Russia to build 100-ton ICBM to penetrate US missile defenses

Russia will develop a new liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile to overcome the U.S.’s prospective missile defense system, Strategic Missile Forces chief Lt. Gen. Sergei Karakayev said on Friday. A decision has been made to create a new silo-launched heavy missile that will have “enhanced capability to breach a hypothetical US missile defense system,” he said. The new missile will replace the Voyevoda R-36M2 Satan ICBM. Russia’s solid-propellant ICBMs may be unable to penetrate missile defenses, the general said. He also said the Strategic Missile Forces will test launch 11 ICBMs next year. The United States is building a missile defense system in Europe to protect against possible attack from ‘rogue states’ such as Iran. Karakayev said Iran has neither technology nor industrial potential to build ballistic missiles. There have been media reports about test launches of Iranian intercontinental ballistic missiles but the SMF doubts these missiles will have the effective range to reach Europe, he said.