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The Bulava ICBM is capable of carrying nuclear warheads from a 4th generation nuclear submarine.
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RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Russia announced today that it has successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads from a fourthgeneration nuclear submarine.
The launch of the Boulava missile, the first in about a year, comes just days after Russia withdrew its ratification of the Comprehensive NuclearTestBan Treaty (CTBT).
“The new strategic nuclear submarine ‘Emperor Alexander III’ successfully fired the intercontinental ballistic missile ‘Boulava’ from the White Sea,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The missile reached its target at a test site on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s far east at the “scheduled time,” the same source said, citing AFP.
With a range of 8,000 kilometers and 12 meters in length, the “Boulava” (SSNX30 in the NATO classification) can be equipped with 10 nuclear warheads.
According to the Russian army, the submarine “Emperor Alexander III” is equipped with 16 “Boulava” missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law revoking the ratification of the Total NuclearTestBan Treaty on the 2nd.
Russian officials said the revocation does not mean that Russia will resume nuclear testing, at least for now, as “the moratorium remains in effect,” according to Spanish news agency EFE.