Russia successfully test fires Bulava missiles

Gestart door Lex, 24/12/2011 | 12:28 uur

jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)

Russia acknowledges Bulava missile in service

Updated: 2012-06-26 08:50

MOSCOW - The Russian Navy has already put in service the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile, the Navy Chief Commander said Monday.

"Bulava missile has been put in navy service de facto, now the paperwork is in progress," Vice Admiral Victor Chirkov told reporters.

The navy would put on duty strategic nuclear submarine of Project 955 Borei class, Yuri Dolgoruky before July 29, Chirkov said, adding that the fourth-generation 170-meter-long submarine can carry 16 Bulava ICBMs with the range of 8,000 km.

As Russia's most advanced three-stage solid fuel missile, Bulava could carry up to 10 hypersonic individually guided maneuverable warheads.

Russian forces had tested the Bulava missile 18 times prior to the decision to put it on duty. Seven out of these test failed.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-06/26/content_15522508.htm

Lex

MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia successfully test launched two Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles on Friday, Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Igor Konashenkov said.

The missiles were launched from the Borey-class Yury Dolgoruky nuclear-powered submarine in the White Sea and hit designated targets at the Kura test range on Kamchatka, some 6,000 kilometers to the east.

This was the troubled Bulava's 18th test launch. Only 11 launches have been officially declared successful.

But some analysts suggest that in reality the number of failures is considerably larger. Russian military expert Pavel Felgengauer said that of the Bulava's first 12 test launches, only one was entirely successful.

Despite several previous failures, officially blamed on manufacturing faults, the Russian military has insisted that there is no alternative to the Bulava.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30) SLBM carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The three-stage ballistic missile is designed for deployment on Borey-class nuclear submarines.

RIA Novosti
20:57 23/12/2011