Strategic Rocket Forces

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Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation

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The Strategic Rocket Forces (Strategic Missile Troops) of the Russian Federation or RVSN RF (Russian: Ракетные войска стратегического назначения Российской Федерации (РВСН РФ), transliteration: Raketnye voyska strategicheskogo naznacheniya Rossiyskoy Federatsii) are an arm of service (Rod) of the Russian armed forces that controls Russia's land-based ICBMs. The RVSN was first formed in the Soviet Armed Forces, and when the USSR collapsed in 1990-1991, it effectively changed its name from the Soviet to the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces.

Overview

The Strategic Rocket Forces comprise the world's largest force of ICBMs, totalling 385 missiles able to deliver 1357 nuclear warheads.^[1] The 385 ICBM arsenal is made up of:

• 68 R-36 (SS-18)
• 72 UR-100N (SS-19)
• 180 RT-2PM "Topol" (SS-25)
• 65 RT-2UTTH "Topol M" (SS-27)
• 0 RS-24 (Future replacement for R-36 & UR-100N missiles)

Like most of the Russian military, the Strategic Rocket Forces have been limited in access to resources for new equipment in the Yeltsin era. However, the Russian government has made a priority of ensuring that the Rocket Forces receive new missiles to phase out older, less-reliable systems, and to incorporate newer capabilities in the face of international threats to the viability of the nuclear deterrent effect provided by their missiles, in particular the development of missile defense systems in the United States. In early 2009 the commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces stated that 96% of all Russian ICBMs are ready to be launched within a minute's notice.^[2]

Similar organizations in other nations include United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM), and the 2nd Artillery Corps in China. Complementary strategic forces within Russia are the Long Range Aviation and the Russian Navy's ballistic missile submarines.

Composition

According to Globalsecurity.org, the RSVN main command post is at Kuntsevo in the suburbs of Moscow, with the alternate command post at Kosvinksky Mountain in the Urals.^[3] The commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces is Lieutenant General Lieutenant Andrey Shvaichenko, appointed on August 3, 2009 by President Dmitry Medvedev. (Previously the commander had been Colonel General Nikolay Solovtsov (ru:Соловцов, Николай Евгеньевич), appointed on April 27, 2001. Speculation over why Solovtsov was dismissed includes opposition to further cuts in deployed nuclear ballistic missile warheads below the April 2009 figure of 1,500, the fact that he had reached the retirement age of 60, despite that he had recently been extended another year's service, or the failure of the Navy's Bulava missile).^[4]

The composition of missiles and warheads of the Strategic Rocket Forces must be revealed as part of the START II treaty exchange. The latest date of exchange was January 1, 2005.

The Strategic Rocket Forces operate four distinct missile systems. The oldest system is the R-36M / SS-18 Satan which is capable of carrying ten warheads. 85 remain in service, although plans to retire the older of the two versions in service, the R-36MUTTH, will leave 40 of the less aged R-36M2 in service past 2020. The other missile capable of carrying a MIRV warhead is the UR-100NUTTH or SS-19 as it is known to NATO, with 129 in service with up to six warheads each. The most numerous missile serving is the Topol or SS-25, a road-mobile missile. Despite over 300 in service, they are reaching the end of their service lives and are due for replacement. The only new missile entering service is the Topol-M, or SS-27, and can be either silo-based or road-mobile. Deployment has begun with the announcement of the first operational unit, but full-scale entry into service is expected from 2006.

Organizationally, the Strategic Rocket Forces are divided into three Missile Armies, each with constituent Missile Divisions at each missile base.

The current (December 2008) order of battle of the forces is as follows:^[5]

• 27th Guards Missile Army (HQ: Vladimir)
  • 98th Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron
  • 7th Guards Missile Division at Vypolzovo with 18 mobile RT-2PM Topol
  • 14th Missile Division at Yoshkar-Ola with 27 mobile RT-2PM Topol
  • 28th Guards Missile Division at Kozelsk with 46 silo-based UR-100NUTTH
  • 54th Guards Missile Division at Teykovo with 9 mobile RT-2PM Topol and 15 mobile RT-2UTTH Topol-M
  • 60th Missile Division at Tatischevo with 51 silo-based UR-100NUTTH and 50 silo-based RT-2UTTH Topol-M
• 31st Rocket Army (HQ: Rostoshi)
  • 102nd Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron
  • 13th Rocket Division at Dombarovskiy with 41 silo-based R-36MUTTH/R-36M2
  • 42nd Rocket Division at Nizhniy Tagil with 36 mobile RT-2PM Topol
• 33rd Guards Rocket Army (HQ: Omsk)
  • 105th Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron
  • 35th Rocket Division at Barnaul with 36 mobile RT-2PM Topol
  • 39th Guards Rocket Division at Novosibirsk with 36 mobile RT-2PM Topol
  • 51st Guards Rocket Division at Irkutsk with 27 mobile RT-2PM Topol
  • 62nd Rocket Division at Uzhur with 34 silo-based R-36MUTTH/R-36M2

Weapons used

Current ICBMs

• SS-18 'Satan' (R-36M)
• SS-19 'Stiletto' (UR-100N)
• SS-25 'Sickle' (RT-2PM Topol)
• SS-27 'Sickle B' (RT-2UTTH Topol-M)

Previous ICBMs

• SS-4 'Sandal'
• SS-6 'Sapwood' (R-7)
• SS-7 'Saddler' (R-16)
• SS-8 'Sasin' (R-9A)
• SS-8 'Sasin' (R-26)
• SS-9 'Scarp' (R-36)
• SS-11 'Sego' (UR-100)
• SS-13 'Savage' (RT-2)
• SS-16 'Sinner' (RT-21)
• SS-17 'Spanker' (UR-100MR)
• SS-24 'Scalpel' (RT-23)

References