Posted on 06/16/2003 9:51:22 AM PDT by knighthawk
Moscow, 16 June: The Russian Strategic Missile Troops [RSMT] together with the [Moscow-based] Askond company have started the programme of scrapping train-mounted mobile strategic missile systems, decommissioned from the land-based strategic nuclear forces. The decommissioning is part of Russia's obligations under the Soviet-American Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START-1), the RSMT press service told ITAR-TASS today.
In accordance with the approved procedure for disposal of railway-based missile systems, not all their components will be scrapped, but mobile launching systems alone. These launching systems are used for transporting, storing and launching three-stage solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) RS-22B (SS-24 Scalpel by western classification).
Since 1989, 36 RS-22B ICBM have been deployed at the RSMT. A railway-based missile regiment consists of a train with three diesel engines and 17 carriages, including three railway mobile launching systems with Scalpel missiles. Every railway-based missile system is an equivalent of a nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles on combat duty. Each of 12 systems on combat duty moves constantly in different directions across Russia.
[Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English, 0548 gmt 16 June, quoted the RSMT press service as saying that the scrapping will be carried out at the Bryansk plant. It will be monitored by a US team of inspectors. Russia plans to destroy a total of six systems by the end of 2003, the report said.]
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