Special panel: Bulava trials must be resumed

01.07.2010 Special state panel which conducted inquiry into reasons of the latest faulty test launch of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava came to conclusion that the missile trials should be resumed, reported RIA Novosti citing Vladimir Popovkin, Deputy Minister of Defense at international forum Engineering Technology 2010 held in Zhukovsky, Russia.

The panel has finished its work in June, added Popovkin.

RIA Novosti previously reported referring to a source in defense industry that results of investigation would be promulgated on May 30; however, it has not happened so far.

Test launches of SLBM Bulava are to be conducted in the White Sea this summer. For the first time the missile will be launched from the standard carrier, SSBN Yury Dolgoruky.

Launch from Yury Dolgoruky will help to assess how the missile matches the sub; both of them will be commissioned into Russian Navy simultaneously. Also, SLBM Bulava will be launched from SSBN Dmitry Donskoy which performed all previous launches.

Twelfth test launch of SLBM Bulava failed; the missile was launched from submerged SSBN Dmitry Donskoy on Dec 9 at the White Sea. Unstable operation of third stage engine was registered during the missile flight; it deviated from required track. According to Vedomosti, reason of the latest faulty launch was manufacturing defect - breakdown of solid engine thrust control mechanism made by NPO Iskra (Perm).

Seven out of twelve Bulava launches were considered unsuccessful, one – entirely successful. As explained by a source of ITAR-TASS, failure origin is so called "sliding breakdown" every time appearing at another place. According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, all test launches of Bulava cost Russia not less than 100 bln rub.

Bulava is a submarine-launched ballistic missile. It is designed for destruction of critical strategic targets at enemy territory. Bulava missiles are planned to be based on Project 941 Akula submarines (example – Dmitry Donskoy) and Project 955 Borei (Yury Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky, Vladimir Monomakh). SLBM Bulava is currently under development in Moscow Thermotechnics Institute.

Presently, Bulava passes pre-commission test launches from SSBN Dmitry Donskoy. The missile production will be established at FSUE Votkinsky Zavod which produces ICBM Topol-M as well.

It is expected that Bulava will stop aging of Russian sea-based nuclear force and even change it in degree. According to the missile's general designer Yury Solomonov, neither current and prospective US ballistic missile defense system nor being developed German, French and Japanese BMD systems would be capable to track Bulava.

CHARACTERISTICS

Number of stages: 3
Length with warhead: 12.1 meters
Length without warhead: 11.5 meters
Diameter: 2 meters
Launch weight: 36.8 tons
Throw-weight: 1,150
Fuel type: solid mixture
Flight range: 8,000 km
Warhead type: multiple, nuclear, jettisonable
Number of warheads: 6
Yield: 6 x 150 kiloton
Guidance: autonomous, inertial, by on-board digital computer complex