Russia successfully conducted the first launch of a Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
“Today, at 15:12 Moscow time, a Sarmat silo-based intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully test-launched from a silo launcher at the Plesetsk state testing cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region,” the Ministry said in a statement, TASS news agency reported.
“The launch’s tasks were achieved in full. The designated characteristics were confirmed at all the stages of its flight. The practice warheads arrived at the designated area at the Kura proving ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula,” the Ministry added.
During the first flight tests of the cutting-edge heavy missile with the MIRVed (multiple independently targetable vehicle) warheads, the correctness of its design, structural and technical solutions was assessed. The breakthrough Sarmat ICBM will enter service with Russia’s Strategic Missile Force after the program of its tests is over. The Sarmat is due to replace the Voyevoda ICBM.
“Work is underway at the Uzhursky missile formation to prepare a forward missile regiment for its rearmament with the new missile system,” the Ministry noted.
The missile’s energy and mass characteristics helped principally expand the range of its armament, including the number of warheads and their types, including hypersonic boost glide vehicles. The Sarmat is also the most powerful missile with the longest striking range, it said.
The new missile is capable of striking targets at long ranges, using different flight paths. The Sarmat features unique characteristics that enable it reliably to breach any existing and future anti-ballistic missile defenses,” the Russian Defense Ministry stressed.
The Sarmat ICBM has been developed at the Makeyev State Rocket Center (part of Roscosmos) and is manufactured at the Krasmash enterprise. In experts’ estimates, the RS-28 Sarmat is capable of delivering a MIRVed warhead weighing up to 10 tons to any point of the world both through the North and South Poles.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the military on the successful launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), noting that this unique weapon will force everyone who tries to make threats against Russia to think twice.
Before the Sarmat launch, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told the President that the preparations to test fire the missile had been completed, and then footage of the launch was aired and watched by the President.
“I congratulate you on the successful launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. It is a great and landmark event in the development of advanced weapon systems in the Russian army,” Putin said.
According to the President, the new system has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of evading any modern missile defense system.
“It has no analogs in the world and will not have any for a long time to come. This truly unique weapon will bolster the combat capabilities of our Armed Forces, will reliably safeguard Russia’s security from external threats and will make those who in the frenzy of rabid and aggressive rhetoric are trying to threaten our country think twice,” the Russian President stressed.
Putin emphasized that only Russian-made parts and components were used for developing the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile.
“I would like to stress that in creating Sarmat the parts or components of exclusively domestic manufacture were used. Of course, this will make its batch production easier and accelerate the process of providing it for the Strategic Missile Force,” Putin said.
