RS-24 Yars
The RS-24 Yars (РС-24 Ярс – ракета стратегическая (strategic missile)-modification 24) also known as Topol-MR, NATO reporting name SS-29 or SS-27 Mod 2), is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007, after a secret military R&D project.
| RS-24 Yars | |
|---|---|
| Type | Intercontinental Ballistic Missile |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2011–present |
| Used by | Russian Strategic Missile Troops |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology |
| Manufacturer | Votkinsk Machine Building Plant |
| Produced | 2010–present |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 49,600 kg |
| Length | 22,500 mm |
| Diameter | 2,000 mm |
| Warhead | At least 3-6 MIRVs with 300—500 kiloton warheads, or 6-10 150 kiloton warheads |
| Engine | solid (third or fourth stage can be liquid) |
Operational range | 11,000 km (6,800 mi)-12,000 km (7,500 mi) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 25 (30,600 km/h; 19,000 mph; 8,510 m/s) |
Guidance system | Inertial with Glonass |
| Accuracy | 100-150 m |
Launch platform | Silo, road-mobile TEL MZKT-79221 |
It is essentially the same missile as the Topol-M except the payload “bus” has been modified to carry multiple independently targetable warheads (MIRV). Each missile is thought to be able to carry up to 4 warheads, although there is uncertainty about what the maximum capacity is.
RS-24 is a missile that is heavier than the current RT-2PM2 Topol-M, and which some reports say can carry up to 10 independently targetable warheads. The 2007 tests were publicized as a response to the missile shield that the United States were planning to deploy in Europe. The RS-24 has been deployed operationally since 2010, with more than 50 launchers operational as of June 2017.
Yars does not appear to be a Russian word but the Slavic root яр (yar) is present, being a bank or steep ravine, consistent with the nomenclature of another newly fielded Russian missile, the RS-26 Rubezh (РС-26 Рубеж) meaning a boundary or outer limit. According to Sergey Karakaev, commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Yars is an acronym for "Yadernaya Raketa Sderzhivaniya" (Russian: Ядерная ракета сдерживания), meaning "Nuclear Deterrence Rocket".