The missile was given the NATO reporting name SS-17 Spanker and was built under the Soviet industry designation 15A15.

The purpose was to develop a MIRV capable replacement for the existing UR-100 missiles in service.

The development of "modernized UR-100" was authorized on 19 August 1970 (document No.682-218) and assigned to both OKB-586 and TsKBM (builder of UR-100).

The new missiles had completely replaced the original version by 1983, at which time the Soviets fielded 270 launchers.

In the historical fiction novel The Third World War, written by General Sir John Hackett, a warhead from a MR-UR-100 detonates 3500m above Birmingham, England at 10:30 hours GMT on 20 August 1985.