he RT-1 missile was developed and underwent flight test but was not deployed. With a launch weight of 35.5 T and a payload of 800 kg it had a limited range of only 2,000 km, the same as the R-12. The preliminary design of the RT-2 missile was finished in 1963. The flight tests were conducted in two phases from February 1966 through November 1968. It was first detected by Western intelligence during a 1,050 nm short-range flight test on 26 February 1966. During the first phase of tests, from February through July 1966, seven successful launches from the test site in Kapustin Yar were carried out. The missiles were launched from adapted silos and the nose cones were successfully deployed. During the second test phase between October 3 and   November 4, 1966 a total of 16 successful missile firings out of a total of 25 launches took place on the test site in Plesetsk. A total of 21 of the 25 missiles were tested on an intermediate range basis with the nose cone falling on a training site on Kamchatka and four were tested on maximum range with the nose cone falling into the Pacific Ocean. On 18 December 1968 deployment of the RT-2 missile began. According to Western estimates, the initial operational capability was probably achieved in 1969. Maximum deployment was reached in 1972. The missile deployment areas of missiles RT-2 were organized in area of Yoshkar Ola. Despite the hardness of the silos and the relative simplicity of operation, the operational capabilities of the RT-2 were limited due to a small throw-weight and the short operational lifetime of the solid-propellant motors. These characteristics limited the deployment to only 60 RT-2 missiles. In 1968 the development of a modernized version with a sophisticated control system and countermeasures for overcoming an ABM system was undertaken by KB Arsenal. The missile received the designation RT-2P. The flight tests RT-2P were conducted from December 1969 tthrough January 1972, and on 28 December 1972 the first missiles were deployed. In 1974 the RT-2M variant was deployed. This system was developed by Nadiradize, which finally took over the program in 1973. The expected service time of the RT-2 and RT-2Ps were estimated to be 10 years. Periodic static tests of motors on firing stands which were carried out after extended storage allowed an extension of the time the missiles could remain in service. The missiles remained in service for more than twenty years, and were phased out by the middle of 1996. Some have been replaced by the "Topol" missile.