III" class and six "Delta IV" class deployed in the Northern Fleet, the latest of which was put into service in 1992. The "Delta" class can carry SS-N-18 missiles (3 sub-missile heads), among which the "Delta IV" can also carry SS-N-23 missiles (4 sub-missile heads). The upgraded version of these missiles, Blue Sky, was put into service in 2007 and is another modification known as the Layner, reportedly carrying 10 sub-warheads.The first ship of the "God of the North Wind" ballistic missile nuclear submarine began to be built in 1996. After several delays, it was delivered to the Northern Fleet in 2013. According to public reports, Russia plans to deploy 10 submarines of this type, five of them each from the Northern Fleet and the Pacific Fleet. Currently, three ships have served in the Northern Fleet, and five are in different construction stages. Russia plans to build the first eight ships by 2023 and complete the last two by 2027. The submarine can carry 16 SS-N-32 "Brava" missiles (6 sub-warheads). The "Blava" missile began to be developed in the late 14th century at 1990html. After several failed tests, it finally entered service in 2018.
(III) Heavy Bomber
Russian Strategic Aviation Force is affiliated with the Air Force Long-range Aviation Command. The unit has two aviation divisions composed of Tu-95MS ("Bear-H") and Tu-160 ("Piracy Flag") strategic bombers, located in the Saratov region in the southwest and Amur region in the Far East. Information from the open source channel of
is estimated to be 60-70 bombers in service in Russia, about 50 of which are Tu-95MS, and the rest are Tu-160. The former can carry 16 AS-15 nuclear cruise missiles , while the latter can carry 12. Both bombers can carry gravity nuclear bombs, but experts say it is difficult for bombers carrying nuclear bombs to break through the U.S. or its allies’ air defense interception.
Russia has recently modernized the bomber and equipped it with new cruise missiles - conventional AS-23A and AS-23B with nuclear warheads. The new version of the Tu-160 will improve stealth performance and improve range, and production is expected to begin in the mid-2020s. Experts analyzed that Russia's long-term plan is to develop 50-60 new generation stealth bombers (codenamed PAK-DA).
Figure 3 Russian PAK-DA stealth bomber
(IV) Non-strategic nuclear weapons
Russia has a variety of medium and short-range weapon systems that can deliver nuclear warheads, which are often called non-strategic nuclear weapons. Russia is reportedly owning a large number of non-strategic nuclear weapons that can be used by the navy, tactical air defense forces, air forces and missile defense forces, and carried by short-range ballistic missiles. It is estimated that there are 1830 non-strategic nuclear warheads. Some of Russia's medium-range and short-medium-range missiles have the ability to carry both conventional warheads and nuclear warheads.
2. Key facilities (I) Early warning
Russia's early warning system consists of an early warning satellite network, and the space force is responsible for the operation. Two command centers located in the eastern Khabarovsk region and the western Kaluga region receive signals and transmit data to the command center in Moscow. At the same time, Russia also has a wide-area ground radar system spread throughout its homeland and adjacent Kazakhstan and Belarus, which is used to early warning or monitor low-orbit targets for missile launches. In addition, Russia monitors higher orbital targets through an observation station located in , the Republic of Tajikistan.
(II) Production, testing and storage
Russia has more than a dozen research institutes and facilities engaged in the design and manufacturing of nuclear and non-nuclear components of nuclear weapons, providing nuclear-related storage, and conducting civil nuclear technology or other related research. Russia currently has a large inventory of weapons-grade nuclear materials and no longer produces highly enriched uranium and plutonium for weapons.
Russia's nuclear weapons are currently stored in about twelve national storage centers. Analysts point out that Russia also maintains 34 base-level storage centers. A special agency known as the "12th General Administration" is responsible for the safety, operation and disposal of nuclear warheads.
In 2000, Russia ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Although the treaty has not yet come into force, Russia claims it has banned explosive nuclear tests as required by the contract. In May 2019, the US Defense Intelligence Agency , Director pointed out that "the United States believes that Russia has "probably" violated the nuclear test ban treaty, but he also said "there is no clear evidence" and the National Defense Intelligence Agency believes that Russia "has the ability to do so."
3. Russia's nuclear weapons modernization project
While Russia is actively replacing nuclear weapons during the Soviet era, it is also developing multiple new types of nuclear weapons. Russian President Putin announced a series of new weapons to the public in March 2018.
