R-14

8K65 SS-5 Skean (NATO)

Mission Profile

The R-14 (NATO designation SS-5 Skean, 8K65) was a Soviet single-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile deployed from 1961 to deliver nuclear warheads against NATO targets in Western Europe from launch sites in Eastern Europe and the USSR. Standing 24.4 m tall with a 2.4 m diameter and a liftoff mass of 86,300 kg, it generated 1,350 kN of thrust from its main RD-216 engine. The R-14 was a key element of Soviet strategic forces during the 1960s and also served as the first stage of the Kosmos-3M orbital launch vehicle, giving it a long post-military career in the Soviet commercial launch program.