Russian Ballistic Missiles

Site Search by Google

BLOG!

All civilizations become either spacefaring or extinct.

---Carl Sagan

From the Russian-built version of the V-2, to the modern solid propellant ICBM - follow the development of the ballistic missile in Russia through the links below...

	R-1	Soviet production copy of the German V-2. Despite the threatening supervision of the program by Stalin's secret police chief, Beria, and the assistance of German rocket engineers, it took eight years for the Geman technology to be...more.

	G-1	The G-1 was Groettrup's first design after the German engineering team had been moved to Russia. On 22 May 1947 he first group of 234 specialists was given the task of designing a 600 km range rocket (the G-1/R-10). Work had begun...more.

	R-2	The R-2 doubled the range of the R-1 and was equipped with a deadly radiological warhead. The ethyl alcohol used in the V-2 and R-1 was replaced by methyl alcohol in the R-2, eliminating the problem of the launch troops drinking up...more.

	G-2	The G-2 design objective was to create the first IRBM - to deliver a 1000 kg payload over a 2500 km range. The missile would use three V-2 derived engines with a total thrust of 100 tonnes. A variety of alternate configurations (R-12A...more.

	G-4	The G-4 was designed by the Groettrup German team in the Soviet Union in competition with Korolev's R-3. Rocket chief Ustinov informed Groettrup of the requirement on 9 April 1949: to deliver a 3000 kg atomic bomb to a 3000 km. This...more.

	G-5	Some sources indicate the G-5 / R-15 designation was assigned to an ICBM designed by the Groettrup team. If so, it may have been the 'packet of G-4's' that was the direct ancestor of the Korolev R-7. The designation G-5 / R-15 has...more.

	R-3	Development of the long-range R-3 missile was authorised at the same time as the V-2-derived R-1 and R-2 rockets in April 1947. Supplemental authorisation was contained in a government decree of 14 April 1948.The specification was...more.

	R-11	First Russian ballistic missile using storable propellants. Enlargement/elaboration of German Wasserfall SAM. Developed by Korolev OKB, then Makeyev OKB spun off to develop Army and SLBM derivatives. Range 270 km with 690 kg, accuracy...more.

	R-3A	So much new technology was involved for the R-3 that it was deemed necessary to build an R-3A intermediate experimental rocket, based on the R-2. This would be flown to test new construction methods, guidance systems, and high energy...more.

	R-5	The R-5 was the first Soviet missile to be armed with a nuclear warhead, the first for which the new southern facility at Dnepropetrovsk took over full design and production responsibility. The R-5 could deliver a 1425 kg warhead...more.

	T-1	Original conceptual design for ICBM. Final design was R-7 due to unachievability of mass ratio for this single stage design. Data from chart at Russian Space Agency HQ.

	R-5M	The R-5M was the first Soviet missile to be armed with a nuclear warhead, and the first to launch a live nuclear warhead in test. The technical characteristics were virtually the same as those of the R-5 basic model, except for an...more.

	R-7	The world's first ICBM and first orbital launch vehicle. The 8K71 version was never actually put into military service, being succeeded by the R-7A 8K74.

	R-12	The R-12 was the first operationally effective intermediate range ballistic missile, the first Soviet missile deployed with a thermonuclear warhead, and the first mass-produced missile in history. 2,300 of the storable propellant...more.

	R-7A	The R-7A was an improved version of the R-7 first ICBM, and the one actually deployed to pads in Baikonur and Plesetsk. The missile saw service from 1960 to 1968. Four pads at Plesetsk, and one reserve pad at Baikonur, were operational...more.

	R-8	Glushko project 1956 for multistage 650t ICBM powered by Lox/UDMH.

	8K79	Korolev 1961 design for a single stage military rocket. A competing missile was selected for the requirement.

	MBR	'Sealed unit' liquid propellant ICBM proposed by Reshetnev in 1960.

	PR-90	Short-range air-augmented ballistic missile. Tested concepts for Gnom ICBM.

	R-14	The R-14, with a range of 3600 km, was the only missile of that range class to be fielded. A key element in the Cuba missile crisis, it thereafter was part of the nuclear deterrent targeted at NATO and China. Built in relatively limited...more.

	8K711	Korolev project.

