Type Strategic SLBM | In service since 1986 Weight 40.3 tonnes | |
Manufacturer Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant | ||
The R-29RM Shtil (NATO designation SS-N-23 Skiff) is a liquid propellant, submarine-launched ballistic missile in use by the Russian Navy. It has the alternate Russian designations RSM-54 and 3M27. It is designed to be launched from the Delta IV submarine, each of which is capable of carrying 16 missiles.
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Operation Behemoth
On 6 August 1991 at 21:09 Novomoskovsk, under the command of Captain Second Rank Sergey Yegorov, became the world's only submarine to successfully launch an all-missile salvo, launching 16 R-29RM (RSM-54) ballistic missiles of total weight of almost 700 tons in 244 seconds (operation code name "Behemoth-2"). The first and the last missiles hit their targets; the remaining missiles were intentionally caused to self-destruct in flight.
Previously, the largest number of missiles launched from a submerged SSBN was four Trident II missiles.
Performance
The R-29RM carries four 100 kiloton warheads and has a range of about 8,500 kilometres (5,300 mi).
End of service
The last boat carrying R-29RM, K-51 Verkhoturye, went into refit to be rearmed with the newer R-29RMU Sineva on 23 August 2010.