RS-28 Sarmat

Russian heavy liquid-fueled silo ICBM intended to replace the R-36M (SS-18), state-declared operational in 2023, though test failures have been reported.

In service since 2023

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-03

Several performance figures for Russia-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Russian state channel

Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.

Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)

Fielded & proven

Operator data not public

In service since 2023. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Overview

Sarmat is Russia's newest heavy ICBM, designed to carry a large payload of MIRVs or Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles. Caveat: figures are state-claimed by the Russian Ministry of Defense and not independently verified, operational deployment status is disputed.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 18,000 km

Top 4% of its class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 10,000 kg
Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.: up to 10-15 MIRV or 3 Avangard HGVs

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: liquid (3-stage)

Specifications compiled from public Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-03.

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