Heavy ICBM

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Heavy ICBMs are very large intercontinental ballistic missiles built by the Soviet Union and Russia. They have a heavy throw-weight of about 60 to 90 metric tons and are typically over 35 meters long. Because they are so large, they can carry many warheads on one missile (MIRV).

Key examples include:
- R-36 / SS-9 Scarp: silo-based, with warheads in the megaton range (roughly 5–18 Mt) and a range up to about 15,500 km.
- R-36M / SS-18 Satan: a later version with even larger payloads (roughly 18–25 Mt), using the same type of launch silos after upgrades.
- RS-28 Sarmat: the current heavy ICBM, often called a “superheavy” ICBM, designed to carry many warheads and other countermeasures.

Origins trace back to the UR-500 project, which was designed to deliver very large payloads and later helped lead to the Proton space launcher. The UR-500 family supported early long-distance space missions, such as Zond 5, which carried living beings around the Moon and back.

Heavy ICBMs have been a key part of Soviet and Russian strategic forces for decades.