RS-26 Rubezh
The RS-26 Rubezh (meaning frontier or boundary), designated by NATO as SS-X-31, is a Russian solid-fueled intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a nuclear warhead, of which the range bracket just barely classifies it as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It is equipped with a thermonuclear MIRV or MaRV payload, and is also intended to be capable of carrying the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. The RS-26 is based on RS-24 Yars, and constitutes a shorter version of the RS-24 with one fewer stages.
Also recorded as Rubezh
RS-26 Rubezh
- Name
- RS-26 Rubezh
- Field
- intercontinental ballistic missile
- Region
- Russia
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The RS-26 Rubezh (meaning frontier or boundary), designated by NATO as SS-X-31, is a Russian solid-fueled intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a nuclear warhead, of which the range bracket just barely classifies it as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It is equipped with a thermonuclear MIRV or MaRV payload, and is also intended to be capable of carrying the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. The RS-26 is based on RS-24 Yars, and constitutes a shorter version of the RS-24 with one fewer stages.
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wikidata · Q16271690 · wikipedia · RS-26 Rubezh
In this article
Overview
Overview
The development process of the RS-26 has been largely comparable to that of the RSD-10 Pioneer, a shortened derivative of the RT-21 Temp 2S. Deployment of the RS-26 is speculated to have a similar strategic impact as the RSD-10.
Key facts
Key facts
• Is Missile — yes • Name — RS-26 Rubezh • Type — intermediate-range ballistic missile • Origin — Russia • Used By — Russian Strategic Missile Troops • Designer — Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology • Propellant — solid, third or fourth stage (warhead block) can be liquid • Production Date — 2011 • Engine — Solid-fueled (last stage or warhead block can have liquid) • Weight — 80,000 lb • Speed — over 20 Mach • Vehicle Range — 5800 km demonstrated • Altitude — Several tens of km • Filling — 4x each 150/300 Kt MIRV, payload; modified version of Avangard 800 kg • Guidance — Inertial with GLONASS • Accuracy — 90-250 m CEP • Launch Platform — Road-mobile TEL
History
History
After an unsuccessful test launch in September 2011, it was test-launched successfully on 26 May 2012, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in north-western Russia, hitting its target minutes later 5,800 km away at the Kura Missile Test Range on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Further tests were performed successfully from Kapustin Yar to Sary Shagan in 2012 and 2013. In 2018, it was reported that procurement of the RS-26 by the state armament plan until 2027 (GPV-27) had been frozen, with funding diverted toward continued procurement of the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle.
Rumored operational use
Rumored operational use
According to the Ukrainian Air Force and Ukrainska Pravda, on 21 November 2024, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation launched an unspecified number of conventionally armed (i.e. non-nuclear) RS-26 missiles, reportedly targeting critical infrastructure in the city of Dnipro in central Ukraine. Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked to confirm this, and at the time, replied that he "had nothing to say on this topic". A Western official stated that the missile used in the attack in question was not an ICBM. Later that day, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the strike had indeed not been performed by an ICBM, but a new model of IRBM, the Oreshnik, using a non-nuclear hypersonic payload.
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- Russia
Political criticism
The missile was criticized by Western defense observers for indirectly breaching the (now defunct) Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), which prohibited the U.S. and Russia from possessing nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and missile launchers with ranges of 500–5,500 km. The RS-26 missile was demonstrated with a light or no payload, extending its range beyond the proscribed 5500 km limit of the treaty; however, all subsequent tests were flights with significantly shorter ranges that fell within the treaty prohibitions. The RS-26 was twice tested at a distance of about 2000 km. According to The National Interest, the RS-26 is exactly the same concept and a direct replacement for the RSD-10 Pioneer—known to NATO as the SS-20 Saber—which was banned under the INF treaty. The RS-26 is designed to pose a strategic threat to European capitals and has the ability to target NATO forces in Western Europe. According to an article by Jeffrey Lewis entitled "The problem with Russia's missiles", the purpose of these weapons is to deter Western forces from coming to the aid of NATO's newer eastern members that are located closer to Russia's borders.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.RS-26 Rubezh - Intercontinental ballistic missile.
- 2.Detailed analysis of Russia's Oreshnik hypersonic missile strike on Ukraine. 28 November 2024.
- 3.Missile Defense Project, "RS-26 Rubezh," Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International Studies. missilethreat.csis.org. April 23, 2024.
- 4.Kristensen, Hans. Russian ICBM Force Modernization: Arms Control Please!. Federation of American Scientists. 7 May 2014.
- 5.RS-26 Rubezh / Avangard - Road Mobile ICBM. GlobalSecurity.org.
- 6.Russia's hypersonic trump card edges closer to reality. Russia Beyond. 23 Oct 2013.
- 7.Forss, Stefan. Russia's New Intermediate Range Missiles - Back to the 1970s. Atlantic Council. 6 April 2017.
- 8.BBC. Russia tests secret missile after Nato shield launched. BBC News. 23 May 2012.
- 9.Podvig, Pavel. Russia tests prototype of a new ICBM. Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. 23 May 2012.
- 10.Missile Threat. Russia to create new missiles to compete with U.S. 9 January 2013.
- 11.Podvig, Pavel. New ICBM tested in Kapustin Yar. Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. 24 October 2012.
- 12.Podvig, Pavel. Russia continues tests of new ICBM, named Rubezh. Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. 6 June 2013.
- 13.Avangard hypersonic missiles replace Rubezh ICBMs in Russia's armament plan through 2027.
- 14.Alona Mazurenko. Russians launch Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for first time ever. Ukrainska Pravda. 21 November 2024.
- 15.Hardaker, Daniel. Ukraine-Russia war live: Russia 'fires intercontinental ballistic missile' at Ukraine for first time. The Telegraph. 2024-11-21. 0307-1235.
- 16.Radford, Haley. The latest on Russia's war in Ukraine: Live updates. CNN. 2024-11-21.
- 17.Ukraine war latest: Putin says Russia hit Ukraine with new intermediate-range ballistic missile. BBC News.
- 18.Sauer, Pjotr. Putin says Russia fired experimental ballistic missile into Ukraine. The Guardian. 2024-11-21.
- 19.Golts, Aleksandr. Russia's Rubezh Ballistic Missile Disappears off the Radar. Eurasia Daily Monitor. Jamestown Foundation. 14. 119. 27 September 2017.
- 20.Majumdar, Dave. Russia's Dangerous Nuclear Forces are Back. The National Interest. 14 February 2017.
- 21.Lewis, Jeffrey. The problem with Russia's missiles. Foreign Policy. 29 July 2014.
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