The Strategic Rocket Forces (Raketnye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN) is a branch of the Russian Armed Forces responsible for land-based strategic nuclear missiles, established December 17, 1959 in the Soviet Union. RVSN administered Soviet/Russian military space assets twice: via the Central/Main Directorate of Space Assets (TsUKOS/GUKOS) from 1964-1981 and again after absorbing the Military Space Forces in 1997, until space forces were permanently split off as an independent branch in 2001. RVSN continues today as Russia's strategic missile branch, separate from the space/aerospace lineage.
Identity changes, mergers, acquisitions, splits, and transferred business lines.
2 events
Formed from space and missile-space-defense (RKO) units due to the growing role of space assets in national/military security.
Part of the 1997 Sergeyev military reform, driven by defense-budget consolidation; exact 1997 date not specified in available sources.