ITAR Tass:
MOSCOW, February 2. /TASS/. A test launch of the new solid propellant inter-continental ballistic missile RS-26, based on the previous model RS-24 Yars has been scheduled for the middle of March, a source in the defense industry said.
“There are plans for launching the RS-26 toward the end of the quarter, some day in the middle of March,” the source said.
After the test launch a decision will be made whether the missile is apt for entering combat duty.
Earlier, as a source in the Russian defence industry has told TASS, there were plans to test the missile in December 2014. The launch had to be postponed due to financial constraints.
RS-26 is also known under the names of Avangard and Rubezh. It is to be lighter than Yars and have better combat parameters and a multiple warhead. The missile will be launched from mobile vehicles. There are no plans for deploying the missiles in silos.
According to earlier reports the RS-26 was to enter duty in 2015. The first missile will go operational near Irkutsk, the General Staff told TASS.
