RSM-56 Bulava (SS-NX-30) Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

The RSM-56 Bulava (Russian: Булава, lit. "mace", NATO reporting name SS-NX-30 or SS-N-32, GRAU index 3M30, 3K30) is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed for the Russian Navy and deployed in 2013 on the new Borei class of ballistic missile nuclear submarines. It is intended as the future cornerstone of Russia's nuclear triad, and is the most expensive weapons project in the country. The weapon takes its name from bulava, a Russian word for mace. Designed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, development of the missile was launched in the late 1990s as a replacement for the R-39 Rif solid-fuel SLBM. The Project 955/955A Borei-class submarines carry 16 missiles per vessel. Development and deployment of the Bulava missile within the Russian Navy is not affected by the enforcement of the new START treaty. A source in the Russian defense industry told TASS on June 29, 2018 that the D-30 missile system with the R-30 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile had been accepted for service in the Russian Navy after its successful four-missile salvo launch tests in 2018. The Bulava missile was developed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology under the leadership of chief designer Yury Solomonov. Although it utilizes some engineering solutions used for the recent RT-2PM2 Topol-M ICBM, the new missile has been developed virtually from scratch. Bulava is both lighter and more sophisticated than the Topol-M.[citation needed] The two missiles are expected to have comparable ranges, and similar CEP and warhead configurations.[citation needed] Bulava has a declared START throw weight of 1150 kg to 9,500 kilometers. The missile has three stages; the first and second stages use solid fuel propellant, while the third stage uses a liquid fuel to allow high maneuverability during warhead separation. The missile can be launched from an inclined position, allowing a submarine to fire them while moving.[citation needed] It has a low flight trajectory, and due to this could be classified as a quasi-ballistic missile. It possesses advance missile defense evasion capabilities making it resistant to any missile-defense systems. Borei-class submarines carrying Bulava missiles are expected to be an integral part of the Russian nuclear triad until 2040. Bulava can be loaded on TEL road mobile launchers, on railway BZhRK trains and other various launchers