Russia said that its RS-28 Sarmat nuclear ballistic missile possesses a unique feature that makes it able to overcome enemy defense systems.
The Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) is equipped with the most advanced highly-maneuverable warheads, said Boris Degtyar, CEO of the JSC Makeyev Design Bureau National Missile Centre.
He also revealed that Sarmat Nuclear Ballistic Missiles are very difficult to neutralize by interception.
Specifically, the Sarmat’s control system is designed to allow this missile to continue its journey even if it is hit by enemy defence systems.
“The Sarmat’s advanced control system has the ability to adjust the trajectory using GLONASS, which helps to ensure the ability to aim with high accuracy, even after being hit by enemy defence systems” he said.
GLONASS is a russian global positioning system based on satellites similar to the US GPS.
“The rapid acceleration makes Sarmat able to defeat enemy air defense systems in the active phase” he said.
In addition, the enemy cannot accurately calculate the trajectory of the Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Warheads, it is very difficult for the enemy to detect them, because they are equipped with special type of equipments design to function stealthy when flying even in the atmosphere, the Russian Official said.
Degtyar said that Sarmat will easily “neutralize any NATO development” with its “superior flight performance” and “scientific and technical solutions as well as modern technology used in the manufacturing process of the ICBM and its sub-systems.
He also added that the Sarmat has superior power compared to its predecessor R-36M2 Satan, a key element of the Russian Nuclear Triad.
Degtyar believes that, once this system is deployed, it will became a reliable shield for Russia against its enemies.
Earlier Russian Defence Ministry said that, “Sarmat is the most powerful ICBM with the largest range in the world. It will significantly increase the combat power of Russia’s strategic nuclear armed forces.”
The RS-28 Sarmat is a russian silo-launched missile system with an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile System powered by liquid propellant propulsion.
This missile is under development since the 2000s to replace R-36M2 ICBM. The Sarmat is one of the six new Russian strategic weapons unveiled by Russian president Vladimir Putin on 1 March 2018.
The RS-28 Sarmat made its first test flight on 20 April 2022, and the Russian government expects the missile is entering service in 2022.
On August 16, 2022, a state contract was signed for the manufacture and supply of the Sarmat strategic missile system.
The RS-28 Sarmat is capable of carrying about 10 tonnes of payload, for either up to 10 heavy or 15 light MIRV warheads, an unspecified number of Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) or a combination of warheads and several countermeasures against anti-ballistic missile systems.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the missile is Russia’s response to the U.S. Prompt Global Strike system.
Sarmat has a short boost phase, which shortens the interval when it can be tracked by satellites with infrared sensors, such as the U.S. Space-Based Infrared System, making it more difficult to intercept.
It is speculated that the Sarmat could fly a trajectory over the South Pole, completely immune to any current missile defense system, and that it has the Fractional Orbital Bombardment (FOBS) capability.
According to various sources, RS-28’s launch sites are to be equipped with the “Mozyr” active protection system, designed to negate a potential adversary’s first strike advantage by discharging a cloud of metal arrows or balls kinetically destroying incoming bombs, cruise missiles and ICBM warheads at altitudes of up to 6 km.