RS-28 Sarmat
The RS-28 Sarmat (Russian: РС-28 Сармат,[8] named after the Sarmatians;[9] NATO reporting name: SS-X-29[10] or SS-X-30[11]), often colloquially referred to as Satan II by media outlets, is a three-stage Russian silo-based, liquid-fueled, HGV-capable and FOBS-capable super-heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) produced by the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau.[8][12][13][14] It is intended to replace the Soviet R-36M ICBM in Russia's arsenal.[15]
This article is about the Russian intercontinental ballistic missile. For other uses, see Sarmat.RS-28 Sarmat (РС-28 Сармат)
2023
208.1 tonnes[1]
35.3 m[2]
3 m[3]
- Three-stage liquid-fuel rocket
- First stage: PDU-99 (RD-274 derived)
- 18,000 kilometres (11,000 mi)[5]
- 35,000 km sub-orbital flight with FOBS technology (artificially limited by Russia in accordance with Outer Space Treaty)[6][7]
The Sarmat is one of six new Russian strategic weapons unveiled by Russian president Vladimir Putin on 1 March 2018.[16] The RS-28 Sarmat made its first test flight on 20 April 2022.[17] On 16 August 2022, a state contract was signed for the manufacture and supply of the Sarmat strategic missile system.[18] The missile officially entered combat service in September 2023, as the world's longest range and most powerful extant ICBM system.[19][20]
Design[edit]
The Sarmat is a three-stage, liquid-fueled missile with a range of 18,000 km and a launch weight of 208.1 metric tons. The missile is 35.3 meters long and 3 meters in diameter. Designated a “heavy” ICBM, the Sarmat can load a wide variety of warhead options. According to Russian media, Sarmat is capable of carrying 10 tonnes of payload,[39] of ten 750 kiloton,[40] 15 or 16 lighter MIRV warheads,[41] and 3 Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs)[42] or a combination of warheads and several countermeasures against anti-ballistic missile systems.[43] The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the missile is Russia's response to the U.S. Prompt Global Strike system.[22]
The RS-28 is reportedly housed in a modified 15P718M silo launching system.
According to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Sarmat has a short boost phase, which shortens the interval when it can be tracked by satellites with infrared sensors, such as the U.S. Space-Based Infrared System, allegedly making it more difficult to intercept.[44][45][46] Sarmat provides Russia with a Fractional Orbital Bombardment (FOBS) capability that can fly a trajectory over the South Pole to targets in the United States, which has the advantage of being able to avoid missile defense systems in the northern United States.[45]
According to Russian state media sources, RS-28's launch sites were to be equipped with the "Mozyr" active protection system, which is claimed to negate a potential adversary's first strike advantage by discharging a cloud of metal arrows or balls kinetically that allegedly would destroy incoming bombs, cruise missiles and ICBM warheads at altitudes of up to 6 km; however development of the Mozyr system ceased in 1991.[47][48][49][50][51]