Image source: Photo: "Bulletin of Mordovia"
The Soviet medium-range mobile missile systems RSD-10 "Pioneer", also known as SS-20, were called the"Thunderstorm of Europe". And for good reason. They could hit targets with warheads with a capacity of 150 kilotons at a distance of up to 5000 km.
This weapon was constantly being improved. So, in 1980, the Pioneer-UTTH was adopted, which was already beating at 5500 km, with a new control system and had better accuracy characteristics.
Even more deadly was to be the "Pioneer-3 "(NATO designation SS-X-28 SABER), which, as reported in open sources, was to be unified with the intercontinental"Topol".
According to some reports, in a modification with a monoblock thermonuclear warhead, its warhead could destroy the enemy at a distance of 7,500 km. At the same time, it was envisaged that some of the missiles would be equipped with three warheads.
Successful tests of these missiles, capable of even more effectively breaking through missile defense, were conducted in the mid-80s. However, then, due to the well-known agreement with the Americans on the destruction of medium-range systems, all work was completely stopped.
Lev Romanov
