RT-2UTTH Topol M
Encyclopedia
The RT-2UTTKh «Topol-M» is one of the most recent intercontinental ballistic missile
s to be deployed by Russia
(see RS-24
), and the first to be developed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
.
In its Russian designation РТ stands for "ракета твердотопливная," Raketa Tverdotoplivnaya ("solid fuel rocket"), while УТТХ - 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 the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology
, and built at the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant
.
. The missile's length is 22.7 m and the first stage has a body diameter of 1.9 m. The mass at launch is 47,200 kg, including the 1200 kilogram payload. Topol-M carries a single warhead
with a 800 kt
yield but the design is compatible with MIRV warheads. According to chief designer Yury Solomonov, the missile can carry four to six warheads along with decoys. Its minimum range is estimated to be 2,000 km and the maximum range 10,500 km. It has three solid rocket
stages with inertial, autonomous flight control utilizing an onboard GLONASS
receiver. It is reputed to have the highest accuracy of any Russian ICBM with a CEP
of 200m.
The Topol-M may be deployed either inside a reinforced missile silo, which is reported to be able to withstand a direct nuclear hit or from a APU 15U168 launcher mounted on the MZKT-79221 "Universal"
16-wheeled transporter-erector-launcher. This mobile launcher
is capable of moving through roadless terrain, and launching a missile from any point along its route. The designation for the silo-based Topol-M missile is believed to be RS-12M2, while the mobile version is RS-12M1.
The first stage has three rocket motors developed by the Soyuz Federal Center for Dual-Use Technologies. This gives the missile a much higher acceleration than other ICBM types. It enables 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.
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.
On December 12, 2006 the first three mobile Topol-M missile systems entered duty with a missile unit stationed near the town of Teykovo
.
By the end of 2010 the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces
operated 70 Topol-M missile systems including 52 silo-based and 18 mobile systems. A further 8 missiles is to join the Forces by 2011-2012. In 2020 the RVSN are likely to be equipped with 177 Topol-M (mobile and silo-based), as well as 30 UR-100NUTTKh (SS-19) and 108 RS-24 "Yars" (SS-29)
, in nine divisions.
Current Strategic Rocket Forces Order of Battle lists the following sites with Topol-M missiles:
The Topol-M missiles have a lifetime between 15 to 20 years.
missile defence system. It is claimed to be capable of making evasive maneuvers
to avoid a kill by terminal phase interceptors, and carries targeting countermeasures and decoy
s. It is shielded against radiation, EMP
, nuclear explosions at distances over 500 meters, and is designed to survive a hit from any laser
technology.
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.
According to The Washington Times
, Russia has conducted a successful test of the evasive payload delivery system. The missile was launched on November 1, 2005 from the Kapustin Yar
facility. The warhead changed course after separating from the launcher, making it difficult to predict a re-entry trajectory.
(MIRV) is called RS-24
. 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 MIRVed RS-24
version would replace it.
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
s to be deployed by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(see RS-24
RS-24
The RS-24 Yars is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007 after a secret military R&D project, to replace the older R-36 and UR-100N that have been already used almost for 50 years. RS-24 is a missile that is heavier than the current...
), and the first to be developed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In its Russian designation РТ stands for "ракета твердотопливная," Raketa Tverdotoplivnaya ("solid fuel rocket"), while УТТХ - for "улучшенные тактико-технические характеристики," uluchshenniye taktiko-tekhnicheskie kharakteristiki ("improved tactical and technical characteristics"). "Topol" (тополь) in Russian means "white poplar
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
". It is designed and produced exclusively by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology
Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology
Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology a Russian scientific research institute that was founded on May 13, 1946...
, and built at the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant
Votkinsk Machine Building Plant
Votkinsk Plant State Production Association is a machine and ballistic missile production company based in Votkinsk, Russia...
.
Characteristics
The Topol-M is a cold-launched, three-stage, solid-propellant, silo-based or road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missileIntercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
. The missile's length is 22.7 m and the first stage has a body diameter of 1.9 m. The mass at launch is 47,200 kg, including the 1200 kilogram payload. Topol-M carries a single warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
with a 800 kt
TNT equivalent
TNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
yield but the design is compatible with MIRV warheads. According to chief designer Yury Solomonov, the missile can carry four to six warheads along with decoys. Its minimum range is estimated to be 2,000 km and the maximum range 10,500 km. It has three solid rocket
Solid rocket
A solid rocket or a solid-fuel rocket is a rocket engine that uses solid propellants . The earliest rockets were solid-fuel rockets powered by gunpowder; they were used by the Chinese in warfare as early as the 13th century and later by the Mongols, Arabs, and Indians.All rockets used some form of...
stages with inertial, autonomous flight control utilizing an onboard GLONASS
GLONASS
GLONASS , acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces...
receiver. It is reputed to have the highest accuracy of any Russian ICBM with a CEP
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
of 200m.
The Topol-M may be deployed either inside a reinforced missile silo, which is reported to be able to withstand a direct nuclear hit or from a APU 15U168 launcher mounted on the MZKT-79221 "Universal"
MZKT
MZKT is a manufacturer of heavy off-road vehicles, especially military trucks, based in Minsk, in Belarus; it was formerly a division of MAZ...
