SS-N-18 Stingray / RSM-50

667bdr Delta III class

R-29R Ballistic Missile of D-9R Complex

Designed to destroy strategic targets at intercontinental ranges. Adopted for operation with the Navy in 1977. The missiles were installed on strategic missile-carrying submarine for the project 667BDR with a set of 16 missiles.

The missile comprised a number of new technical solutions:

creation of warhead with multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles (MIRV);
possibility to equip the missile with warheads of different configurations;
use of astro-correction system and significant improvement of firing accuracy;
creation of small and high-speed reentry vehicles with low radius of dispersion at atmospheric phase of trajectory.

The R-29R missile has a two-stage configuration, with stages having the same diameter. It has liquid-propellant engines on the 1st and 2nd stages and a warhead which allows using any of three replaceable warheads (monoblock, with three reentry vehicles and with seven reentry vehicles).

At present as prescribed by Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty 1 (START 1) the missiles carry a three-RV warhead.

The cases of the 1st and 2nd stages consist of wafer-type tank shells made of aluminum-magnesium alloy, a two-layer intermediate and single-layer rear and front bottoms.

The first-stage propulsion system is a two-unit system consisting of stationary main engine and two gimbaled chambers of the steering system. The second stage uses a gimbaled single-chamber motor. Pitch and yaw control is provided by turning the engine at respective plane, whereas roll control is accomplished by redistribution of exhaust gases from the turbine and their injection to the nozzles of roll control. The missile stages are separated by energy of pressurized gases of the 1st stage, and rigid case between the stages is destroyed by extended explosive charge. The filling and encapsulation of the missile tanks are made at the factory.

The upper stage of the missile consists of an instrument, engine and a warhead sections.

The self-contained control system with the equipment providing for the complete astro-correction of the missile trajectory is composed in the missile nose in a sealed instrument section with astro-dome which is dropped in flight. Use on the missile of the complete astro-correction system which calculates and compensates all errors made by the submarine’s navigation complex in recognition of both the direction and position of submarine in firing substantially improved the accuracy of firing.

Structurally, the instrument section is divided into two sections by sealed bottom. The first section houses a three-axis gyrostabilizer with astro-sighting device. The control system equipment is mounted on a frame without individual shock absorbers for its elements, however the frame is attached to the airframe by means of shock absorber.

Such method of installation of the control system devices allowed increasing the density of their composition in the instrumentation section.

The engine section of the upper stage includes a four-chamber liquid-propellant engine, propellant tanks and a case and provides for the individual targeting of each reentry vehicle at large distance. On the outside surface of the case the engine combustion chambers and nozzles are mounted and inside - propellant tanks which have the shapes of toroid parts. The engine’s automatic control elements and the steering actuator are arranged in the central part of the section. The engine has an open-loop configuration with turbine-pump fuel supply system. Pitch and roll control is provided by redistribution of thrusts of a pair of chambers placed in respective stabilization planes.

The warhead section accommodates reentry vehicles, a frame, cables and a reentry vehicles fixing and release device. It occupies the area formed by the concave upper bottom of the 2nd stage fuel tank. The reentry vehicles are mounted on the frame and separated in flight by command of the control system.

The instrument section with control system is changeable. Reentry vehicles and the instrument section can be replaced without uploading the missile from the launch tube. Missiles may be launched from under-water position being at depth from 40 to 50 m as well as from above-water.

The R-29R (RSM-50) is a two-stage intercontinental missile in service with the D-9R shipborne strategic missile system. It can be outfitted with either a monoblock or MIRVed warhead.

SS-N-18 Mods 1 and 3 were the first multiple warhead Soviet SLBMs. Given these missiles' inaccuracy and the fact that several may have been replaced aboard the Delta IIIs by the more advanced SS-N-23, this missile may be phased out in the near future. There have been conflicting statements about this possibility (see description of Delta III SSBN). In 1991, the Russians announced that all their SS-N-18s had been downloaded to three missiles, presumably in the Mod 1 configuration. Also, the SS-N-18 has been proposed to launch small satellites into low earth orbit, under the name "Volyna."



The D-9R and D-9 missile systems are noted for the high degree of unification of their ground support equipment, launch systems, as well as routine and pre-launch preparation procedures.