RSM - 56 Bulava The Bulava ( , lit . " mace " ; designation RSM - 56 , NATO reporting name SS - NX - 32 , GRAU index 3M30 ) is a submarine - launched ballistic missile ( SLBM ) developed for the Russian Navy and deployed in 2013 on the new of ballistic missile nuclear submarines . It is intended as the future cornerstone of Russia ' s nuclear triad , and is the most expensive weapons project in the country . The weapon takes its name from " bulava " , a Russian word for mace . Designed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology , development of the missile was launched in the late 1990s as a replacement for the R - 39 solid - fuel SLBM . It is expected that the first three Borei - class submarines will carry 16 missiles , while the following five vessels will carry 20 missiles . Development and deployment of the Bulava missile within the Russian Navy is not affected by the enforcement of the new START treaty . The missile ' s flight test programme was problematic . Until 2009 , there were 6 failures in 13 flight tests and one failure during ground test , blamed mostly on insufficient quality of component production . After a failure in December 2009 , further tests were put on hold and a probe was conducted to find out the reasons for the failures . Testing was resumed on 7 October 2010 with a launch from the in the White Sea ; the warheads successfully hit their targets at the Kura Test Range in the Russian Far East . Seven launches have been conducted since the probe , all successful . On 28 June 2011 , the missile was launched for the first time from its standard carrier , Borei - class submarine , and on 27 August 2011 the first full - range ( over ) flight test was conducted . After this successful launch , the start of serial production of Bulava missiles in the same configuration was announced on 28 June 2011 . A successful salvo launch on 23 December 2011 concluded the flight test programme . The missile was officially approved for service on 27 December 2011 , and was reported to be commissioned aboard the Yuri Dolgorukiy on 10 January 2013 . The missile did however continue to fail in the summer of 2013 and was not operational as of November 2013 . Description . The Bulava missile was developed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology under the leadership of chief designer Yury Solomonov . Although it utilizes some engineering solutions used for the recent Topol - M ICBM , the new missile has been developed virtually from scratch . Bulava is both lighter and more sophisticated than the Topol - M . The two missiles are expected to have comparable ranges , and similar CEP and warhead configurations . The missile has three stages ; the first and second stages use solid fuel propellant , while the third stage uses a liquid fuel to allow high maneuverability during warhead separation . The missile can be launched from an inclined position , allowing a submarine to fire them while moving . It has a low flight trajectory , and due to this could be classified as a quasi - ballistic missile . The missile possesses advanced defense capabilities making it resistant to missile - defense systems . Among its abilities are evasive maneuvering , mid - course countermeasures and decoy s , and a warhead fully shielded against both physical and electromagnetic pulse damage . The Bulava is designed to be capable of surviving a nuclear blast at a minimum distance of . The Bulava ' s advanced technology allows it to carry up to 10 hypersonic , individually guided , maneuverable warheads with a yield of 100 – 150 kt each . Borei - class submarines carrying Bulava missiles are expected to be an integral part of the Russian nuclear triad until 2040 . Development history . Inception . In the 1990s , Russia had two submarine - launched ICBMs , the solid - fuel R - 39 and the liquid - fuel R - 29 Vysota family , both developed by the Makeyev Design Bureau . A new missile , designated R - 39UTTH Bark was under development to replace the R - 39 . The Bark was planned to become the only submarine - launched ballistic missile of the Russian nuclear arsenal . However , its development was plagued with problems , and after three test failures the Bark programme was canceled in 1998 . Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology was now tasked with developing a new advanced missile . The institute promised that it would able to quickly develop a new naval missile based on its recent Topol - M land - based ICBM . The new missile would be deployed per 16 missiles on the Borei I - and per 20 missiles on Borei II - class submarines . As the new submarines would not be ready in time for flight tests , the Typhoon - class submarine " Dmitry Donskoy " was upgraded to carry Bulavas . Key people involved in the decision to develop Bulava included the institute director and Bulava ' s chief designer Yury Solomonov ; director of the Defense Ministry ' s Fourth Central Research Institute , Major - General Vladimir Dvorkin ; Navy Commander , Fleet Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov ; Defense Minister , Marshal Igor Sergeyev ; Economics Minister Yakov Urinson and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin . First tests . The missile completed the first stage launch - tests at the end of 2004 . Although it was initially planned to base the Bulava design on the Topol - M , the first tests showed that the new missile was completely different in terms of appearance , dimensions and warhead lay - out . It was later acknowledged that the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology had developed Bulava virtually from scratch , reusing only a few engineering solutions from the Topol - M . Troubles . By 2009 , the missile had experienced 5 failures in 11 