Sapsan Ballistic Missile

GS3 – Science & Technology

Context:

Russia has officially recognized Ukraine’s indigenously developed Sapsan ballistic missile—also known as Grom-2—as a credible threat, highlighting its growing strategic significance.

Key Specifications and Features

• Alternate Name: Grom-2 (Domestic), Hrim-2 (Export version developed with Saudi support).
• Range Compliance: Its export version has a range capped at 280 km to align with the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) guidelines.
• Launch System: The missile is deployed via a 10-wheeled Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL), which houses two missile containers.

About MTCR:

The Missile Technology Control Regime is a voluntary association of 35 countries working to prevent the spread of missile and drone systems capable of delivering WMDs (nuclear, chemical, or biological). It emphasizes export control of technologies that can be used in producing long-range delivery systems.

Performance and Combat Capabilities

• Operational Range: Varies between 50 km to 400–500 km, with some sources citing up to 700 km.
• Speed & Mobility: Faster than typical drones (which operate at 150–200 km/h), making it suitable for rapid-response missions.
• Warhead: Equipped with a 500 kg payload, designed for precision attacks on strategic military assets, airbases, and command nodes.
• Propulsion System: Powered by a single-stage solid-fuel engine, enhancing operational readiness and mobility.
• Evasion Techniques: Features an aeroballistic flight trajectory, allowing it to alter path mid-air, improving survivability against Russian S-300 and S-400 air defence systems.
• Accuracy: Achieves high precision with a circular error probable (CEP) of approximately 20 meters.
• Weight: Total missile system weighs about 21 tonnes.
• Guidance System: Incorporates hybrid navigation, combining inertial guidance with GPS, enabling highly accurate targeting.

Strategic Advantage

The Sapsan missile reportedly outperforms the Russian Iskander in terms of strike accuracy, making it a valuable asset for Ukraine in modern battlefield conditions where precision and evasiveness are key to operational success.