RS-24 Yars:
Russia recently deployed autonomous launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) RS-24 Yars on combat patrol routes which are equipped with nuclear weapons.
- The Yars RS-24 (NATO designation SS-29) is a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.
- It is believed to have entered into service in February 2010.
- It is reported to be designed similarly to Russia’s SS-27 (Topol M) ICBM and the Bulava (SS-NX-32) SLBM.
- It is three-staged, solid-fueled, and can be launched from a silo or mobile launcher.
- The missile is estimated to be 22.5 meters in length and 2 meters in diameter.
- The total launch weight of the RS-24 is assessed to be 49,000 kg and is expected to have a minimum range of 2,000 km and a maximum of 10,500 km.
- The missile uses a guidance upgraded system of the inertial and Glonass systems.
- The missile can be armed with up to 10 Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs), each containing a thermonuclear warhead weighing 300 kilotons.
- It has the capability to manoeuvre during flight and deploy both active and passive decoys, which gives Yars an advantage against modern missile defence systems.
