RS-28 Sarmat ICBM

RS-28 Sarmat (NATO reporting name: SS-29 Satan II) is Russia's newest heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), designed to replace the aging R-36M2 Voevoda (NATO: SS-18 Satan) ICBMs. Sarmat represents the cornerstone of Russia's strategic nuclear modernization.

Key aspects of Sarmat:

1. Technical specifications:

• Type: Heavy ICBM (silos-based)
• Designer: Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau (with Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology)
• Producer: Votkinsk Machine Building Plant
• Range: Approximately 18,000 km (effectively global)
• Payload: Up to 10 tons (multiple warheads or penetration aids)
• Warheads: Up to 10 MIRV warheads or Avangard HGV payload
• Propulsion: Two-stage liquid propellant
• First stage: New liquid propellant engine

2. Avangard HGV carrier: One of Sarmat's key roles is as the launch vehicle for the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). The Avangard HGV uses plasma stealth technology to defeat missile defense systems. Sarmat boosts Avangard to the appropriate speed and altitude, after which the HGV detaches and glides to the target at Mach 20+ speeds.

3. Timeline:

• April 2022: First successful flight test
• September 2023: Declared combat operational
• November 2024: Test failure — silo detonation at Plesetsk destroyed the test silo, setting back the program
• May 12, 2026: Second confirmed successful test, recovery from the 2024 failure
• End 2026: First regiment planned at 62nd Missile Division (Uzhur, Krasnoyarsk Krai)

4. Strategic significance:

• Replaces the Soviet-era R-36M2 Voevoda (Satan) ICBMs
• Global range allows attack from any direction, including over the South Pole
• Avangard HGV payload provides missile defense penetration capability
• Heavy payload allows large numbers of warheads and penetration aids
• Liquid propellant provides high energy but requires longer preparation time than solid propellant ICBMs

5. Connection to Russian strategic forces:

• Sarmat is operated by the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces
• The 62nd Missile Division at Uzhur will receive the first Sarmat regiment
• Sarmat complements the road-mobile Yars ICBM and the submarine-launched Bulava SLBM
• Together with Avangard, Kinzhal, Zircon, Burevestnik, and Oreshnik, Sarmat is part of Putin's six 'next-generation' weapons announced in March 2018

6. Test failure and recovery:

• The November 2024 silo detonation was a significant setback
• The May 2026 successful test demonstrated recovery
• The program's reliability remains a question given the limited number of successful tests
• Despite setbacks, Sarmat remains the centerpiece of Russian strategic modernization

Sarmat represents Russia's commitment to maintaining a credible strategic nuclear deterrent through the 2050s. The Avangard HGV integration provides missile defense penetration capability that addresses Russian concerns about US missile defense systems. The November 2024 test failure and May 2026 recovery highlight the challenges of developing and fielding a new heavy ICBM.