By David Hoffman
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, February 25, 1999; Page A19

MOSCOW, Feb. 24th -- The leading designer of Russia's new intercontinental ballistic missile claimed in an interview published today that the Topol-M rocket has the ability to "effectively penetrate" the antimissile systems "of any state."

The comments by Yuri Solomonov, general constructor at the Moscow Institute of Heat Technology, which built the new missile, made public what other Russia experts have previously asserted privately: that the missile has some still-secret design to overcome anti-ballistic missile defenses.

Solomonov was not specific about the missile's shield-smashing ability in a lengthy interview with the newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, and his claim could not be verified. But his comments could add to the debate over the feasibility of building a limited missile defense system such as that now being developed by the United States.

His remarks could also be intended as a warning to the United States, which has suggested modifying the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty to allow building a limited missile defense. Russia has steadfastly opposed changing the treaty, although there have been some hints that it might be willing to accept changes as part of a larger arms-control bargain.

The single-warhead, solid-fueled Topol-M is the centerpiece of Russia's hopes for preserving its nuclear deterrent in the years ahead, at a time when many of its aging missiles, submarines, aircraft and command-and-control systems are scheduled to be retired because of obsolescence and lack of money to build replacements. A first regiment of 10 new Topol-M missiles was placed on combat-duty status in December.

Solomonov said the missile had "from the very beginning, design capabilities enabling it to effectively penetrate a potential ABM system of any state." He said the missile has different configurations, to function without special equipment against missile defenses, or outfitted to penetrate a defensive shield.

"One must understand," he said, "that if you are going along the second route, you must increase spending, and also change the characteristics of the missile, make it heavier, more sophisticated in construction."

He said even though the Topol-M has received high priority and personal backing from Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, the funding of the project last year was only half of what was budgeted because of Russia's continuing economic problems.

Solomonov said characteristics of the Topol-M include the ability to penetrate an anti-ballistic missile shield, a high degree of accuracy, the missile's ability to resist damage, and the "effectiveness" of the warhead itself. He suggested that the warhead has a self-targeting mechanism that kicks in just as the warhead is approaching its target.

The Topol-M is designed to replace the older, aging "heavy" missiles with multiple warheads, which were outlawed by the START II arms treaty. The treaty has languished unratified in the lower house of the Russian parliament. Some analysts in the United States have suggested that Russia could be allowed to modify the Topol-M, turning it into a multiple-warhead missile, in exchange for changes in the ABM treaty.

Solomonov said that if START II is discarded, and if Russia can scrape up enough money, the Topol-M could be converted to a multiple-warhead missile. Other officials have said it could carry between three and seven warheads, although they would be relatively small.