Russia to Deploy Second Topol-M Regiment in 2009

Russia intends to deploy its second Topol-M ICBM regiment this year, ITAR-Tass reported (see GSN, April 13).

With the new unit of mobile launchers, the Russian strategic missile forces would have a total of 18 mobile launchers and 60 silos for the Topol-M missile by the end of 2009.

The weapon and is intended to carry a single 550-kiloton warhead, but it could be modified to deliver up to six independently targeted warheads as well as decoys for throwing missile interceptors off course. The missile has a range greater than 6,500 miles, according to the Yuri Solomonov, the weapon’s top designer.

The Topol-M can be stored either in a silo hardened against a potential nuclear strike or on a mobile launcher designed to travel off-road (ITAR-Tass, Sept. 17).