The test launch of Russia’s Bulava ballistic missile has been postponed until a later date, a source in the Defense Ministry said on Monday.
November 28 was the planned launch date from the Yury Dolgoruky nuclear-powered submarine. It was supposed to be a two-missile salvo launch and an important phase in testing before the Bulava is put in service with the Russian Navy.
“The salvo launch of the Bulava has been moved to a later date which has not been determined yet,” the source said, adding that the postponement was due to “unfavorable weather conditions in the White Sea.”
The planned test would have been the fourth this year and the 18th overall. Despite several previous failures, officially blamed on manufacturing faults, the Russian military has insisted that the Bulava will be the main armament of the next generation of strategic submarines.
The Bulava (SS-NX-30) submarine-launched ballistic missile carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The three-stage missile is designed for deployment on Borey-class nuclear submarines.