Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces

by Oleg Bukharin

This encyclopedic book provides comprehensive data about Soviet and Russian strategic weapons, payloads, and delivery systems and on the nuclear complex that supports them. The data are drawn from open, primarily Russian sources. All the information is presented chronologically, arranged by individual systems and facilities, and is not available elsewhere in a single volume.

Following an overview of the history of Soviet strategic forces, the book discusses the structure of the political and military leadership in the Soviet Union and Russia, the structure of the Russian military and military industry, nuclear planning procedures, and the structure of the command and control system. It describes the nuclear warhead production complex and the Soviet nuclear weapon development program. It then focuses on the individual services that constitute the so-called strategic triad -- land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, the strategic submarine fleet, and strategic aviation. It presents an overview of Soviet strategic defense, including air defense systems, the Moscow missile defense system, the radar and space-based early warning networks, and the space surveillance system. The book also includes a description of the Soviet nuclear testing program, including information on test sites and on all Soviet nuclear tests and peaceful nuclear explosions. It concludes with a look at the future of strategic nuclear weapons in Russia.

Genres: War, Russia

716 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2004

Reviews

[Nick Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! Chapter 3, page 73: "took an important step...when it developed an external impulse tube neutron initiator." That's a term I've *never* run across in Western nukeporn -- neutron initiator design is still pretty closely guarded, more so I'd say than any physics other than design of non-spherical cores; you simply don't see anything in the open literature save crufty old Monroe Effect-based urchins (grooved polonium210/beryllium with high-Z firewalls between them, central to the implosion core). This references footnote 3-22 (the book's wonderfully footnoted, GOD I LOVE YOU MIT PRESS), which is one of a number of ibids tracing back to Negin, Kulichkov et al's Soviet Atomic Project. This appears to be untranslated (at least so far as the open market goes). I crosschecked Rhodes's Dark Sun, which lists no references to Negin (despite Rhodes claiming and by all means indicating a Grand Russian fluency); ahhh, of course, the book was published only in 1995 (the USSR's dissolution did wonders for open-market analysis of Eastern forces). Citations in Russian physics journals...ARGH!!!!! Anyway this book is totally awesome so far. Incredible detail, excellent perspective (ie, the author clearly has a better grasp of Western forces, capabilities and timelines than most Westerners), and the first real view I've enjoyed from behind the Curtain.

Highly recommended to all nukeporn addicts.
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Amazon 2009-07-18. How do I love thee, MIT Press? Let me count the ways...

[Nuclear weapons enthusiast · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book detailing how the Soviet Union created the the fissile materials for the weapons, designed, serial produced, tested and delivered the bombs/warheads truly a must read for anyone interested in the subject like myself

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware the Bear.