3. Nuclear weapons - NRDC Document Bank - Natural Resources ...

the USA.62 As reported in the SIPRI Yearbook 1985, the first two new
deployments above the 387 level occurred in late 1984.63By 2 April 1985, the
number ofSS-20s deployed was 414,64rising to 423 by late June,65 and to 441 by
September. 66The number of operational SS-20 missiles facing Europe was
reported to have been reduced from 297 to 243 in November, following
promises made by General Secretary Gorbachev in Paris on 3 October 1985 to
reduce the number of missiles on standby alert. However, the USSR
reportedly only dismantled the SS-20 garages at the sites and has not destroyed
the missiles.67 The SS-25 deployments at Yurya have resulted in shifted
deployments throughout the Soviet Union of SS-20 regiments and launchers,
and whereas detailed information was possible about SS-20 deployment
locations in the past, almost on a regimental basis, such detail was not available
in January 1986. The overall SS-20 force is expected to grow to over 450 by
1987,68despite partial or complete deactivation of some bases in the western
USSR to reduce the number targeted against NATO and to convert to the
SS-25.
A new modification of the SS-20 is currently being deployed. The accuracy of
the new modification reportedly represents an almost threefold improvement
over that of the original 1977 version. Additionally, the yield of the primary
warhead has been re-evaluated by US intelligence to be 250 kt, not 150 kt, per
warhead. The USA also believes that there may be either a 75-kt modification
or selectable-yield capability down to that level, in addition to a warhead as
large as 600 kt.69 The 1985 NIE apparently backtracked on the question of
reload capability for the SS-20. Although the OIA dissented, the 1985 NIE
gave the SS-20 only an 'estimated reload capability', whereas earlier it was
considered certain. Apparently, in previous years the intelligence community
underestimated the rate of launcher production which, given its missile
production estimates, led to an overestimation of the number of missiles per
launcher. The follow-on to the SS-20 was also reportedly designated in 1985 as
the SS-28Jo It was first tested in 1984 and is expected to feature improved
lethality and accuracy. 71
The expected introduction date of the SSC-X-4 ground-launched cruise
missile has been pushed back again, this time to 1990, five years later than
originally expected.72 It is also believed that another large, land-based,
long-range GLCM, a version of the SS-NX-24, is under development.
Tactical rockets, missiles and artillery systems
The buildup of tactical nuclear systems continued in 1985, with new emphasis
given to the conventional aspects of the dual-capable systems. This buildup
included the continued deployment of new short-range missiles, ongoing
phase-out of Frog and Scud missiles, and upgrade of the SS-12 Scaleboard.
Improvements in guidance and control, warhead capabilities and accuracies for
the Soviet shorter-range missiles are expected over the next few years.73
It is now known that the so-called SS-22 is a modification of the SS-12
Scaleboard, designated SS-12 Mod 2, rather than a new missile. The
Scaleboards are assigned to the Front level, with a brigade of 12-18 launchers.