FAS | Nuke | Guide | Russia | ICBM |||| Index | Search |



R-36 / SS-9 SCARP

The R-36 (8K67) ballistic missile, known in the west as the SS-9 SCARP, was a a two-stage, tandem, storable liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile-uses an all-inertial guidance system and according to Western estimates had a CEP of 0.4 to 0.5 nm.

The R-36 missile was derived from the experience gained during the development of the R-16 missile, and the first stage of the two missiles are very similar. The propulsion system of the first stage R-36 consisted of three open-cycle rocket engines with two combustion chambers and a four-chambered control engine. The second stage comprised a single engine with two combustion chambers. The oxidizer and fuel tanks of the second stage was the first Soviet ICBM to incorporated a common bulkhead, all propellant tanks were synchronously drained. Asymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide were used as propellants, and during flight gaseous combustion products were used to pressurize the fuel tanks. In order to increase accuracy the guidance system was originally planned to encompass a combination of an autonomous inertial system and radio-control. However, the deployed missile only disposed of an autonomous, inertial guidance/control system that provided the required accuracy.

The SS-9's combination of high accuracy and yield constituted a convincing threat for the American ICBMs for the first time. The SS-9 was viewed in the United States as specifically designed to attack American Minuteman ICBM Launch Control Centers (LCCs), which initially were the "Achilles heel" of the Minuteman system, as 100 LCCs controlled all 1,000 Minuteman missiles. However, by 1969, as a result of redundant internetting of Minuteman silos and a backup airborne launch control system, the LCCs no longer were the "achilles heel" of Minuteman, so building one SS-9 for each Minuteman silo required MIRVed systems.

Four payload variants were tested and deployed.

The development of the R-36 missile in its heavy, light and orbital version began after its approval by the Soviet government on 16 April 1962. The leading developer was KB Yuzhnoye (OKB-586). The flight-design tests of the ballistic missiles (8K67) began on 28 September 1963, though the first Mod 1 flight test was not detected by Western intelligence until 03 December 1963. The flight-design tests of the R-36 missile were conducted at the Baikonur cosmodrome. The tests of the 8K67 ballistic missiles lasted from 28 September 1963 though May 1966.

The missile was placed in a silo of 41.5 meters deep with a shaft diameter of 8.3 meters and a door-diameter of 4.64 meters. Unlike the silo of the R-16U missile, the launch platform was not rotary, and the missile was directed to its trajectory (azimuthal guidance) through an onboard command structure after it left the silo. The SS-9 was deployed in individual, dispersed silos hardened to withstand 500-psi overpressure from a 1-MT weapon. The reaction time in the normal readiness condition is three to five minutes, with an unlimited hold time in that condition.

According to Western estimates, the initial operational capability for the SS-9 system, with both the Mod 1 and Mod 2 single reentry vehicle variants was reached in early 1966. According to Russian sources, the first regiment equipped with R-36 missiles was placed on alert on 05 November 1966, deployment of the 8K67 ballistic missiles began on 21 July 1967, and on 26 October 1970 deployment of the multiple-warhead variant began. Between 1965 and 1973 a total of 268 launchers for the R-36 missiles were constructed. Their replacement by the MIRVed R-36P began in 1975. The R-36 ballistic missile was phased out in 1978. The missile was ready for launch during its whole period of service that was originally fixed at five years but subsequently extended to 7.5 years.

Specifications

 

Mod-1

Mod-2

Mod-3

Mod-4

DIA

SS-9

SS-9

SS-9

SS-9

NATO

Scarp

Scarp

Scarp/ FOBS

Scarp/ MRV

Bilateral

       

Service

R-36

R-36

R-36O

R-36P

OKB/Industry

8K67

8K67

8K69

8K67P

Design Bureau

OKB-586 (Acad. M. K. Yangel)

OKB-586 (Acad. M. K. Yangel)

OKB-586 (Acad. M. K. Yangel)

OKB-586 (Acad. M. K. Yangel)

Approved

4/16/1962

4/16/1962

1/12/1965

 

Years of R&D

   

