Russian media suddenly published detailed photos of the Satan intercontinental ballistic missile, which can carry 14 nuclear warheads

Russian state media have published unprecedented photos of the R-36M2 intercontinental ballistic missile (NATO classification: SS-18 Mod 5 Satan).

Here's What We Know

The R-36M2 Satan is a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile of silo launch. Development began in the 1980s to replace the R-36 missile. According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), the Satan has one of the heaviest payloads in the world.

The R-36M2 has a total length of 37.25 meters, a diameter of about 3 meters, and a mass of 211 tons with a full payload. You can assess the dimensions of intercontinental missiles of China, Russia and North Korea in the image below.

For comparison, the American Minuteman III is less than 19 meters long and weighs about 40 tons at launch. The larger LGM-118A Peacekeeper was 21.1 meters long and had a diameter of 2.35 meters and a launch weight of 98 tons. This missile was decommissioned in 2005.

The huge size of the R-36M2 can be seen in the published photos. It is capable of carrying 14 nuclear warheads arranged in two rows of seven. The total yield is not known. Some sources state that the power is 550-750 kilotons. Others claim one megaton. Normally the missile carries ten nuclear warheads. The rest are occupied by decoys and equipment, which makes it difficult for the enemy to analyze the R-36M2.

The photo also shows the four rocket engines. They are mounted in the rear and are used for positioning in space before releasing the warheads.

An interesting feature of the R-36M2 is the nose fairing, which looks like an aerodynamic spike. Such solutions are used to reduce drag. For example, in Trident missiles, which are used by Ohio-class submarines of the US Navy. By the way, one submarine recently entered the Mediterranean Sea. In the case of the Soviet-Russian missile, the protrusion is part of the system for disconnecting the bow cone from the cargo bay.

Why the Russians decided to publish detailed images of the missile in the public domain remains a mystery. In the foreseeable future the R-36M2 Satan will be replaced with the new RS-28 Sarmat (NATO classification: SS-X-30 Satan 2) missiles. It is not known when this will happen. "Sarmats" were supposed to go to the silos last year, but Russia started having problems developing them even without the big wave of sanctions that have been heaped on it since February 24, 2022 as a response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Source: The Drive