MOSCOW, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Russia's new sea launched ballistic missile, the Bulava, continues to experience technical difficulties.
Russian scientists believe, however, that its technical problems are closer to being resolved.
Friday's second successful test launch of the Bulava missile after three previous mishaps seemingly confirms specialists' theories that the cause of the previous failures may have been in the SLBM's assembly process, Agenstvo Voyennykh Novostei news agency reported Friday.
A high-ranking military source, speaking on condition of anonymity said: "In this way, a preliminary conclusion can be drawn that the assembly process was the cause of the unsuccessful launches. However, a final conclusion can only be made after another launch, which is planned by the end of the year.
"Immediately after the return of the Dmitrii Donskoi submarine (which carried out the latest launch) to base, the commission will begin to study the data of the 14th launch and will plan the date of the next one -- the 15th launch of the missile. This will be the last test launch in 2010."
