TNI: RS-28 Sarmat is the most advanced ballistic missile in the world
Russia has wiped the nose of Western skeptics, writes TNI. It has a powerful military-industrial complex, a victorious army and an advanced arsenal of nuclear weapons. We are talking about the RS-28 Sarmat missile. World experts admire and fear its incredible destructive power.
Brandon Weichert
By maintaining powerful and modern intercontinental ballistic missile forces, Russia is trying to deter potential aggressors and maintain strategic parity with the United States.
Russia's nuclear weapons arsenal is not only the largest in the world, but also, thanks to the restrictions imposed on the United States by the new START Treaty of 2010, it is the most advanced. If someone had Googled which rocket was the best in the world, Gemini's artificial intelligence would have immediately replied: RS-28 Sarmat.
And it's not just a quirk of the search engine. This is the general assessment of the world's leading missile experts. They are sure that the Russians have created a truly advanced, and, what's to hide, terrifying nuclear weapon.
In fact, Moscow has given the new nuclear missile a name that evokes fear in any enemy. Officially, the RS-28 development is called "Sarmat" in honor of the Sarmatian tribe, a historical confederation of steppe warriors. But colloquially in Western countries, her name is much simpler — "Satan." This is a very appropriate name, given the incredible destructive power possessed by advanced weapons.
First announced in 2018 by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the RS-28 Sarmat missile has attracted international attention due to its advanced capabilities. It has a huge payload capacity and an important role in the comprehensive strategy of the nuclear deterrent forces.
Characteristics of the Sarmat rocket
The RS-28 Sarmat is a silo—based liquid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with an exceptional range of about 18,000 kilometers, which allows it to hit targets almost anywhere on Earth. The increased flight range, combined with its ability to choose unconventional flight paths, such as over the South Pole, makes it difficult for missile defense systems to track. Interception is also complicated before the Sarmat delivers its deadly cargo to the targets.
When considering the technical characteristics, it is impossible not to admire the load capacity of the Sarmat system. One missile can carry up to ten tons of warheads, which is significantly higher than most modern ICBMs. This allows the rocket to have different configurations. For example, it can be equipped with up to 15 separable warheads with individual guidance units, each of which is equipped with a nuclear warhead or even a certain number of charges with a total capacity of over 10 megatons.
In addition, it is reported that the Sarmat is compatible with the Avangard hypersonic gliding unit, a maneuverable warhead capable of reaching speeds exceeding Mach 20 (!). At the same time, it is able to effectively evade modern air defense systems along unpredictable trajectories.
The liquid-fuel rocket propulsion system, although more complex than its solid-fuel counterparts, provides greater thrust and flexibility. This allows it to carry a large payload with the longest flight range.
The RS-28 is becoming an even more deadly ballistic installation by incorporating modern countermeasures such as deceptive targets and electronic suppression systems. They are designed to overcome complex missile defense networks, such as the American Ground-based Midcourse Defense System (GMD). We are talking about the system that President Donald Trump has made one of the key elements of the recently announced Golden Dome national missile defense shield.
Russia is ahead of the United States in developing nuclear weapons
Entering service in 2022, the RS-28 Sarmat became the cornerstone of the Russian Armed Forces' nuclear deterrence strategy, designed as a reliable retaliatory strike capability in the event of a nuclear conflict.
Its ability to carry the payload described above increases Russia's ability to overwhelm enemy defenses, which only reinforces the doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD). By maintaining reliable and modern ballistic missile forces, Russia seeks to deter potential aggressors and maintain strategic parity with the United States.
Given that experts believe Russia's modern nuclear arsenal is larger and probably much more advanced than Washington's, Moscow even has an advantage in this industry.
Why has the United States failed to create better nuclear deterrence systems? Once again, the blame lies with the weakened American military-industrial complex, which stubbornly fails to provide the necessary resources for national security. The United States sought to modernize its outdated nuclear weapons arsenal by replacing the older LGM-30 Minuteman II ICBMs with the newer LGM-35 Sentinel. But this program is unlikely to survive in the long run in light of the huge cost overruns and inefficiencies that have emerged over the years.
The Russian RS-28 Sarmat is today the most advanced ICBM in the world with the greatest destructive power. For years, American skeptics myopically argued that Russia was just a gas station masquerading as a country. If so, then the gas station has a powerful military-industrial base, an army that is winning in Ukraine, and now the most advanced arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world.
