R-36M

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R-36M2 Voievoda

Dnepr rocket lift-off 1.jpg

General Information
Type ICBM
Manufacturer KB Yuzhnoye
Commissioning 1975 Mod 1 - 1991 Mod 6
Technical specifications
length 34.60 m
diameter 3.00 m
Combat weight 211,400 kg
Drive
First stage
Second stage
Liquid
rocket engine. Liquid rocket engine
Range 11,000 km (SS-18 mod 4/5)
Furnishing
Target location Inertial navigation system
Warhead 1 or 10 MIRV nuclear warheads
Weapon platforms Missile silo
Lists on the subject

The R-36M ( NATO code name SS-18 Satan) is a Soviet-made ballistic ICBM . The GRAU index is 15A14 , the manufacturer's internal designation is given as R-36M "Wojewoda" . The system index of the Russian armed forces is RS-20 .

development

The R-36M was created as the successor to the R-36 (SS-9 Scarp) . The new system was put into service by the Strategic Missile Forces from 1976 and was designed to combat bunkered targets such as missile silos. The SS-18 was the largest ICBM built and commissioned during the Cold War . It can be used to combat all strategic goals such as hardened missile silos and underground command bunkers.

The R-36M was repeatedly adapted to the current threat situation. This is how the following variants came about:

  • RS-20A SS-18 (Satan mod 1) having a multi Mega tons -Sprengkopf and a range of 11,200 km
  • RS-20A1 SS-18 (Satan mod 2) with eight MIRV warheads and a range of 10,200 km
  • RS-20A2 Wojewoda (SS-18 Satan mod 3) with eight MIRV warheads and a range of 16,000 km
  • RS-20B SS-18 (Satan mod 4/5) with ten MIRV warheads or 1 × 20 MT and a range of 11,000 km
  • RS-20V Ikar (SS-18 Satan mod 6) with ten MIRV warheads and a range of 11,000 km
Variants not implemented
  • Version RS-20A-1 with 38 MIRV warheads with an explosive force of 250 kT each
  • Version RS-20A-2 with 24 MIRV warheads with an explosive force of 500 kT each
  • Version RS-20S-3 with 17 MIRV warheads with an explosive force of 1000 kT each
Other Projects
  • Project RS-20A2-12 with 28 MARV warheads with an explosive force of 250 kT each
  • Project RS-20B-14 with 19 MARV warheads with an explosive force of 500 kT each

In the 1980s, work was also carried out on a variant that was equipped with ten MIRV warheads with anthrax .

Civil version

technology

The R-36M was to replace the Soviet ICBM of the second generation together with the UR-100N and MR UR-100 developed at the same time . This new generation of missiles should be equipped with MIRV for the first time , be more accurate and stationed in specially hardened silos. The R-36M should succeed the R-36 in the role of the heavy ICBM.

The R-36M, like the R-36, was designed by Jangels OKB-586 (today KB Yuzhnoye ) in Dnepropetrovsk . Since it was supposed to use the missile silos of the R-36, the dimensions and general structure of the new R-36M were largely similar to the old missile. Like its predecessor, the R-36M was designed as a two-stage rocket that used UDMH as fuel and NTO as oxidizer in both stages. However, the R-36M received a larger second stage, which, like the first stage, had a continuous diameter of 3.0 m.

For the first time in a liquid fuel rocket, the tanks were pressurized by “controlled fire”. Small amounts of oxidizer were injected into the fuel tank and vice versa. The gaseous products of the hypergolic reactions generated the necessary pressure in the tanks and it was thus possible to save extra tanks for pressurized gases. Furthermore, new lightweight construction techniques were introduced compared to the R-36 in order to further reduce the empty weight of the missile.

In the first stage, the R-36M received new engines from OKB-456 (today NPO Energomasch ). The four main flow engines of the type RD-0263 were collectively referred to as RD-0264 and together delivered 4163/4520 kN of thrust with a specific impulse of 2874/3120 s (sea level / vacuum). The second stage engines were developed by OKB-154 (Kosberg) in Voronezh . This stage was powered by a main flow thruster RD-0229 and four bypass venetian thrusters RD-0230, collectively referred to as RD-0228.

