R-16 (SS-7 Saddler) Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
In 1978 a few of these formidable ICBMs were still operational out of a force that two years earlier numbered about 190. It never appeared in a Moscow parade, but was exhaustively tested and put into service as the first standard ICBM, and backbone of the RVSN in its early years. A two-stage Titan-like missile, it uses storable liquid propellants, probably RFNA/kerosene, and is believed to have had radio-inertial guidance when it entered service in 1961. Later this may have been updated to pure inertial, just as the launch installations of the final three-quarters of the production run were not soft surface emplacements by hardened silos of impressive size (US reports identified "Mod 1", "Mod 2", and "Mod 3"). Yield of the large warhead was calculated to be no less than 20-25 megatons. In accord with Salt I agreements the entire force of Saddlers is being deactivated, and replaced by SLBMs.
Dimensions: Length 104 feet 4 inches; diameter about 9 feet 3 inches.
Launch weight: Estimated at 224,868 pounds.
Range: About 6,835 miles.
