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STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES: VOLUME I IN THE XXI CENTURY ENCYCLOPEDIA
Proceedings. U.S. Naval Institute. December 2000. Norman Polmar
 For most of the Cold War military leaders and intelligence analysts in the West learned about Soviet strategic weapons by scanning overhead photos taken by spy planes and then by satellites and reading reports from spies. Now they can find descriptions and details of these weapons by reading Russian military and technology journals and, especially, this volume.
The first volume in a new Russian book series, Strategic Nuclear Forces provides a detailed account of Soviet Russian strategic forces aircraft, land-based missile, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. But this volume goes far beyond descriptions and illustrations of the weapons. Also provided are analyses of strategic forces (including the Defense Ministry's requirements for strategic weapons), tanker aircraft, procedures and facilities for scrapping strategic missiles and submarines, the 4th Central research Institute (which develops strategic missiles), command and control activities (including surveillance and mapping), radiation monitoring and protection, and nuclear support facilities.
For those interested in submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) there
are fascinating photos of early missile test launches as well as the submarines
and diagrams of how warheads deploy. Beyond the principal SLBMs, the book describes
several little-known systems. For example, the SS-N-17 missile (Soviet designation
RSM-45) was a solid-propellant SLBM fitted in a single Yankee-class submarine.
Capable of being launched from a submarine moving up to five knots, "The
missile's stability underwater was ensured by a gas cavern embracing its body.
The gas cavern produced by solid-propellant gas generators fitted on the missile's
nose fairing".
This scheme appears to be the same employed for the Skival torpedo, which has an underwater speed of some 200 knots. The SS-N-17 missile, like other Soviet SLBM, could be launched from the surface down to depths of 165 feet.
The level of detail in the book is impressive. While most of the detailed drawings-including cutaways of missiles and aircraft probably have not previously been seen in the west, the diagrams of strategic missile submarines have appeared in several other Russian publications.
The volume is introduced by Marshal Igor Sergeyev, the Russian Minister of
Defense. He explains that the intent of the encyclopedia "is to acquaint
the reader with modern weapons systems and equipment of the Russian Armed Forces,
as well as major directions of Russia's military technical policy...".
Other senior officers involved with strategic forces also contribute essays
to this volume. While one's initial reaction to the book is that it represents
a "catalog" of Russian arms and equipment for sale, the subject of
this first volume belies that intent few countries are going to purchase intercontinental
ballistic missiles or strategic missile submarines, or even their command and
control complexes. Rather, the book stands as a testimony to the largest and
many way the most innovative strategic nuclear force of the Cold War.
While the book's cost will make it difficult for the individual to purchase it, organizations, commands, and libraries will find this volume a useful investment. Beyond its impressive technical contents, the books color photos, drawings, and diagrams help to justify the cost. (The detailed illustrations of the SS-N-17 include close up photos and diagrams of the missile's gas generation system).
This volume is the first of a series. Other volumes are planned to describe military aviation, air defenses, ground forces, naval forces, command and control, munitions, military construction equipment, etc. These books succeed the six volume series Russia's Arms Catalog, published from 1995 to 1998 (see Book Reviews, Proceedings, April 1997, pp. 98-99). Nikolai Spassky, the Editor-in-Chief of this encyclopedia as well as the previous catalog series, has undertaken a challenging task and has accomplished it with great success.
Norman Polmar, a frequent contributor to the Proceedings, has visited Russia nine times in the past few years to research a comparative analysis or Soviet U.S. submarine design and construction during the Cold War.
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