Nuclear potential of Russia. Russia's rocket-and-nuclear weapons

To date, Russia's nuclear potential is the second largest in the world. At the moment, there are more than 1500 units of deployed charges in the country, as well as a huge tactical nuclear arsenal. It should be noted that Russia's strategic nuclear capability is based on the form of a nuclear triad, which includes both aviation, land and sea components, but the main focus is on a variety of ground-based missile systems, including absolutely unique ground-based mobile basing complexes called Topol ".

Exact numbers

As open sources say, the Strategic Missile Forces had at their disposal 385 modern installations with ICBMs, among them:

• 180 SS-25 missiles;
• 72 SS-19 missiles;
• 68 SS-18 missiles;
• 50 SS-27 missiles with basing in mines;
• 15 SS-27 missiles with mobile basing.

The combat composition of the Navy includes 12 strategic submarine missile carriers, and it should be noted that Russia's nuclear potential puts seven submarines of the Dolphin project on the first positions, as well as five Kalmar projects. From the side of the air force, 77 heavy bombers are nominated.

International Assessment

The International Commission dealing with the obstruction of nuclear proliferation and disarmament says that Russia possesses about 2,000 tactical nuclear charges, while experts say that there are a number of factors artificially reducing the nuclear potential of Russia. In particular, it is worth noting several of them:

• Strategic carriers grow old over time. Approximately 80% of the total number of missiles have expired service life.
• The space and ground units of missile attack warning have limited capabilities, in particular, this concerns the complete lack of observation of areas that are quite dangerous from a missile point of view, located in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as in most of the Pacific Ocean.
• Heavy bombers are concentrated on only two bases, so they are sufficiently vulnerable to strike ahead.
• Submarine missile carriers have little mobility, that is, only two or even one missile carrier engaged in sea patrolling is active.

Positive sides

At the same time, Russia's military nuclear potential has a number of positive sides:

• The development of a completely new Yars missile complex was recently completed;
• The production of heavy bombers of the model Tu-160 was again launched;
• Flight tests of the ship missile system under the name "Bulava", each of which has a nuclear missile;
• In operation a new generation of radar system was introduced, designed to warn of a missile attack in the Krasnodar Territory and the Leningrad Region;
• Into orbit in recent years has been deduced a fairly large number of satellites of the "Cosmos", which are part of the space echelon of the early warning system, known as the "Eye".

The fundamentals of nuclear policy

Since the 1990s, Russia has been saying that every nuclear missile is needed for it to pursue a policy of containment, but to date, the meaning of this term has been slightly modified. With the invariable thesis that Russia in the retaliatory actions can cause damage to the aggressor, the scale of deterrence began to change gradually, which can be traced according to the formulations changing in modern military doctrines. In particular, it is worth noting the fact that the military doctrine of 1993 envisaged the containment of not only normal but also nuclear aggression, but in spite of the fact that initially this formulation provided for the possibility of a nuclear response to a non-nuclear attack, initially the emphasis was on what was needed Restrain countries that have nuclear weapons.

1996

The 1996 Presidential National Security Letter said that it is necessary to prevent the possibility of a nuclear attack, and for this Russia can use the strategic nuclear forces in the event of large-scale aggression, even if conventional forces are used. It also mentioned that the country is going to pursue a policy of nuclear deterrence at the regional, local and global levels.

1997

The 1997 national security concept provided for the containment of aggression, including the use of nuclear forces in the event that armed aggression led to a risk of the existence of the Russian Federation. Thus, Russia has the right to use the strategic nuclear forces in response to any manifestations of aggression, that is, even if the enemy does not use nuclear weapons. Among other things, these formulations provide for the preservation of Russia's ability to use nuclear weapons first.

2010 year

The military doctrine of the Russian Federation, approved in accordance with the decree of the President, says that the Russian Federation has the right to use nuclear weapons in the event that countries that have nuclear weapons against it or its allies decide to use it or use any other types Weapons of mass destruction. Also SNF can be used in the event that aggression against Russia is conducted with the use of conventional weapons, if this entails a threat to the existence of the state itself.

Next, we will examine how Russia is capable of delivering a nuclear strike, and what characteristics this weapon has.

ICBM R-36 UTTKh

ICBM R-36 UTTK, better known to many as the "Voevod", is a two-stage liquid-fuel missile of mine basing. This missile is the development of the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, located in Dnipropetrovsk on the territory of Ukraine even under the USSR, and this missile has been in use since 1980. It is worth noting that in 1988 the missile was modernized, and at the moment it is this version used in service.

