December 14, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Russian television yesterday carried a report profiling a Topol (SS-25) missile squad based in Siberia. The profile was of the 51st Strategic Missile Troops Division. The discussion of the reporter points to the mobile nature of the Topol missiles, a capacity to evade certain satellite detection, and targeting. The United States, by contrast, has no mobile land-based missiles: all American Minutemen are in silos, easily targeted in advance by Russia. An excerpt:
[Correspondent] As soon as the hardware and personnel get on the move here, in a small army unit near Irkutsk, the command of US strategic forces becomes seriously worried. The thing is that a base of mobile launchers equipped with Topol intercontinental missiles is situated here. It’s no secret that the Americans are keeping constant watch from space over all our strategic facilities. Incidentally, we are doing the same. But this is a special case which can be described as our military trick. After Topol missiles leave the base and hide in the forest, no spy satellite can spot them. The mobile installation can launch a missile from any point along its combat patrol route which can hardly be traced. That’s why US generals become nervous when Topols are on the move. …
The mobile launchers can sail but thick forest and swampy terrain is their element. Camouflaging the vehicles is a necessary exercise for the crews. The netting stretched over the tractor towing the missile provides additional cover against spy satellites. …
The Strategic Missile Troops have over 300 mobile launchers on alert, and each year one of them performs a so-called control launch to confirm the system’s reliability and show the potential enemy that we are always ready.
[Correspondent] The permanent readiness regiment of the SMT division in Irkutsk Region is the furthermost Topol base in the country. Moscow is over 5,000 km away from here. The regiment is completely self-sufficient. Its own farm is regarded as strategic facility No 2. …
[Correspondent] Topol missile systems have been with the Strategic Missile Troops since 1985. Their service life was set initially at 10 years. Experts are claiming now that their service life can be extended to 20 years thanks to their reliability. …
(Article)
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