S-30 (RSS)
cruise missile

    The design bureau ordered to create the «RS» intercontinental supersonic bomber was established at plant №256 under leadership of P.V.Tsybin on 23 May 1955. The bureau invested in a project which had many innovations, but insufficient experience resulted in the overestimation of the designers capabilities. Therefore claimed performance appeared not to be realized. The project began a long period of metamorphosis and was divided into two parts, which were controlled by a piloted RSR reconnaissance aircraft and RSS (S-30) strategic missile, owing to the similarity in airframe and launch by carrier-aircraft method. The missile imaging programme was started on 31 July 1958. To add to the RSS study, Tupolev OKB-156 became the head enterprise to build the Tu-95S carrier. Initially Tupolev had harshly objected to Tsibin's idea and he didn't change his opinion later.
    The S-30 missile layout was based on the 2RS project, retaining its wing, tail unit and power plant comprising a pair of Bondaryuk OKB-670 RD-013 ramjets. The fuselage was redesigned and shortened by cockpit area and the special equipment tail fairing was removed, but nevertheless it was still longer than 20 m.
    The experimental «product 6» (RDS-6s) was supposed to be the warhead, but allegedly prod. 37d , the single realistic contemporary serial thermonuclear charge, could be employed. This had weight and dimensions similar to the RDS-6s. The missile was supposed to feature astro-inertial flight management system. It was planned that controlled by a pilot analogue- aircraft would be built for the systems development and preliminary evaluations.
    The RSS missile had a number of design and technology drawbacks. First of all the wing main panels weren't divided on subassemblies and it took three teams operating schedule up to 4 months to build these in pilot-scale production conditions. The main panel-to-fuselage fit wasn't thought out well. Very hard mass limits set by the designers for themselves forced the employment of untested materials to provide weight reductions. One of them was the AB aluminium-beryllium alloy which appeared to be very toxic.
    The missile's design and construction was significantly behind schedule. The carrier production showed the same delays and Tupolev claimed this was due to the size of the platform. Nevertheless, the RSR carrier was built and 0KB-156 studied the Tu-95 versions to convey «100» cruise missiles and «113» drone reconnaissance aircraft. The latter's weight and dimensions were superior to Tsibin's projects even.
    OKB-256 staff was allocated to plant # 23 in 1959 to work on missile themes under V.M.Myasishchev's general leadership. The RSS missile, being in final stages of projection, had no 3M and M-50 suspension capability because of their low height, Furthermore, the OKB-23 was disbanded soon after. The special designers team which had been established with V.M.Myasishchev remained temporarily at the plant. This included V.B. Shavrov and P.L.Bartini to add to P.V.Tsibin. Among other things they tried to adopt the RSS to the huge A-57 seaplane bomber. But the aircraft failed to be built for different reasons. The S-30 and R-020 (the last RSR project conversion) studies were halted in 1960.

References and Credits:

1. Soviet long range and naval aviation missiles / S.Moroz, S.Popsuevich, «Major», «Pilot», 2001 /
2. «To it to be a rocket» / I.Afanasiev, V.Bobkov, «Ace» 1/1993 /
3. «Outstripped time» / V.Maksimovsky. «Air Fleet Herald». 6/96 /
4. «PVRD - the task for tomorrow» / E. Erohin, «Engine» #1'2001 /