A nuclear strike with this weapon can be applied at a distance of up to 15,000 km, with a payload of 8,800 kg. At the heart of this rocket there is a divisible warhead equipped with destructive combat units with an individual guidance system on the target.

The nuclear charge of this warhead at the upgraded rocket reaches 800 kilotons, while the launch version had only 500 kilotons. The likelihood deviation was also reduced from 370 to 220 m.

MBR UR-100N UTTKh

Two-stage liquid rocket, which is the development of design bureau of mechanical engineering in the city of Reutov, located in the Moscow region. Also has been in service since 1980. A nuclear warhead can explode at a distance of up to 10,000 km from the launch site, with the missile's weight being 4035 kg. At the heart of this rocket there is a dividing warhead, which has six combat blocks of individual guidance on the target, each with a power of 400 kt. The probabilistic circular deviation is 350 m.

MBR RT-2PM

Solid-fuel three-stage rocket of soil mobile basing, developed by the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering. It has been in service with the country since 1988. This missile is capable of hitting a target at a distance of up to 10.5 km from the launch site, with a throw weight of 1,000 kg. In this rocket there is only one combat unit with a capacity of 800 kt, while the probabilistic circular deviation is 350 m.

MBR RT-2PM1 / M2

Solid-fuel three-stage mobile or silo-based missile, developed by the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering. Used in the Russian Federation since 2000. A nuclear warhead can hit a target, located at a distance of up to 11,000 km from its launch site, while having a payload of 1,200 kg. The only combat unit has a capacity of approximately 800 kilotons, and the probabilistic circular deviation reaches 350 meters.

RS-24 ICBMs

Intercontinental solid-fuel ballistic missile of mobile basing, equipped with a separable head. The development belongs to the Moscow Institute of Robotics. It is a modification of the RT-2PM2 ICBM. It should be noted that the technical characteristics of this rocket were classified.

SLBMs

Two-stage liquid ballistic missile, designed to arm the most advanced submarines. Strategic nuclear forces of this type were developed at the Design Bureau of Machine Building in the Chelyabinsk Region. It has been in service since 1977. The strategic nuclear forces of Russia are putting forward the D-9R missile systems, which have simultaneously two Kalmar-type missiles.

This missile has three main versions of combat equipment:

• A monoblock head unit, whose nuclear charge has a power of 450 kt;
• Separate head part with three head units of 200 kW in each;
• A divided head with seven combat blocks, each with a capacity of 100 kt.

SLBM R-29RM

A three-stage ballistic liquid rocket intended for launch from submarines, developed at the Mechanical Engineering Bureau of the Chelyabinsk region. The composition of the D-9R model complex is armed with two "Dolphin" projects, used in the army since 1986.

This missile is characterized by two main options:

• The dividing warhead, which contains four 200-kt combat units;
• Separated head part, equipped with ten combat blocks of 100 kt.

It should be noted that since 2007 these missiles have been gradually replaced by a modified version called R29RM. In this case, only one variant of combat equipment is provided: eight combat units with a capacity of 100 kt.

P-30

The P-30, better known as the "Bulava", is the most modern Russian design. A ballistic solid-propellant rocket is intended for placement on submarines. This missile is being developed by the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering.

The missile is equipped with ten nuclear units of individual guidance, capable of maneuvering in height and course. The range of this rocket is not less than 8 000 km with a total throw weight of 1150 kg.

Development prospects

In 2010, an agreement was signed, according to which the nuclear potential of Russia and the US will gradually decline over the next seven years. In particular, it was agreed that the sides will observe restrictions on the introduction of strategic offensive weapons in the following form:

• The number of nuclear bombers, as well as charges on deployed ICBMs and BCPs, should not be more than 1550 units;
• The total number of deployed SLBMs, ICBMs and heavy bombers should not be more than 700 units;
• The total number of non-deployed or deployed ICBMs and heavy bombers is less than 800 units.

Expert opinion

Specialists note: at the moment there is no evidence that Russia is building up its nuclear potential. In particular, at the end of 2012 in Russia there were approximately 490 deployed carriers, as well as 1500 nuclear warheads deployed on them.

According to the forecasts of the Congressional Research Service of the United States Congress, in the process of implementing this agreement the total number of carriers in Russia will be reduced to 440 units, while the total number of warheads at the time of 2017 will reach 1335 units. It should be noted that there are a lot of changes in the counting mechanism. For example, in accordance with the new treaty, each individual deployed bomber is one unit of charge, although in reality the same Tu-160 can carry 12 nuclear missiles simultaneously on board, and the B-52H is 20 at all.