	MR	Korolev studied this Multimodular Rocket (MR), based on stages already designed for the 8K74 and 8K77 (R-7 and R-9) missiles. The concept seems to have been promoted in competition with Chelomei's UR-200, for the launcher could be...more.

	8K73	Korolev project. Possibly designation for variant of GR-1.

	R-16	The Soviet Union's first practical ICBM, a two stage vehicle using storable propellants. Development began in 1956 and the missile was in service from 1962 to 1974. Peak deployment consisted of 186 launchers, about a third of them...more.

	R-17	The final refinement of the R-11 design, the R-17, was exported and became infamous around the world as the Scud. Perhaps the most famous ballistic missile of the post-war period due to its use in the Iran-Iraq 'War of the Cities'...more.

	R-26	Two stage light ICBM developed 1960-1962, but cancelled so that Yangel could concentrate his efforts on the R-36. After project cancellation, a mock-up of this missile was shown in Moscow parades and misidentified for years by Western...more.

	RT-1	The RT-1 (RT = rocket, solid in Russian) was the first large Soviet solid propellant ballistic missile. It was developed and tested in 1959-1963, but no production was undertaken due to its poor performance.

	8K94	Unusual designation for the upper stages of another Yangel project - possibly reflecting design originally was stand-alone IRBM?

	9M/1/TEMP	Two-stage deployed short range missile. Four solid motors strapped together, operating in staged pairs. Data is accurate; Orevo has sectioned hardware.

	R-46	Super-heavy ICBM designed by Yangel in 1963-1966. The original R-56 super-booster concept consisted of clustered R-46's.

	Taran	Anti-ballistic missile design that was part of the basic capability of the UR-100. Studied in 1962-1964 but abandoned.

	UR-200	Universal rocket designed by Chelomei to cover the ICBM, FOBS, satellite launch vehicle, and spaceplane booster roles. Flight tested in 1963-1964 but cancelled in favour of Yangel's R-36.

	R-38	Small, economical ICBM studied by Yangel as an alternative to Chelomei's UR-100. Both one and two stage variants were considered. Work ended when Yangel was ordered to concentrate on R-36.

	R-9	ICBM developed by Korolev OKB using liquid oxygen/kerosene propellants. The Soviet military favoured storable propellants as advocated by Glushko and implemented by Yangel and Chelomei. Development of the R-9 was protracted and it...more.

	Gnom	Gnom was a unique design which represented the most advanced work ever undertaken on an air-augmented missile capable of intercontinental ranges or orbital flight. Although cancelled in 1965 before flight tests could begin, Gnom was...more.

	RT-21	Project work began in 1963 on this three-stage solid propellant ICBM. Five train-launched variants were studied, as well as a silo-launched version. Studies were completed in 1966 but it was decided not to proceed with the concept.

	RT-25	Decree 316-157 of 4 April 1961 authorised development of a family of solid propellant launch vehicles utilising various combinations of three stages (the RT-2, RT-15, and RT-25). The RT-25 IRBM used the first and third stages of the...more.

	Temp-S.2M	The Temp-S.2M was the first strategic rocket designed by A D Nadiradze at NII-1. The design was abandoned when weight growth made it too heavy for the planned mobile transport.

	UR-500	The original UR-500 two stage configuration was designed as a monster ICBM. It was flown in 1965, but never deployed as an operational missile. The design was succeeded by three and four stage versions for launching of large payloads into space.

	UR-100	The UR-100 lightweight ICBM was the Soviet answer to the US Minuteman and was deployed in larger numbers than any other in history. It remained an enigma outside of intelligence circles in the West until after the collapse of the...more.

	R-36	The R-36 ICBM was the largest ever built and the bogeyman of the Pentagon throughout the Cold War. Dubbed the 'city buster', the 308 silos built were constantly held up by the US Air Force as an awesome threat that justified a new...more.

	RT-20P	Following the protracted development of Shavyrin's Gnom air-augmented ICBM, it was decided to let Yangel tackle the problem of developing a 30 tonne gross mass ICBM using more conventional technology. At first a three-stage solid...more.

	RT-2	Development of the RT-2, the Soviet Union's first solid propellant ICBM, was undertaken by Sergei Korolev and his successor from 1961-1968. It was a huge technical challenge, involving technology in which the Russians had no prior...more.

