Russia Finished Development of SLBM Liner

24.02.2012 The Makeyev State Rocketry Center has completed development work on submarine-based ballistic missile (SLBM) Liner. "Central inter-agency board has finished design documentation, and today state commission prepared a recommendation to put missile system Liner into batch production", the Makeyev center's director Vladimir Degtyar told Interfax.

Test launches of SLBM Liner were held on May 20 and Sept 29, 2011. Interfax reported early in October referring to a source in Russian Navy Main HQ that flight development program of the missile had been completed and Liner would be commissioned in the nearest time. Russian Navy will operate this missile along with R-29MU2 Sineva.

In Feb 2012 Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM Vladimir Vysotsky said SLBM Liner was not in need of commissioning, since "it is existent missile passing modernization". As for him, strategic submarines patrolling the World Ocean were first to receive the upgraded missiles; however, in prospect all submarines of Project 667BDRM Delfin and Project 667BDR Calmar will be rearmed with SLBM Liner.

SLBM Liner is modernized version of SLBM Sineva distinguished by more advanced antimissile barrier overcoming system and increased number of re-entry vehicles. Particularly, the new missile is capable to deliver up to 12 low-yield or up to 4 middle-yield re-entry vehicles, or combined payload. Thanks to the Liner rearmament, service life of northeast Delfin-class submarine force will be prolonged until 2025-2030.