Russia Seen Testing Bulava Missile Within Days
Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010
Russia plans this week to begin new trial launches of its experimental Bulava submarine-based ballistic missile, a Russian navy general staff insider told Interfax yesterday (see GSN, Sept. 23).
The Bulava is designed to deliver as many as 10 nuclear warheads as far as 5,000 miles. The weapon has failed in seven of 12 flight tests to date, most recently in December, according to official figures. However, Russia's armed forces have continued defending the weapon as an irreplaceable component of the country's future nuclear deterrent.
"The next, 13th test launch of the Bulava will likely be conducted from the Dmitry Donskoy submarine in the Barents Sea this week," said the source. A total of three tests are planned in the remaining months of 2010, according to Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
The missile, which entered testing in 2004, is slated for deployment on Borei-class ballistic-missile submarines including the Alexander Nevsky, the Vladimir Monomakh and the Yuri Dolgoruky. Each vessel could receive 12 of the solid-fuel weapons, which were first scheduled to be fielded in 2007 (Interfax, Oct. 4).
Meanwhile, Moscow today indicated its three-year rearmament plan would focus on bolstering Russian nuclear capabilities as well as space systems, air defenses and communications mechanisms, the Xinhua News Agency reported (see GSN, March 17, 2009).
"In Russia, money for rearmament has not been allocated for a long time," Interfax quoted Serdyukov as saying.
The rearmament campaign, set to begin next year, was planned based on methodical assessment of dangers, industrial capabilities and the financial situation, Serdyukov said (Xinhua News Agency, Oct. 5).