1962-1966

1967- 1968

Engineering and Testing

1963-1966

1963-1966

1965-1969

1968-1970

First Flight Test

9/23/1963

10/10/1964

12/16/65

8/23/1968

IOC

11/05/1966

1966

08/25/66

1970

Deployment Date

7/21/1967 &

7/21/1967

11/19/68

10/26/1970

Type of Warhead

Single

Single

Orbital

Multiple

Warheads

1

1

1

3

Yield (Mt)
(Russian Sources)

5

10

5

2.0-3.5

Yield (Mt)
(Western Sources)

12-18

18-25

1-3

Payload (t)

5.825

3.95

1.7

6

Total length (m)

32.2

31.7

32.6-34.5

32.2

Total length w/o warhead (m)

       

Missile Diameter (m)

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

Launch Weight (t)

183.9

179 -183.89

180

183.9

Fuel Weight (t)

166.9-170.2

166.2

166.2

166.2

Range(km)

10,200

15,200-15,500

40,000

10,200-12,000

CEP (m)
(Russian Sources)

1,300-1,900

1,300-1,900

1,100

1,340-1,970

CEP (m)
(Western Sources)

900-920

920

1,800-5,500

1,850

Number of Stages

2

Canister length (m)

 

Canister length w/o

front meters (m)

 

Canister diameter (m)

 

Booster guidance system

Inertial, autonomous

1st stage 2nd stage
Length (m) 18.99.4
Body diameter (m) 33
Fueled weight (t) 121.7 -122.3 (118.7) 48.5 - 49.3
Dry weight (t) 6.43.7 Total =17.737
Engine Designation RD-251 (8D723) RD-252
Design Bureau Acad. V. P.Glushko (OKB-456) Acad. V. P. Glushko (OKB-456)
Configuration Cluster of three main engines, 6 chambers One engine 2 chambers
Configuration Yuzhnoy Yuzhnoy
RD-68M / RD-855 RD-854
One engine 4 chambers One engine 4 chambers
Propellants Liquid Storable Liquid Storable
Fuel UDMH UDMH
Oxidizer AT =Nitrogen tetroxide AT=Nitrogen tetroxide = NTO
Main Engines Burning time (sec.) 120, 160
Verniers Burning time (sec.) 127163
Verniers Thrust Sea Level/Vacuum (Tonnes) Yuzhnoy RD-68M / Yuzhnoy RD-69M /
RD-855 RD-856
29.15.53
Main engines Thrust Sea Level/Vacuum (Tonnes) 241 / 270.4 96 Vacuum
Total Thrust Sea Level/Vacuum (Tonnes) 270.1 / 303 101.53 B 102.9982
Vernier Engine Specific Impulse Sea Level/Vacuum (sec.) Vernier Engine Vernier Engine
254 / 292 280.5 Vacuum
Main Engines Specific Impulse Sea Level/Vacuum (sec.) Main Engines Main Engine
269 -270 /301 317.6 Vacuum

Basing Mode

Silo

Hardness

 

Launching Technique

Hot launch

Deployed boosters

0

Test Boosters

 

Warheads Deployed

0

Training Launchers

 

Space Booster Variant

Yes - SL-10 / F-1-r, Mod-3, FOBS

SL-11 / F-1-m, Tsyklon - 2

SL-14 / F-2, Tsyklon - 3

Deployment Sites

START

Locale US-Designation

Aleysk

Aleysk

Derzhavinsk

Imeni Gastello

Dombarovskiy

Dombarovskiy

Kartaly

Kartaly

Uzhur

Uzhur

Zhangiz Tobe

Zhangiz Tobe

Historical Review - Western Estimates

First flight test, Mod 1 RV December 3, 1963
First flight test, Mod 2 RV prototype October 10, 1964
First flight test, Mod 3 RV 1965
Initial operational capability
Mod 1 and 2 Early 1966
Mod 4 subsystem design began Early 1967
First flight test, Mod 4 RV August 23, 1968
Initial operational capability Mod 4 RV 1971
Maximum operational launcher inventory achieved 1971

Sources and Resources



FAS | Nuke | Guide | Russia | ICBM |||| Index | Search |


http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/icbm/r-36.htm
Implemented by John Pike, Charles Vick, Mirko Jacubowski, and Patrick Garrett
Maintained by Webmaster
Updated Saturday, July 29, 2000 10:17:36 AM