Topol Credit - © Mark Wade

Containerised all-solid propellant Nadiradze ICBM designed for launch from mobile and silo launchers. Replaced UR-100/UR-100NU in silos.

Nadiradze at MIT began study of mobile ICBM in 1975. This would considered absolutely necessary since increasing US missile accuracy was making silo-based ICBM's vulnerable to a first strike. In response a government decree of 19 July 1976 ordered development of the Topol ICBM. Development of this all-solid propellant design would be continued by Boris Lapygin after Nadiradze's death Guidance was designed by Pilyugin at NPO AP. Launch from the mobile transports was controlled from a separate mobile command post. The first launch on 27 October 1982 was a failure. The second on 8 February 1983 was successful, travelling 6430 km from Plesetsk to the impact zone in Kamchatka. The first four launches, two of them unsuccessful, were conducted from a test silo originally built for the RT-2P. Trials of the RT-2PM version capable of dispensing 3 to 4 MIRV's began on 30 May 1983. The first test series was completed in December 1984, but many reliability problems had been identified. Further test series were required and the missile not finally accepted by the military until 1 December 1988. Throughout this process severe 'maskirova' (concealment and deception) measures were used to confuse the Americans as to the nature and status of development and deployment of the missile.

Despite the problems with the first test series the threat was considered so urgent that the Votkinsk Factory was ordered to begin series production in December 1984. The missile was deployed in rocket divisions of 4 to 5 regiments, each regiment with nine mobile launchers and one mobile command vehicle. The first provisional regiment became operational on 23 July 1985 at Yoshkar-Ola. This was followed by replacement of silo-based UR-100's by RT-2PM's at Teikovo. Deployment of the mobile version extended to Nizhniy Tagil on 28 April 1987. This was the first site to use the Baryev redundant multi-channel radio command link between the control points and the missile launchers. On 27 May 1988 a regiment began operations at Irkutsk with the improved Granit command point featuring a completely automated guidance system update. By 1991 288 launchers had been built, and deployment peaked at 386 in 1997. Rocket divisions were provided with the RT-2PM at Barnaul, Nizhniy Tagil, Bologoye, Yoshkar-Ola, Teikovo, Yurya, Novosibirsk, Kansk, Irkustsk , and Drovyanaya. Nine regiments with 81 launchers had been deployed to Lida, Mozyr, and Pruzhany in Belorus, but were moved back to Russia from 13 August 1990 to 27 November 1996. By 1999 there were 360 launchers in ten divisions. 57 missiles were test fired from Plesetsk to the end of the century, without a single failure of an operational missile.

The missile featured much new technology, including a new high energy, high density solid propellant in the first stage. A new countermeasure system was designed to confuse enemy defences. The missile could be launched at any time within two minutes, whether on the march or from special garage shelters with split roof doors. The missile was designed for a two year operational life, later extended based on in-service tests. Surplus ICBM's were marketed as Start and Start-1 space launchers. The first launch of this version took place from Svobodniy in March 1992.

Manufacturer: Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (MITT). Location: Moscow, Russian Federation. Launches: 46. Failures: 2. Success Rate: 95.65%. First Launch Date: 1982-10-27. Last Launch Date: 2006-08-03. Launch data is: incomplete. Liftoff Thrust: 890.000 kN (200,070 lbf). Total Mass: 45,100 kg (99,400 lb). Core Diameter: 1.80 m (5.90 ft). Total Length: 21.50 m (70.50 ft). Span: 1.80 m (5.90 ft). Standard warhead mass: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Maximum range: 10,500 km (6,500 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 550 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 0.21 km (0.13 mi). Boost Propulsion: Solid rocket. Cruise Propulsion: Solid rocket. Stage 3 Propellants: Solid rocket. Guidance: Inertial.

1982 October 27 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Topol. Model: Topol'. FAILURE: Failure.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1836.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1836.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1838.

• Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1777.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1373.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1779.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1782.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1782.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1782.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1836.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1829.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1823.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1823.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN RF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1964.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1823.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1783.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1783.

• Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1964.

• Operational Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1812.

• Operational Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1850.

• Operational Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1850.

• Operational Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN RF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1874.

• Operational Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN RF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1950.

• Operational Test mission Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN RF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Launched during a nationwide military exercise. References: 1905.

• Topol ICBM Test Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN.

• Topol ICBM test Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN.

• Missile test Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). OT

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Pervov, Mikhail, Raketnoye Oruzhiye RVSN, Violanta, Moscow, 1999.. Narrative overview of the missiles of the Russian strategic missile forces.

• Karpenko, A V, Utkin, A F and Popov,A D, Otechestvenniye strategischeskiye raketnoye kompleks, Sankt-Peterburg: Nevskii bastion; Gangut 1999.. Well-illustrated encyclopedia of the missiles of the Russian strategic missile forces.