Bulava.

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NEVER CAME CLOSE!

Yet more from Strategy Page as extracted the trials and travails of the Russian SLBM [submarine launched missile] Bulava.

"Strategic Weapons: The Bulava Blues And The Soviet Curse"

"October 18, 2016: In late September 2016 Russia again tested its new SLBM (Sea Launched Ballistic Missile) design, the Bulava (also known as R-30 3M30 and SS-NX-30). Two missiles were fired from a submerged Borei class sub. One missile appeared to be a success while the other was obviously a failure as it exploded in mid-air. That means three of the last four Bulava test launches were failures and of the 27 test launches since the first one in 2004, about 50 percent were complete or partial failures. Early on Russian officials thought they could solve the design, quality control and management problems and achieve a success rate for test launches of 80 percent. Bulava never came close."

"By way of comparison an 80 percent success rate, while great for the Russians would be considered a failure for a Western SLBM. For example, test firings of production models of the U.S. Navy Trident II SLBM have never failed. Trident II is the standard SLBM for American SSBNs. There have been 143 of these missile launches, which involve an SSBN firing one of their Trident IIs, with the nuclear warhead replaced by one of similar weight but containing sensors and communications equipment. The test results for the Trident while in development were equally impressive, with 87 percent successful (in 23 development tests) for the Trident I and 98 percent (49 tests) of the Trident II."

THOSE BOREI CLASS SUBMARINES WILL BE AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED A TIGER WITHOUT TEETH? BULAVA HAS DIFFICULTIES FOR WHICH THERE SEEMS TO BE NO AMELIORATION?

U.S si, Russia no! Ohio class sub si, Borei no!

coolbert.