Strategic Rocket Forces is a separate branch of the Russia's Armed Forces, subordinated directly to the General Staff. The Strategic Rocket Forces were demoted to this status from the status of a separate service of the Armed Forces by a presidential decree of 24 March 2001. The current commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces -- Lt.-General Sergei Karakayev -- was appointed to this post by a presidential decree of 22 June 2010.

At the end of 2010, the Strategic Rocket Forces were estimated to have 375 operational missile systems of four different types. Intercontinental ballistic missiles of these systems could carry 1259 warheads.

Strategic Rocket Forces units

Strategic Rocket Forces include three missile armies: the 27th Guards Missile Army (headquarters in Vladimir), the 31st Missile Army (Orenburg), the 33rd Guards Missile Army (Omsk). The 53rd Missile Army (Chita) was disbanded in 2002. It appears that the 31st Missile Army (Orenburg) will be liquidated by 2016.

As of the end of 2010, the missile armies included 11 missile divisions with operational ICBMs.

Missile systems

R-36MUTTH (also known as RS-20B and SS-18) and R-36M2 (RS-20V, SS-18) missiles were developed by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). R-36MUTTH missiles were deployed in 1979-1983, R-36M2 -- in 1988-1992. The missiles were produced by the Yuzhnyy Machine-Building Plant (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). The missiles have two liquid-fuel stages and can carry 10 warheads. The Strategic Rocket Forces plans to keep all R-36M2 missiles in service. With service lives extended to 25-30 years as planned, R-36M2 missiles could remain in operation until about 2016-2020.

UR-100NUTTH (SS-19) missiles were developed by the Machine-Building NPO (Reutov, Moscow oblast) and were deployed in 1979-1984. The missiles were produced by the M. V. Khrunichev Machine Building Plant (Moscow). The missile has two liquid-fuel stages and can carry 6 warheads. A number of missiles have been removed from service, but after a series of test launches service life of the missile was extended to more than 30 years, so some of them could be kept in service.

Road-mobile Topol (SS-25) missile system was developed at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology. The systems were deployed in 1985-1992. The missile has three solid-propellant stages and carries single warhead. The missiles were produced at the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant. The currently deployed missiles are close to the end of their service lives and are being withdrawn from service.

Topol-M (SS-27) and RS-24 missile systems have been developed at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology. Topol-M exists in two versions -- silo-based and road-mobile. Deployment of the silo-based version began in 1997. The road-mobile version has completed flight tests in December 2004. The first mobile missiles began service in December 2006. The missile has three solid-propellant stages and was initially developed as a single-warhead missile. In 2007 Russia began tests of a MIRVed version of the Topol-M mobile missile, which was designated RS-24. Deployment of this missile began in 2010.