Moscow: A test-firing of a new generation Russian sea-based nuclear missile ended in failure today jeopardising Moscow s plans to develop full refurbishment of its Soviet-era weapons arsenal capable of piercing proposed US missile shield.

After it's firing from the submarine Dmitry Donskoy, Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile with ten multiple independent re-entry vehicles (MIRV) self-liquidated and exploded in the air, Naval spokesman Capt Igor Dygalo said.

"The launch was a failure. The crew performed well. The missile left the tube but went off course due to a malfunction after the first stage separation," Dygalo was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

Bulava, which was launched this morning in the White Sea to hit a designated target 6,700 km at Kura range in the far eastern Kamchatka, failed it's eighth test launch while its fifth firing has been unsuccessful.

"A naval commission will investigate into the cause of the unsuccessful launch," Dygalo said.

The Bulava, which can be equipped with up to 10 individually targeted nuclear warheads, has a maximum range of 8,000 kilometres and was first successfully tested in December 2005.

It is the sea-based version of the Topol-M, designed to be launched from Moscow s newest Borei class of submarines.

Russia, earlier, planned to induct the new Bulava ICBM in 2009. But a senior Russian Navy official said, earlier this month, several more test launches would be conducted next year before a final decision to adopt it for service was made.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30) is being designed for deployment on Borey-class Project 955 nuclear-powered submarines.
Source : PTI