Russia may extend the service life guarantee for its Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) to at least 20 years.

The silo-based Topol-M missiles entered into service in 1997, with an original guaranteed service life of 15 years.

The Moscow Institute of Thermotechnics’ chief designer of the missile Yuri Solomonov said the Russian Defence Ministry would now conduct service life extension research.

The new sea-based intercontinental missile, Bulava, will replace the strategic missiles of the previous generation’s Topol-M ICBM.

The Topol-M is a cold-launched, three-stage, solid-propellant, silo-based or road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile.