Navy Commander: Strategic Subs to Receive SLBM Liner

09.02.2012 All serviceable strategic nuclear-powered submarines of Russian Navy will be armed with Liner ballistic missile which is the latest modernization of SLBM Sineva, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky told RIA Novosti.

"Presently, only subs on patrol are equipped with Liner missiles. But in prospect, all our serviceable strategic subs (Project 667BDRM Delfin and Project 667 BDR Calmar) will be armed with those missiles", the CinC said.

He specified that Liner is the latest upgrade of Sineva ballistic missile considerably improving its combat capability. "We don't need to commission it, Liner is an in-service missile passing modernization", Vysotsky said.

He pointed out that Sineva had quite good performance. "Indeed, it has the world's best performance characteristics among sea-based ballistic missiles", the admiral said.

According to open sources, submarine-launched ballistic missile Liner has flight performance similar to that of SLBM Sineva, although has more advanced antimissile barrier overcoming systems and larger flight range. In 2011, the Makeyev State Rocketry Center and Russian Defense Ministry held joint flight development tests under the Liner development project.

As for Makeyev center, Liner missile outclasses all present solid-propellant ballistic missiles of Great Britain, China, Russia, the US, and France as of weight-to-thrust ratio, and is compared to American Trident-II (meeting START-3 requirements) as of combat load (four middle-power warheads).

Liner missile is capable to carry 1.5-2 times as much low-power warheads as Bulava which can be armed with six low-power warheads. Besides, Liner may carry mixed set of warheads with different yield classes.