tests . This led to the missile ' s chief designer , Yury Solomonov resigning from his post in July 2009 . Aleksandr Sukhodolskiy was appointed as the new general designer of sea - based ballistic missiles at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology ; Solomonov however retained his post of general designer of land - based missiles . Explanations for the failures . Chief designer Solomonov has blamed the failures on the poor state of the Russian defense industry and problems in the design - technology - production chain . According to Solomonov , the industry is unable to manufacture 50 of the necessary components for the missile , forcing designers to improvise and look for alternative solutions , which seriously complicates the testing process . Solomonov further said that despite the failures , there was no need for changes in the design . Sergei Kovalyov , the designer of three generations of Russian strategic submarines said that due to lack of funding , the developers had been unable to conduct test launches from a floating pad to test the underwater segment of the missile ' s trajectory . He also said that there were insufficient funds to conduct ground - based test launches . Both types of testing had been standard procedure during Soviet times . Kovalyov also criticised the poor quality of missile components provided by a large number of sub - contractors and the absence of military representatives at manufacturing plants . Effects on the military . Due to the delays in Bulava ' s development , the launch of the fourth Borei - class submarine , " Svyatitel Nikolay " , has been pushed back . Russia was planning to build eight of Borei - class submarines by 2015 . Only one Typhoon - class submarine , " Dmitry Donskoy " , has been modified to launch Bulavas . The Bulava program is the most expensive weapons project in Russia . Debate about the program . Despite continued test failures , the Russian defense minister , Anatoly Serdyukov , has stated that the project will not be abandoned . " We will certainly not give up the Bulava . I think that despite all the failures , the missile will fly , " he said in an interview in late December 2009 . The Russian military has been adamant that there is no alternative to Bulava . There has been discussion among analysts about the possibility of re - equipping the Borei - class submarines with the more reliable liquid - propellant R - 29RMU Sineva missiles . The Sineva is an upgrade of the R - 29RM Shtil and entered service in 2007 . According to " RIA Novosti " military analyst Ilya Kramnik , this would have been an attractive option , given that the less advanced Sineva missiles already have " virtually the same impressive specifications as the Trident II ( D5 ) SLBMs wielded by the U . S . Navy and the Royal Navy . " However , the work needed to redesign and modify the Borei - class submarines to carry Sinevas is regarded as too expensive . Probe . After a launch failure in December 2009 caused by a defective engine nozzle and which led to the 2009 Norwegian spiral anomaly , further tests were put on hold and a review of the missile program was initiated . The results of the probe were delivered to the Russian government in May 2010 . 2010 tests . Testing was resumed for the first time after the probe on 7 October 2010 . The missile was launched from the submerged " Dmitry Donskoy " , in the White Sea , and the warheads successfully hit their targets at the Kura testing range , to the north of Petropavlovsk - Kamchatsky in the Russian Far East . The launch reportedly took place at 07 : 15 UTC . The missile travelled over , and the rocket ' s trajectory was within the normal parameters , according to a Navy official . The second test launch in 2010 from " Dmitry Donskoy " was set to 29 October and was successful . The next test to be performed from " Yuriy Dolgorukiy " was initially planned to December 2010 , but was postponed to mid - summer 2011 due to ice conditions in White Sea . All three missiles have been built under nearly identical conditions , in order to determine the cause of potential failures . 2011 tests and deployment . Russian defense sources have stated that the Bulava missile will not enter service until it is 98 - 99 % reliable . According to the Russian Vice Premier Sergei Ivanov another six successful launches ( one planned in 2010 , other five in 2011 ) will be required before the missile could be commissioned . After a successful test salvo launch in December 2011 , Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced that the Bulava missile was ready and it would now be adopted for service with the Russian Navy . 2012 tests and deployment . On August 2012 a high - ranking official of Russia ’ s United Shipbuilding Corporation said in 2012 Russia will test fire its Bulava missile only once , in November , specifically from the nuclear - powered submarine Alexander Nevsky . 2013 deployment . Bulava was finally commissioned with its lead carrier Yuri Dolgorukiy on 10 January 2013 . The official ceremony of raising the Russian Navy colors on the submarine was led by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu . After another failed launch in September , Shoigu announced a pause in the state trials of the next two submarines and five more test launches . The entire production run of the missiles was then recalled for factory inspections . Service . In October 2010 it was reported that 150 - 170 operational missiles would be built ( 124 active + reserve for training and tests ) . After its successful launch in 28 June 2011 was announced start of serial production of Bulava missiles in same configuration . . On 10 January 2013 , Bulava was adopted into service with its lead carrier submarine Yuri Dolgorukiy .