The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday it has scheduled a new round of test launches of its troubled Bulava missile for mid-June.
Despite several previous failures, officially blamed on manufacturing defects, the Russian military has insisted that there is no alternative to the Bulava and pledged to continue testing the missile until it is ready for service with the Navy.
“The launch will take place between June 15 and 17 from the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine [in the White Sea,]” the source said.
Russia is planning to conduct at least four Bulava test launches this year and deploy the missile on its new Borey class 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 Russian military expects the Bulava, along with Topol-M land-based ballistic missiles, to become the core of Russia’s nuclear triad.
MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti)