The Sarmat RS-28 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), touted by Russia as “the deadliest missile in the world,” has now been deployed or on combat alert. This statement was made by Yury Borisov, Head of Roscosmos, Russian Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The RS-28 Sarmat is Russia's latest generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which serves as a core element of a silo-based strategic deterrence in the country of the Red Bear. In an open lecture organized by Russia's Knowledge Society on September 1, 2023, the head of Roscosmos announced that the Sarmat strategic system had been placed in a "combat alert posture."
"The Sarmat ICBM system has been put in combat alert mode," said Borisov. However, the head of Roscosmos refrained from disclosing the exact deployment date or location during the announcement. The first launch of the Sarmat ICBM was carried out on April 20, 2022 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region. This event occurred just a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The launch objectives were successfully met, and the missile design parameters were validated during flight. In addition, the training warheads reached their designated objectives within the training range at Kura on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned at the time that the missile would be "used" against other countries trying to threaten Russia. In November 2022, Russia announced that the RS-28 Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) had entered serial production. Putin stated on February 23 that the Sarmat system would enter combat service in Russia the same year.
Furthermore, on June 21, Putin reiterated that the Sarmat strategic complex would be ready to take on combat duty "in the near future." In light of the new announcement from the head of Roscosmos, the missile has now been deployed for combat duty.
The RS-28 Sarmat, nicknamed the “Monster Missile” or Satan II by the West, is recognized as Russia's most formidable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), featuring a super-heavy design armed with a thermonuclear warhead capable of reaching intercontinental ranges.
The missile was introduced at Russia's State of the Union address in 2018 and was touted by Vladimir Putin as a "next-generation" weapon capable of evading any missile defense system.
According to details disclosed during Army 2019, the RS-28 Sarmat has an impressive range of 18,000 kilometers and a large launch displacement of over 200 tons, with 178 tons used as fuel. The dimensions of the missile include a diameter of 3 meters and an overall length of 35.5 meters.
According to Russian claims, this missile is unique in terms of its unrivaled speed (allegedly above Mach 20). The missile stands out for its incredible speed and range, unmatched precision and ability to penetrate anti-missile defense systems without vulnerability.
Sarmat can carry 15 light nuclear warheads simultaneously, allowing one missile to potentially attack multiple targets simultaneously due to the configuration of these warheads as Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs).
The Sarmat is intended to replace the Soviet-designed R-36M2 Voyevoda ICBM, which was originally developed in 1962 and can carry three warheads.
In contrast, the Sarmat weighs 200 metric tons (220 tons) and has a much wider range, allowing it to travel across the North or South poles and strike targets anywhere in the world, as noted by Putin in 2018.
In addition, the Sarmat can carry a larger number of more powerful nuclear warheads. Initially, Moscow had set a deadline for completing trials of the Sarmat by 2021, with the aim of getting it into the military arsenal soon.
The Russian Ministry of Defense frequently emphasizes that the Sarmat has the most incredible destructive range and is the most powerful missile globally. This is expected to significantly increase the combat capabilities of the country's strategic nuclear forces.