Bizarre looking Soviet IRBM - RSD-10 Pioneer / SS-20 Saber

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Winston

Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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RSD-10 Pioneer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSD-10_Pioneer
The RSD-10 Pioneer was an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead, deployed by the Soviet Union from 1976 to 1988. Its NATO reporting name was SS-20 Saber.

Its deployment was a major cause of NATO's 'Double-Track Decision', which led to the deployment of more medium-range nuclear weapons in Western Europe. The RSD-10 was withdrawn from service under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

The missile was 16.5 metres (54 ft) high, 1.9 metres (6.2 ft) in diameter and weighed 37.1 tons. It was based on two solid-fuel fibre-glass clad stages of the RT-21 Temp 2S (SS-16 Sinner), so it was also known as the RT-21M Pioneer. The missile's range was from 600 to 5,000 kilometres (370 to 3,110 mi) initially; the final model had a maximum range of possibly 7,500 kilometres (4,700 mi).

Initially the missile was fitted with a single 1 Mt, 1.6 ton warhead, later models could take one warhead or two and from 1980 three, 150 kt MIRV devices (Pioneer UTTH). The CEP was also reduced from 550 metres (1,800 ft) to 150 to 450 metres (490 to 1,480 ft). The missile was the first Soviet missile equipped with solid fuel instead of liquid fuel, which meant that it could be launched once the order had been given instead of requiring hours doing the dangerous work of pumping the missile with liquid fuel.

The missile used a MAZ-547A/MAZ-7916 transporter erector launcher produced in the Belarusian SSR by the Minsk Automobile Plant. The TEL was originally designed for the RT-21 Temp 2S intercontinental ballistic missile.

On 10 August 1979 testing of the modernized "Pioneer"-UTTKh (15Zh53) began at the Kapustin Yar test site. It continued through 14 August 1980, and on 17 December 1980 the missile designated as SS-20 Mod3 was deployed. This variant had the same propulsion system as earlier versions, but due to upgrading of a command structure and instrumentation-service unit it was possible to improve accuracy (CEP) from 550 to 450 meters, to increase maximum range by 10%, and to increase the area covered by the warheads. This latest RSD-10 variant subsequently received NATO reporting name SS-28 Saber 2.


Destruction of an RSD-10 Pioneer missile according to the INF Treaty



Rsd10_lf_1.jpg


RSD-10_Pioneer_and_MGM-31_Pershing_in_Smithsonian.jpg


RSD-10_Pioneer_MIRVs%2C_Smithsonian_National_Air_and_Space_Museum_April_2019.jpg


images


ETPBdEwXsAATQAp.jpg
 
I've been working on building one of these for the past couple years, at about 15" diameter and 12' length. Here are a couple side-by-side photos of it in current form:
 

Attachments

  • SS20 comp1.png
    SS20 comp1.png
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  • SS20 comp2.png
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Oh those whacky Russians!
You never know what they're going to come up with next.
 
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