Russia Puts New Strategic Missiles on Combat Duty

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 30, 2002

Russia Puts New Strategic Missiles on Combat Duty

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The Russian Defense Ministry put six new-type Topol-M strategic missile systems on combat duty as planned in 2001, and is putting more mobile missile complexes in army service this year, Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Colonel-General Alexei Moskovsky, announced Tuesday.

"Another six Topol-Ms will be purchased by the Defense Ministry and be used in the Armed Forces this year," the general told reporters.

It takes 18 months to manufacture one Topol-M missile. The state program on the development of weapons until 2010, which the government adopted days ago, sets the rate of putting missiles on combat readiness, he said.

Topol-M is a most up-to-date intercontinental ballistic missile that was developed in 1990s and can be launched from either a silo or carrier. It adopts solid booster fuel, highly precise guiding systems and faster-launching technologies, featuring much higher flight speed than any other Russian strategic missiles.

Russian military experts say it can penetrate any missile defense umbrella.

In 1998, when 10 such systems were adopted, 40 percent of the governmental spending on arms purchases was channeled to the development of strategic forces, In 2001 and 2002, only 18 percent was assigned to the strategic rocket force, Moskovsky said.

Moscow plans to fully equip its strategic rocket force with such missiles by 2010.

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