Russia / USSR
RSM-40 Missile
NATO Designation:  SSN-8 Sawfly

Updated 20 November 2007

This was the first Soviet submarine launched ICBM.  The design started in 1964 and it was accepted into production in March 1974.  This missile had two stages and used an astronavigation system which determined its position according to the stars.  Trials lasted from 1969 to 1974 and a total of 39 launched were made.  Twenty of these were from a submergible test-stand while the other nineteen were from submarine K-145 (Hotel I (Pr.658)) which was converted under Project 701 and had six launch tubes.
WMRUS_RSM-40_pic.jpg

RSM-40 Missile
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Description
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Designation RSM-40
Ship Class Used On K-145 Hotel III (Pr. 701) (6 missiles), K-118 Golf III (Pr. 601) (6 missiles), Delta I class (Pr. 667B) (12 missiles), Delta II class (Pr. 667BD) (16 missiles)
Date In Service 1974
Weight 73,414 lbs. (33,300 kg)
Dimensions 512 x 71 in (13.0 x 1.8 m)
Payload One warhead
Total payload weight 2,425 lbs. (1,100 kg)
Range Intercontinental
Propulsion Two-stage liquid fuel rocket 
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Data from
"Ballisticheskie Rakety Otechestvennogo Flota" (Ballistic Missiles of the Fatherland Fleet) by Yu. L Korshunov and E.M. Kytovoy
Special help from Vladimir Yakubov