In photo: Russian intercontinental strategic missiles Topol-M move along Red Square during a Victory Day parade on Thursday, May 9, 2013.
Russia celebrated it’s Victory Day with a fine display of heavy intercontinental missiles, Tu-95 bombers that can easily reach the shores of the United States.
Topol intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) have been part of Russia’s military arsenal for many years now. We take a look at some deadly facts about the ICBM:
*Topol-M is a three-stage ballistic missile which can be deployed on both stationary and mobile launch platforms.
*The Topol-M ICBM is ground-based and has a range of 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles).
*The Topol missiles are a key part of Russia’s nuclear deterrent strategy.
*The new age Topol-M was a replacement of Russia’s aging Soviet-era missiles.
*Another variant of the Topol missiles, RS-12M Topol, called the SS-25 Sickle by NATO, has a maximum range of 10,000 km and can carry one 550-kiloton warhead.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
What’s the significance of these Topol launches out of Kapyar into Sary Shagan [five so far], only 2000 km range? And I’m looking for photographs of the Topol’s ‘combat stage’ [‘warhead bus’] and the thruster arrangement on it, to compare with strange shapes in the exhaust plume observed and videotaped from the ground. Please contact jamesEoberg at c-o-m-c-a-s-t d0t n-e-t with suggestions.