he R-16 intercontinental ballistic missile is a two-stage, tandem, storable liquid-propellant missile capable of delivering a single 3500 lb reentry vehicle to a maximum operational range of 7000 nm, or a 4200 lb reentry vehicle to a range of 6000 nm. The R-16 was about 100 feet long and 10 feet in diameter. The missile guidance system was inertial with a CEP estimated by the West at 1.0-1.25 nm. The propulsion system of the first stage consists of three motors with two combustion chambers (similar to those used on the R-14 missile) and a four-chamber control engine. The pivoted combustion chambers of the control engine were placed on an external surface under fairings, which also served as aerodynamic stabilizers. The second stage had a two combustion chamber engine with that had a greater nozzle as the first stage and a four-chamber control engine. Dedicated retrorockets were used to separate the sustainer stages and the warhead.

A novel and more reliable autonomous guidance control system that was protected from radio-jamming was designed for this missile. Three versions of the R-16 missile were developed differing with regard to the number and the yield of warheads and the ensuing maximum range. Four variants of the reentry vehicle were detected by Western intelligence during the R&D program. Only the Mod 2 (ballistic coefficient equals 700 lb per sq ft; yield assessed by the West to be 2.0 to 3.5 MT) and the Mod 3 (ballistic coefficient equals 850 lb per sq ft; yield assessed by the West to be 3.0 to 5.0 MT) were deployed extensively. The order to build an intercontinental ballistic missile designated as R-16 (8K64) was approved by the ministerial Council of the USSR on 17 December 1956. The developer was Yangel's OKB-586.