Russia tests Topol intercontinental missile

MOSCOW - Russian Strategic and Space Forces successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Topol, Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.

"The aims of the test were to confirm stability of the basic technical parameters of the missiles of that class and to estimate possibility of their service life extension to 25 years," the ministry's spokesman Vadim Koval told local media.

The service life of Topol was initially 10 years, later it was extended to 15 years. The Kremlin ordered to keep these missiles on active service for 25 years.

This allows Russian armed forces to replace the aging missiles with the new generation's Yars gradually with little additional funding.

Topol RS-12M (SS-25 "Sickle" by NATO classification) was launched from Plesetsk space center in northern Russia. The missile's warhead hit the target on Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East.

Topol ICBM is the principal 3-stage missile mobile system of the Russian Strategic Forces with the range over 10,000 km. Russia by the end of 2010 had over 170 missiles of this type on duty.

Now they are expected to stay on service until 2019, according to the Commander of the Strategic Forces Col Gen. Sergei Karakayev.