	RT-22	The RT-22 was a follow-on study to the RT-21 for a train-launched solid-propellant ICBM. It reached the stage of an advanced project in 1969. The three stage rocket would have a total mass of 80 tonnes including its transport container....more.

	Temp-S	The Temp-S was the first solid propellant tactical guided missile deployed in the USSR. It was designed by A D Nadiradze at NII-1 and formed the basis of subsequent designs leading to current modern Russian ICBM's.

	RT-15	The RT-15 IRBM used the second and third stages if the RT-2 ICBM. After protracted development in 1961-1970 with a range of alternative self-propelled mobile launchers, limited numbers ('few' to 19) of two types of launchers were...more.

	RT-20	First and third stages of SS-13. Cancelled after 8 test firings. Claims to have been deployed briefly.

	Pioner	Mobile solid propellant intermediate range multiple warhead ballistic missile. Seen as an enormous threat to NATO. 405 launchers deployed by 1987 when the missile was banned by the INF Treaty.

	R-36M	The R-36M replaced the R-36 in 288 existing silos and was additionally installed in 20 new super-hardened silos.

	UR-100N	The UR-100N was designed as a replacement for the UR-100 at the end of its ten year storage life. Although it could be installed in the same silos, it was 50% heavier. The competing design of Yangel, the MR-UR-100, was also put...more.

	MR-UR-100	The Yangel MR-UR-100 was designed as a replacement for Chelomei's UR-100 at the end of its 10 year storage life. Although it could be installed in the same silos, it was 50% heavier. The competing design of Chelomei, the UR-100N,...more.

	Tochka	Tactical short-range ballistic missile, deployed from 1976.

	Temp-2S	World's first operational mobile ICBM. Deployed in greaty secrecy in 1976-1987 contrary to the terms of the SALT-2 Treaty.

	RT-23	The only rail-based ICBM ever deployed. Developed by Yuzhnoye in the Ukraine was protracted, but understandable given the huge technical challenges. Twelve years of design and testing was followed by deployment from 1988. All were retired by 2003.

	Koltso	Koltso was a Yuzhnoye advanced ICBM, subject of decrees of 29 September 1976 and 31 May 1984. Development was authorised by the project was cancelled after the collapse of the ICBM.

	Kopye-R	Kopye-R was a Yuzhnoye advanced ICBM, subject of a draft project completed in February 1986. Development was authorised by the project was cancelled after the collapse of the ICBM.

	RSS-40	First flight tests (2 Apr 86, Aug 86) failures. Tests in Dec 86, Oct 87, early 88 successful. SS-18 Replacement. The designation SS-X-26 was originally assigned to the RSS-40, but the number was reused for another missile after its cancellation.

	Albatros ICBM	Albatros was an ICBM designed by NPO Mashinostroeniya under Chief Designer Gerbert Yefremov according to a decree of 9 February 1987. Like the Yuzhnoye Universal ICBM, it was to be built in enormous numbers in order to defeat any...more.

	Skorost	Soviet medium range ballistic missile, flown once but cancelled after being outlowed by INF Treaty.

	R-36M2	The R-36M2 was the Soviet Union's answer to the American 'Star Wars' anti-ballistic missile system. It was unusually named 'Voevoda' (an old Russian word for the leader of an army) in recognition of its planned role. In the end, it...more.

	Ikar	Ikar was Yuzhnoye's design for a heavy ICBM, a next-generation replacement for the R-36M2. Design was begun at the beginning of the 1990's under Stanislav Us. It may have used all-solid propellants, and nested rocket stages. Work...more.

	Universal	Yuzhnoye solid-propellant ICBM designed for mass production to counter US 'Star Wars' programme. Two built before break-up of Soviet Union. Some design features incorporated into all-Russian Topol-M.

	Iskander	New Russian tactical ballistic missile, conceived as a follow-on to the Scud. First fired on 25 October 1995.

	Topol M	All-Russian solid propellant ICBM set to replace all older models in the first decade of the 21st Century. Designed for mobile deployment on 8-axis transport-launcher RT-2M2/SS-X-29), or placement in existing UR-100N and R-36M silos (RT-2M1/SS-X-27).