The R-400 Oka (Russian: Р-400 «Ока»; named after Oka River) was a mobile theatre ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union near the end of the Cold War to replace the obsolete SS-1C 'Scud B'. It carried manufacturer's GRAU index 9K714 and was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-23 Spider. The introduction of the Oka significantly strengthened Soviet theatre nuclear capabilities as its range and accuracy allowed it not only to strike hardened NATO targets such as airfields, nuclear delivery systems, and command centers, but moving targets as well. It also had a fast reaction time, being able to fire in approximately five minutes, and was nearly impossible to intercept, thereby allowing it to penetrate defenses[1]. However, the Oka's operational life was short because its 500 km range exceeded the limits imposed by the INF Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Missile Variants
- the 9M714V missile armed with the AA-60 (9N63) nuclear warhead. Maximum range is 480 km.
- the 9M714F missile armed with a FRAG-HE warhed weighing 450 kg. Maximum range is 450 km.
- the 9M714K missile armed with a submunitions warhead weighing 715 kg. Maximum range is 300 km.
In addition to these warheads, the SS-23 was also reported to be able to deliver chemical munitions.
Operators
Technical Data
| System |
OTR-23 Oka |
| Missile |
9M714V |
| NATO-Code |
SS-23 Spider |
| Deployment Year |
1980 |
| Length |
7.53 m |
| Diameter |
0.89 m |
| Weight |
4360 kg |
| Warhead |
Nuclear 50-100 kT |
| Range |
500 km |
| Guidance |
Inertial with terminal active radar |
| Accuracy (CEP) |
30-150 m |
Notes
See also
External links
Soviet Union - Eliminated as directed by the INF Treaty
East Germany - Eliminated in the 1990s
Bulgaria - Eliminated in 2002
Czechoslovakia - Passed on successor states
Czech Republic - Eliminated in the 1990s
Slovakia - Eliminated in 2000
