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Skorosti / Speed - Complex 15R666 rocket 15Zh66

The development of a medium-range solid-propellant ballistic missile "Speed" began at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering under the leadership of Alexander Nadiradze in 1982. Development was completed in 1986. Flight design tests began at the Kapustin Yar test site on March 1, 1987. One test launch of the rocket was made. On March 7, 1987, development was terminated.

The missile was intended to arm the Strategic Missile Forces and the Ground Forces for use in the European theater of operations. It had a maximum firing range of 4,000 km. It could be equipped with both nuclear and non-nuclear warheads. The Moscow NPO Automation and Instrument Engineering, headed by Nikolai Pilyugin, later Vladimir Lapygin, and the Sverdlovsk NPO Automation, headed by Nikolai Semikhatov, participated in the creation of a unique control system.

Mobile medium-range ballistic missile / mobile ground missile system (PGRK). The complex was developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering under the leadership of A.D. Nadiradze since 1982 using the developments and nodes of the RSD-10 medium-range PGRK "Pioneer", "Pioneer-3" / 15P157, ICBM "Topol" and developments on the promising ICBM "Topol-M". On November 23, 1983, on the initiative of D.F. Ustinov, a decision was made to create and deploy in Europe (including in the Warsaw Pact countries) the Speed PGRK. The authorship of the name of the complex is also attributed to D.F. Ustinov. In December 1983, the USSR Ministry of Defense approved the tactical and technical requirements for the complex. The decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on the creation of the complex was adopted on January 9, 1984. In April 1984, the military-industrial commission of the USSR Ministry of Defense approved the schedule for the development of the complex. By the beginning of 1985, the first flight missile of the complex was prepared for testing. The assembly of missiles was carried out by the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant.

In 1984, also during the exercises "West-84" with the participation of the 24th missile division of the Strategic Missile Forces (BRBM R-12 ), the tactics of using the "Speed" MRBM, which were "played" by the 24th RD with the participation of officers from missile units, were worked out armed MRBM RSD-10 "Pioneer". In the GDR, by the beginning of 1985, the facilities of the technical position of the PGRK "Speed" and the sites for the deployment of 4 missile divisions (missile regiment) were built. But after the death of Yu.V.Andropov in February 1984 and D.F.Ustinov in December 1984, the possibility of implementing all these plans became doubtful.

The missile was developed on the basis of the 2nd and 3rd stages of the RS-12M Topol ICBM and the warhead of the RSD -10 IRBM"Pioneer" with 3 MIRVs. Manufactured for testing 10 15Zh66 missiles and 30 warheads. Rocket tests began on January 11, 1985 (March 1, 1985 according to other sources) with a launch at the Kapustin Yar test site (the only launch). The launch ended with the operation of the rocket emergency detonation system as a result of the burnout of the 1st stage engine nozzle due to a nozzle defect. In fact, the development of the complex was completed by 1986.

The development of the complex was discontinued on April 11, 1985 by decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. According to other sources, the development of the complex was terminated on March 7, 1987 by the decree of M.S. Gorbachev in connection with the signing of the INF Treaty. Missiles and warheads destroyed.

Control system and guidance- an inertial control system using an on-board computer, developed by the NPO Automation and Instrumentation (now - NPTs AP named after Academician N.A. Pilyugin). According to some reports, with the participation of NPO Automation (Sverdlovsk). The onboard equipment is made on a new element base.

The use of PGRK was assumed from the combat patrol areas prepared in the topographic and geodetic plan. Application - group. Launcher - self-propelled launcher on wheels, mortar launch using PAD from TPK. The developer of the SPU is the Central Design Bureau "Titan" of the "Barricades" plant (Volgograd). The MAZ-7908 chassis was developed at SKB-1 of the Minsk Automobile Plant in 1985. A total of 6 vehicles were manufactured - 1 experimental, 3 under the SPU of the Speed complex, the rest are unknown.

It was supposed to ensure the rapid destruction of the positions of the Pershing-2 IRBM and other means of delivering nuclear weapons and NATO military facilities in Western Europe from positions in the GDR and Czechoslovakia by means of the complex. The deployment in Europe of the Speed PGRK was planned to be combined with the redeployment of a part of the RSD-10 Pioneer PGRK to Anadyr (Chukotka) with a target on part of the United States and Canada (targets - early warning radar and other objects). In 1984, the 99th motorized rifle division was redeployed to Chuktoka to the area of the special underground facility "Portal" - to the place of the future deployment of the Pioneer PGRK.

Design was 2 stages, instrument compartment, warhead breeding stage, warheads. The cases of engines of sustainer stages were made of organoplastic by winding of the "cocoon" type. The missile was developed on the basis of the 2nd and 3rd stages of the RS-12M "Topol" ICBM using the breeding stage of the RSD -10 "Pioneer" IRBM warheads.