Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

Source: This post on Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) has been created based on the article “Russia tests readiness of Yars nuclear missile unit” published in The Hindu on 21st October 2024.

Why in news?

Recently, Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that it is testing the combat readiness of a unit armed with Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles in a region northwest of Moscow.

About Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

1. The RS-24 Yars also known as Topol-MR is a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) designed to bolster the country’s nuclear deterrence capabilities. It was introduced in 2007.

2. The Yars is an advanced version of the Topol-M missile, featuring improvements in range, mobility, and warhead capacity.

3. It plays a crucial role in Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, forming a backbone of its long-range strike capability.

Key Features of the Yars Missile:

1) The Yars missile can be deployed in two primary configurations:

i) Silo-based: Launched from hardened, underground silos, providing greater protection against enemy attacks.

ii) Mobile launchers: Mounted on large transporter-erector-launchers (TELs), giving the missile mobility and making it harder for adversaries to detect and destroy.

2. Range: The Yars missile has a range of up to 11,000 km (approximately 6,835 miles), enabling it to strike targets far beyond Russia’s borders, including most of Europe, the United States, and other strategic locations.

3. Warhead: The Yars is equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), meaning it can carry multiple nuclear warheads, each capable of striking different targets. This increases the missile’s lethality and makes it more challenging to intercept by missile defense systems.

4. Accuracy and Guidance: The Yars missile benefits from advanced guidance systems, making it highly accurate. Its MIRVs can deliver warheads with precision, ensuring a more effective strike against strategic enemy targets.

Strategic Importance

i) The Yars missile is a critical component of Russia’s nuclear triad which consists of land-based ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers.

ii) This triad provides Russia with a diversified and resilient nuclear deterrent, ensuring that it can retaliate in the event of an attack.

UPSC Syllabus: Defence