Table 3 Russian nuclear weapons modernization project
(I) "Pioneer" hypersonic missile
"Pioneer" hypersonic missile (formerly known as "Project 4202") is a reentry body that can be carried by ballistic missiles. It can be highly maneuverable to avoid air defense and ballistic missile defense systems and deliver nuclear warheads to targets in Europe and the United States. Russia regards this weapon as a guarantee of its secondary nuclear strike capability and can penetrate the US ballistic missile defense system to carry out nuclear retaliation. The "Pioneer" project may have been launched before 2004 and has conducted multiple trials. In a recent test on December 26, 2018, the missile was launched from an SS-19 ballistic missile and launched an attack on a target 3,500 miles away. Although some experts are still questioning the weapon's true technical performance, Putin said the weapon can "mobile intensively" and achieve "speeds above 20 Mach ". After the test in December 2018, Putin announced that the "pioneer" would join the Russian nuclear arsenal in 2019.
(II) "Sarmat" intercontinental ballistic missile
Russia plans to replace the SS-18 heavy missile with the RS-28 "Sarmat" intercontinental ballistic missile. Depending on different information sources, the missile may carry 10 or 15 warheads, and may also carry "Pioneer" hypersonic missiles. Putin said the missile weighs more than 200 tons. Russia began experimenting with "Sarmat" in 2016, and reports pointed out that it is likely to enter service in 2021.
Figure 4 "Sarmat" intercontinental ballistic missile test
(III) "Sea God" nuclear-powered submarine
"Sea God" nuclear-powered submarine was first disclosed by the media in November 2015. One page of the slide in the Russian Ministry of Defense briefing lists its parameters in detail: the submarine depth can reach 1,000 meters, the speed can reach 100 knots, and the range is 100 kilometers. The slide also states that the system will be tested between 2019 and 2025. Media reports pointed out that Russia began testing the system in 2016, with the latest trial in 2018, but the deployment date will not be earlier than 2027.
Figure 5 "Sea God" nuclear-powered autonomous submarine
(IV) "Haiyan" nuclear-powered cruise missile
"Haiyan" (SSC-X-9) is a nuclear-powered cruise missile with almost unlimited range. Putin calls it a low-altitude flight stealth missile carrying nuclear warheads, with almost unlimited range, unpredictable trajectory and ability to penetrate intercept barriers, which is invincible to the current and future foreseeable missile defense systems and air defense systems. Russia has reportedly conducted missile prototype tests since 2016, using electricity rather than nuclear reactors. The latest trial occurred in January 2019. The report pointed out that most of the tests have failed, and it is impossible to use nuclear reactors for testing in the near future, because if they fail, it will cause the spread of radioactive materials. Some reports point out that Russia will take at least a decade to deploy the cruise missile, and even if it is successful by then, the high cost will limit its deployment.
Figure 6 "Haiyan" nuclear-powered cruise missile
(V) "Dagger" air-launched ballistic missile
Russia is developing an air-launched ballistic missile that can carry nuclear weapons - "Dagger", which can be launched from the MiG-31K fighter or the Tu-22M bomber. It is reported that the missile is a modification of the Army's "Iscadel" short-range ballistic missile. The "dagger" can be fired when the aircraft is in supersonic flight, making it easier to penetrate the US air defense and anti-missile system. Putin said the missile "can fly at a speed of more than 10 times the speed of sound, and can maneuver at all stages of the flight trajectory, so that it can penetrate existing and future foreseeable air defense and anti-missile systems and deliver conventional warheads or nuclear warheads within a range of 2,000 kilometers."
is limited by range and the missile cannot be used to strike the United States. Experts believe that the missile is more used to attack maritime ships. Putin said the weapon was put into service in December 2017.
(VI) " Zircon " hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile
Russia has been developing the "Zircon" (3M-22) hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile since at least 2011. The missile is designed for surface ships and submarines and can be used to attack ships and land targets.Putin called the "zircon" a "hypersonic weapon with a speed of Mach 9 and can attack surface and underwater targets more than 1,000 kilometers away." "Zircon" is under trial and is expected to be deployed around 2020.
Figure 7 "Zircon" hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile
(VII) "Bargujin" railway motorized intercontinental ballistic missile
Russia has started to develop railway intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2013 to replace the SS-24 Mod 3 "scalpel" missile, but the project may have been cancelled in 2017.
(8) "Border" intercontinental ballistic missile
Russia is developing a two-stage modification of the "Yars" third-stage intercontinental ballistic missile - "Border". According to public reports, Russia has conducted four flight tests. The first two flights were 5,800 kilometers, and the last two flights were 2,050 kilometers. The first trial failed in September 2011, and the other three were successful. But Russia may have cancelled the project in 2018.
(Blue Sea Star)
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