All these measures increased the payload of the R-36M to 8.8 t compared to the maximum 5.8 t of the R-36. The takeoff weight of the R-36M increased compared to that of the R-36 from 183.9 t to 209.6 t and the fuel mass increased from 166.2 t to 188.0 t.

The R-36M is controlled with an inertial navigation system . The basic variant of the R-36M was stationed with three different warhead options, two variants with MIRV section and eight or ten warheads or a single warhead variant. In the MIRV variants, the warheads sat in pairs around a central post-boost vehicle (PBV) and were not covered by a fairing. The CEP achieved by the R-36M basic variant was 700 m.

After the successful introduction of the basic variant of the R-36M, development work on an improved variant with increased accuracy began in the 1970s as part of the program to improve tactical performance. Similar development programs were carried out simultaneously for the UR-100N and MR-UR-100.

The newly developed R-36MUTTH differed from the basic variant mainly in a new post-boost vehicle. The new variant carried ten warheads with an explosive force of 0.5 MT each. But a single warhead variant (20 MT) was also developed and stationed. The CEP of the R-36MUUTH was 370 m.

The last development stage of the R-36M was reached with the R-36M2. This received more powerful engines in all stages. The RD-0274 (consisting of four RD-0273) replaced the RD-0264 in the first stage and the RD-0255, consisting of one RD-0256 main engine and four RD-0257 venetian engines, replaced the RD-0228. Similar to the Soviet SLBM, the second stage drive was sunk into their fuel tank to increase the tank volume. The R-36M2 also received two new warhead options with ten warheads of 0.8 MT each or a single warhead with 8.3 MT. The CEP achieved was 220 m. A warhead with final approach control was also developed, with which a CEP of less than 100 m could be achieved. However, no missiles were deployed with this warhead.

Since the existing silos of the R-36 missiles were to be used for the R-36M, there were restrictions on the existing silo volume during the development of the missiles and the planned modernization of the silos. The R-36 silos were 36 m deep and 5.1 m in diameter. With the planned measures to harden the silo, these were too small for a conventional hot start in the silo like the R-36, in which the rocket is ignited in the silo and the exhaust gases are led out of the silo via flame shafts. Therefore, the decision was made to use the cold start method, which made better use of the silo volume.

In the cold start process used for the first time with the RT-2P , the rocket is placed in a fiberglass canister at the manufacturing plant and this is installed in the silo. The rocket is then refueled in the silo and connected to the electrical systems. At the bottom of the canister below the rocket there is a cold gas generator that uses black powder. When the rocket is launched, the gases generated by the gas generator push the rocket out of the canister and out of the silo. Once the rocket has left the silo, a protective covering over the main engines is pushed off and ignited. The volume of the silos could thus be used for improved reinforcement by eliminating the flame shafts. The silo hardening differed from base to base and was continuously improved over the years. In 1979 there were 30/104/174 missiles in silos with protection from 3/6/10  MPa overpressure. In 1985 the silo hardening for 104/204 rockets was 6/10 MPa. For comparison, the silos for the R-36 only achieved a maximum hardening of 200 kPa in the 1960s, i.e. twice the atmospheric pressure.

The individual silos for the R-36M were combined into missile brigades of six or ten silos each, which were controlled by a launch control center. The control center had the shape and dimensions of an R-36M starting canister and could thus be installed in special silos with appropriate connections. The control center was moved to another silo at regular intervals in order to disguise its location. Several such missile brigades formed a missile division that consisted of a maximum of 64 silos. If necessary, the individual rockets of a division could also be launched from a central control center of the division. Each division also had missile and warhead maintenance sites.

