VLASIKHA (Moscow region), December 16. /TASS/. Around 400 strategic missiles with warheads assigned for them are currently on combat duty in Strategic Missile Forces, Commander of Strategic Missile Forces Colonel General Sergey Karakayev told reporters.
“Russian Strategic Missile Forces have around two thirds of nuclear warheads in the country’s Strategic Nuclear Forces,” he said on the eve of the 55th anniversary of establishing Russian Strategic Missile Forces.
Launchers in the missile forces are divided equally between its formations, Karakayev said. Meanwhile, silo-basing component certainly prevails in the number and power of warheads, as around 70% of missile forces’ nuclear potential are now concentrated in this component. Presently six types of missile systems are on combat duty. Three of them are ground-based and other three are silo-based.
Around 6,000 serve daily at combat posts in alert forces, no less than 95% of missile systems on combat duty are constantly on standby for immediate launch of missiles, Karakayev noted.
The commander also noted that according to missile forces’ plan of activities, by 2020 these troops will be fully provided with modern missiles. “The share of modern missiles will make around 50% by the end of December. Presently the Strategic Missile Forces jointly with the industry are rearming actively the troops to modern systems, both ground-and silo-based,” he said.