Artillery / Surface to surface missiles / RSD-10 Pioner

RSD-10 Pioner

General Facts

  • TYPE
    Intermediate-range ballistic missile

  • ORIGIN
    USSR

  • NICKNAMES
    SS-20 Saber (NATO reporting name)
    RT-21M (alternative Soviet designation) 15Zh45 (industrial designation)
    15Zh53 (industrial designation)

  • DESIGNED
    1968 - 1975

  • DESIGNER
    Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, program led by Alexander Nadiradze

  • PRODUCTION
    1976 - 1980's

  • PRODUCERS
    USSR - Votkinsk machine building plant

  • QUANTITY
    654 missiles plus 499 launche vehicles produced

  • UNIT COST
    Unknown

  • CHARACTERISTICS
    Powerful nuclear warhead with MIRV available
    Solid fuel motor allows for quick launch
    Very good mobility for a large missile
    Good accuracy allows for pinpoint strikes
    Relatively limited range

Introduction

The RSD-10 Pioner is a Cold War era intermediate range ballistic missile system with nuclear warheads of Soviet origin. In the West it is known by the NATO reporting name SS-20 Saber and it is also known as the RT-21M. The name RSD-10 Pioner stands for Raketa Sredney Dalnosti "Pioner", which is Russian for Medium-Range Missile "Pioneer". The RSD-10 was developed concurrently with the longer range RT-21 Temp-2S (SS-16) and shared a similar first and second stage. The RSD-10 was notable for two reasons. First, it was the first Soviet solid fuel nuclear missile, thus providing a true road mobile fast reaction system. Second, it was a move away from the strategy of mutually assured destruction towards smaller yield pinpoint strikes.

Design

The RSD-10 is a two stage missile using solid fuel and inertial guidance. The payload is either a single high yield nuclear warhead or three lower yield MIRV's. The major tactical advantage of the RSD-10 is the highly mobile six axle all terrain MAZ-547A lauch vehicle. The launch vehicle fulfills the roles of transporter, erector and launcher. Four large jacks are used in the launch position. The survivability of the RSD-10 system is rather good due to its mobility and limited launch time.

Firepower

The RSD-10 has a range of 5.500 km and CEP of about 550 meters. The latest variant is a 7.500 km range and CEP of less than 450 meters. Originally the RSD-10 was fitted with a single 1 MT warhead. At the same time a version with tripple MIRV warhead with 5 to 50 kT yield each was developed. This warhead is also used in the longer range version. There is no version with conventional warhead.

Users

The USSR was the sole user of the RSD-10. In was in use from 1976 to 1988. All missiles and launch vehicles had been destroyed by 1991. Some remain in musea. The RSD-10 has no direct replacement, but it can be argued that the role of the RSD-10 has been taken over by the much longer range RT-2PM Topol (SS-25) system that is employed since 1988.

Variants

RSD-10 Pioner

The RSD-10 Pioner is a road mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile system. The launch vehicle is based on the MAZ-547A six axle chassis. The system is accompanied by the 15T118 command post and 15V75 tropospheric communication vehicle. Both are based on a four axle MAZ-543A chassis. A driver training vehicle based on the six axle MAZ-547A with dummy missile has also been developed. The launch vehicle is capable of launching all three types of RSD-10 missiles that have been developed. The launch vehicle was considered a single use system.

RSD-10 Pioner: Original single warhead model introduced in 1976. Fitted with a single 1 MT warhead. Industrial designation is 15Zh45. NATO reporting name is SS-20 Mod 1.
RSD-10 Pioner-UTTH: MIRV version of the original RSD-10. Introduced in 1976 alongside original model with industrial designation 15Zh53. Uses similar first and second stage but uses warhead with three 5 to 50 kT yield MIRV's.NATO reporting name is SS-20 Mod 2.
RSD-10 Pioner-3: Further improved version of Pioner-UTTH. Introduced in 1980 and also called 15Zh53. Has improved range and accuracy. NATO reporting name is SS-20 Mod 3.

TypeIntermediate-range ballistic missile
Diameter1.79 m body
Length16.49 m
Weight37.1 t
GuidanceInertial
WarheadSingle 1 MT nuclear warhead of 1.600 kg
PropulsionTwo stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range600 to 5.500 km, 550 m CEP
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks2.14 m diameter and 19.32 m long launch canister
TypeIntermediate-range ballistic missile
Diameter1.79 m body
Length16.5 m
Weight37 t
GuidanceInertial
WarheadTripple MIRV nuclear warhead, 5 to 50 kT each, 1.5 to 1.74 t total weight
PropulsionTwo stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range600 to 5.500 km, 550 m CEP
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks2.14 m diameter and 19.32 m long launch canister
TypeIntermediate-range ballistic missile
Diameter1.79 m body
Length17.0 m
Weight37 t
GuidanceInertial
WarheadTripple MIRV nuclear warhead, 5 to 50 kT each, 1.5 to 1.74 t total weight
PropulsionTwo stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range600 to 7.500 km, 150 to 450 m CEP
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks2.14 m diameter and 19.32 m long launch canister

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