Bulava trials to be resumed not sooner than Nov 2010

21.05.2010 Tests of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava will be resumed not sooner than Nov 2010, said Russian defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov after talks recently held in Rome between Russian and Italian defense and foreign ministers.

Bulava will become a basis of maritime strategic nuclear forces; new submarines designed for this missile have been already laid down. However, only 5 out of 12 test launches were successful. The latest launch of Bulava was carried out on Dec 9, 2009 and also failed. Date of further tests has been postponed several times; previously, it was said that the subsequent launch would be executed late June.

"The cause of Bulava faulty tests lies in assembly procedure. We haven't seen any other reasons. The fact is that assembling process quality is still poor. Each launching failure has different cause", said Serdiukov.

He added that three absolutely identical missiles are being currently developed. "We assume this will help to find the defect, since it would occur in all three missiles. Now we work on assembly control to make sure all missiles are identical", said the minister.

Therefore, resumption of Bulava test launches will happen not earlier than in autumn 2010, concluded Serdiukov. "I think we could start missile launches in November", said the minister.

Experts could draw conclusion and precisely name the reason of faulty launches only after new test launches of the three missiles are finished, added the head of defense ministry.

"Then we would know the reason for sure", said Serdiukov.