16-wheeled transporter-erector-launcher. This mobile launcher
Mobile launcher vehicle
A mobile launcher vehicle is a type of military vehicle on a multi-wheel-drive or tracked chassis carrying one or more ground-to-ground or ground-to-air explosive missiles, along with the personnel and equipment needed to prepare, organize, and execute a launch of such missiles.Purpose of...
is capable of moving through roadless terrain, and launching a missile from any point along its route. The designation for the silo-based Topol-M missile is believed to be RS-12M2, while the mobile version is RS-12M1.
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.
Development and deployment
The development of the missile began in the late 1980s as an evolutionary upgrade of the RS-12M Topol (SS-25 'Sickle'), and the missile was redesigned in 1992. The first flight test took place on December 20, 1994, and first deployment occurred in December 1997 in modified SS-19 silos. The first silo-based regiment was declared operational in 1998, followed by three others in 1999, 2000, and 2003.On December 12, 2006 the first three mobile Topol-M missile systems entered duty with a missile unit stationed near the town of Teykovo
Teykovo
Teykovo is a town in Ivanovo Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River southwest of Ivanovo. Population: 42,800 .Teykovo was founded in the 17th century and was granted town status in 1918. It is home to a Strategic Missile Division of the Strategic Rocket Forces where projects like the...
.
By the end of 2010 the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces
Strategic Rocket Forces
The Strategic Missile Troops or Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation or RVSN RF , transliteration: Raketnye voyska strategicheskogo naznacheniya Rossiyskoy Federatsii, literally Missile Troops of Strategic Designation of the Russian Federation) are a military branch of the Russian...
operated 70 Topol-M missile systems including 52 silo-based and 18 mobile systems. A further 8 missiles is to join the Forces by 2011-2012. In 2020 the RVSN are likely to be equipped with 177 Topol-M (mobile and silo-based), as well as 30 UR-100NUTTKh (SS-19) and 108 RS-24 "Yars" (SS-29)
RS-24
The RS-24 Yars is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007 after a secret military R&D project, to replace the older R-36 and UR-100N that have been already used almost for 50 years. RS-24 is a missile that is heavier than the current...
, in nine divisions.
Current Strategic Rocket Forces Order of Battle lists the following sites with Topol-M missiles:
- 27th Guards Missile Army (HQ: Vladimir)
- 60th Missile Division at Tatishchevo with 52 silo-based Topol-M
- 54th Guards Missile Division at Teykovo with 18 mobile Topol-M
The Topol-M missiles have a lifetime between 15 to 20 years.
Missile defense evasion capabilities
According to Russia the missile is designed to be immune to any current or planned U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
missile defence system. It is claimed to be capable of making evasive maneuvers
Maneuverable reentry vehicle
The maneuverable reentry vehicle is a type of ballistic missile warhead capable of shifting targets in flight...
to avoid a kill by terminal phase interceptors, and carries targeting countermeasures and decoy
Decoy
A decoy is usually a person, device or event meant as a distraction, to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for. Decoys have been used for centuries most notably in game hunting, but also in wartime and in the committing or resolving of crimes.-Duck decoy:The term duck decoy may...
s. It is shielded against radiation, EMP
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
, nuclear explosions at distances over 500 meters, and is designed to survive a hit from any laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
technology.
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.
According to The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
, Russia has conducted a successful test of the evasive payload delivery system. The missile was launched on November 1, 2005 from the Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar is a Russian rocket launch and development site in Astrakhan Oblast, between Volgograd and Astrakhan. Known today as Znamensk , it was established 13 May 1946 and in the beginning used technology, material, and scientific support from defeated Germany...
facility. The warhead changed course after separating from the launcher, making it difficult to predict a re-entry trajectory.
Equipment of Topol-M with MIRV
A new missile loosely based on Topol-M and equipped with multiple re-entry vehiclesMultiple independently targetable reentry vehicle
A multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle warhead is a collection of nuclear weapons carried on a single intercontinental ballistic missile or a submarine-launched ballistic missile . Using a MIRV warhead, a single launched missile can strike several targets, or fewer targets redundantly...
(MIRV) is called RS-24
RS-24
The RS-24 Yars is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007 after a secret military R&D project, to replace the older R-36 and UR-100N that have been already used almost for 50 years. RS-24 is a missile that is heavier than the current...
. 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 MIRVed RS-24
RS-24
The RS-24 Yars is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007 after a secret military R&D project, to replace the older R-36 and UR-100N that have been already used almost for 50 years. RS-24 is a missile that is heavier than the current...
version would replace it.
Operator
: As of 2010, the only operator of the Topol-M is Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces, with 70 missiles deployedSee also
- List of missiles
- RT-2PM/RS-12M Topol (SS-25)
- Missile defence
- Maneuverable reentry vehicleManeuverable reentry vehicleThe maneuverable reentry vehicle is a type of ballistic missile warhead capable of shifting targets in flight...