The R-36M missiles were also integrated into the perimeter system, which was intended to ensure the Soviet Union's second strike capability in the event of a decapitation strike . In this case, the R-36M could be started without the intervention of the local command post by transmitting start codes via signal rockets (modified MR-UR-100).

status

US Senator Richard Lugar inspects the demilitarization of an R-36M ICBM

The R-36M in its various variants formed the backbone of the Soviet / Russian nuclear forces during the 1980s and 1990s. The R-36MUTTH was retired in 2009, but is still used as a Dnepr launcher. The missiles of this type that were stationed to the last carried a single 20 MT warhead. The active R-36M2s date from 1988 to 1992 and each carry ten 800 kT warheads.

A maximum of 308 missiles were stationed in special silos at the same time . There were the following R-36M bases:

In January 2018, 46 R-36M2s were still in service. These are stationed in Komarowski. A maintenance contract was signed between Ukraine and Russia in 2006 and ratified by the Duma in 2008 . The last launch of an R-36 MUTTCh (Mod 4 as Dnepr) took place on November 21, 2013 by Yasni, an R-36M2 (Mod 6) was last launched on October 30, 2013 by Dombarowski as part of a large-scale alarm exercise. The missile is expected to remain in service with the Russian nuclear forces until at least 2020.

Technical specifications

system R-36M R-36M R-36M R-36MUTTH R-36MUTTH R-36M2
Contract index RS-20A RS-20A1 RS-20A2 RS-20B RS-20V
GRAY index 15A14 15A18 15A18M
NATO code SS-18 Satan mod 1 SS-18 Satan mod 2 SS-18 Satan mod 3 SS-18 Satan mod 4 SS-18 Satan mod 5 SS-18 Satan mod 6
deployment 1974-1983 1976-1980 1976-1986 1979-2005 1986-2009 since 1988
maximum number of stationed 148 10 30th 278 30th 58
drive 2 levels of liquid fuel plus PBV (Post Boost Vehicle)
length 32.6 m 36.3 m 34.3 m
Hull diameter 3.00 m
Weight 209,600 kg 210,000 kg 211,100 kg
Number of warheads 8th 10 1 10 1 10
Explosive power 4 × 1.0 MT + 4 × 0.45 MT 0.45 MT 20 MT 0.5 MT 20 MT 0.8 MT
Operational range 11,200 km 10,200 km 16,000 km 11,000 km 16,000 km 11,000 km
Accuracy ( CEP ) 700 m 370 m 220 m

See also

literature

  • Pavel Podvig: Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Frank von Hippel.
  • JANE'S STRATEGIC WEAPON SYSTEMS Edition 2005. Jane's Verlag
  • Land-based Soviet / Russian ballistic guided missiles. DTIG - Defense Threat Informations Group, July 2005

Web links

Commons : R-36M  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/icbm/r-36m.htm
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g S. J. Zaloga : The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword - The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces, 1945-2000. Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001, ISBN 1-58834-007-4 .
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j P. Podvig (Ed.): Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. MIT Press, 2004, ISBN 978-0-262-16202-9 .
  4. ↑ a b c d Nuclear Notebook: US and Soviet / Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, 1959–2008
  5. ^ A b c d e Pavel Podvig: The Window of Vulnerability That Wasn't: Soviet Military Buildup in the 1970s - A Research Note. International Security, Summer 2008, Vol. 33, No. 1: 118-138
  6. ^ David E. Hoffman, The Dead Hand - Reagan, Gorbachev and the untold story of the cold war arms race. Doubleday, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84831-253-1 .
  7. ↑ Russianforces.org , accessed November 17, 2015 (English)
  8. ^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): The Military Balance 2018 . 1st edition. Routledge, London 2018, ISBN 978-1-85743-955-7 , pp. 193 (English, as of January 2018).
  9. ^ Dnepr Cluster Mission 2013
  10. ^ Russia conducts large-scale exercise of its strategic forces
  11. ^ RIA Novosti : (translated) Shield and Sword of Russia.Retrieved June 16, 2017
  12. ↑ RS-20A / -20B / -20V (SS-18) ( Memento from December 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (English), accessed on December 18, 2014