March 17, 2005 :: Interfax :: News
The Russian defense industry could with short notice begin production of intermediate range ballistic missiles currently banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, reports Interfax, quoting an unnamed Russian defense source. The source is quoted at length: “All the necessary technical and production prerequisite are in place. For instance, the achievements in research and technology gained in the development of the Skorost missile system in the 1980s may become a basis for manufacturing medium-range missiles…The Skorost system was developed in response to the deployment of US Pershing-2 missiles in Europe. In its characteristics, it was not inferior to its foreign counterpart…The [Skorost] missile was capable of carrying a more powerful warhead than Pershing-2.”
The Russian defense source also added that the development of new missiles with a range of 500-600 km based on existing Iskander-E tactical missile systems was also possibile. (Article)
» BBC Monitoring text of Interfax report
» Text of 1987 INF Treaty
» Description of cancelled Skorost missile program
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