Popovkin on Need for Space Awareness
January 24, 2006 :: News
Colonel-General Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the Russian Space Troops, recently claimed that Russia “monitors the state of domestic and foreign spacecraft, because it’s necessary to know the whole situation in outer space.” In a conversation with Russian and French presidents Vladimir Putin and Jacques Chirac, Popovkin noted that Russia’s existing system makes it possible to receive “objective and full information” on space objects, define the trajectory of their flight, and establish what state they belong to. He added that Russia currently operates approximately 100 space apparatuses in different orbits. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Space-Based Systems
Russia to Leave Baikonur
January 20, 2006 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Russia plans to withdraw its missile forces from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the oldest space launch facility in the world. According to Col.-Gen. Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the Russian Space Troops, the forces will move to the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, located in northwestern Russia approximately 800 km northeast of St. Petersburg. Popovkin was quoted by RIA-Novosti as stating that maintaining Baikonur “has become a luxury that we cannot permit ourselves.” The planned withdrawal will take place in 2007-2008. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia
» Missile system details for: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Russia To Have 18 GLONASS Satellites Orbiting by 2008
January 20, 2006 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) will include 18 satellites in orbit by 2008, reports RIA Novosti. GLONASS, which is not yet operational, currently has 17 satellites in orbit, following the recent launch of Cosmos-2417, Cosmos-2418, and Cosmos-2419 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in December 2005. RIA Novosti quotes Colonel-General Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the Russian Space Troops, as stating that six more satellites will be launched as backups to the main satellites. A separate article notes that all 24 GLONASS satellites could be operational by 2009, ahead of the originally planned date of 2012. Once operational, GLONASS will provide global positioning services for various military and civilian customers. (Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Detection and Tracking
Russian Missile Radars in Ukraine Under Discussion
January 18, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Colonel-General Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the Russian Space Troops, stated on Wednesday that radar stations located at Sevastopol and Mukachevo in Ukraine remained firmly under Russian control. Speaking to journalists, Popovkin emphasized that Russia did not want “political battles” to affect its missile attack early warning system, and that prior agreements remained in place. In December, however, news sources had reported that Ukraine was considering retaliation against Russia, which had raised the price of its natural gas exports to Ukraine considerably. This move angered Ukraine, which threatened to host U.S. missile defense assets at Sevastopol and Mukachevo. The issue was reportedly discussed in Kiev by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia
Russian S-400 To Go Online at 35 Locations
January 17, 2006 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Russian air defense regiments in the Moscow region will be equipped with S-400 surface-to-air missiles in 2006, reports RIA Novosti. Vladimir Mikhailov, commander of the Russian Air Force, added that all 35 air defense regiments will be re-equipped with the S-400 in the future. The S-400 (NATO designation SA-20 Triumf) is an advanced surface-to-air missile system designed to destroy aircraft, cruise missiles, and short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at ranges of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles). (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Russian General Discusses Bomber Capabilities
January 13, 2006 :: News
General Vladimir Mikhaylov, commander-in-chief of the Russian air force, recently discussed the capabilities of Russia’s strategic bombers with Interfax. Mikhaylov stated that Russia’s long-range aviation constitutes “the backbone of global deterrence,” specifically mentioning the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers and Tu-22M3 long-range bombers. Mikhaylov added that these aircraft are capable of “deterring and, if needed, countering any airspace threat regardless of where it may be coming from.”
An excerpt:
…the Tu-95MS is a “combination of a highly efficient subsonic intercontinental-range aircraft, a nuclear long-range cruise missile and a navigation and information flight support system.” “Combat capabilities of the aircraft may be improved by upgrading each of its components,” he said, noting that the “Tu-160 was a follow-on of the Tu-95MS.”
“The aircraft is unique in its capability of carrying out subsonic, supersonic and low-level flights. This combination increases flexibility, adaptability, and combat stability in a nuclear environment. The modernization prospects of the aircraft envision it being able to employ conventional weapons, including precision-guided munitions (PGM). Its avionics and standard armament will also be upgraded,” he said.
Mikhaylov pointed out that the “air force will receive a new Tu-160 as early as February-March 2006.” On the combat capabilities of the Tu-22M3 bomber, Mikhaylov said that the aircraft was “second to none in the world.” “Its high flight characteristics allow it to engage ground and surface-based targets in a variety of ways. However, its avionics will be improved as well, and the aircraft will be armed with air-to-surface guided bombs and PGMs,” Mikhaylov said.
(Article, Link)
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Second Launch of Russian Bulava Missile, From Submerged Position
December 21, 2005 :: News
Russia today tested its Bulava (R-30/SS-NX-30) ballistic missile. The successful launch was only the second test of the Bulava system, the newest missile being developed by Russia. The missile was fired from the Dmitry Donskoy submarine of Russian navy’s Northern Fleet, from within the White Sea. In the previous test on September 27, the missile was fired while the submarine was at the surface. Today, however, the submarine was moving underwater at the time the missile was launched.
The missile’s payload traveled some 6,000km to its target at the Kura testing range on the Far Eastern Kamchatka peninsula. Interfax reported that twelve missiles will be based on each submarine. RTR television in Moscow reported that the solid fuel Bulava missile can “carry at least 10 nuclear MIRV warheads and its range is about 8,000 km.” RTR television also showed President Putin and Defense Minister Ivanov commenting on the test:
[Ivanov] We can now already talk boldly about all the design and engineering decisions that were put into this new missile system having vindicated themselves.
In 2006 we will continue flight tests in the various modes of this system and we are already firmly counting on the fact that this system - and also the new submarine that is being built, as you know, alongside this system - will be accepted to be with our fleet by 2008.
[Putin] This is a good present to the country from all of those who have worked on this subject matter for the New Year. I congratulate you, well done!
Ivanov was also quoted by RIA Novosti as emphasizing that, “What is important is that the submarine was moving [underwater], it was not stationary.” He noted that further Bulava testing would continue in 2006, and that “We are fairly certain that the [Bulava] missile system, and a new submarine to be equipped with it, will be deployed by our navy in 2008.”
RIA Novosti noted that Chief of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces Gen Nikolai Solovtsev recently declared Moscow’s plans to test-fire several nuclear-capable cruise missiles in 2006. (Link)
» RIA Novosti: Ivanov on launch significance
» Moscow RTR television quotes Putin and Ivanov on launch
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-26
Another Regiment of Topol M Deployed
December 20, 2005 :: News
Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces are currently deploying a fifth Topol-M ICBM regiment in Tatishchevo, according to Russian news agencies. Four missiles were deployed this month, bringing the total number of silo-based missiles at Tatishchevo to 44.
The Topol-M (SS-27) is capable of hitting targets at a range of more than 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles), and is said to be the core of Russia’s modernized missile arsenal. A complete Topol-M regiment includes ten missiles and usually takes two years to deploy (four or six missiles are deployed at a time). Sources indicate that Russia has included six new missiles in its 2006 acquisition plan, and therefore it is unclear whether deployment of this fifth regiment will be completed in 2006. (Article, Link)
» RIA Novosti on Topol activation
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» Missile details: SS-N-6
Russia Tests Topol SS-25; Service Life Extensions to Yield Savings
November 30, 2005 :: News
On November 29, Russia tested fired one of its aging “Topol” ballistic missiles, which have been in service since the 1980s. The RS-12M missile, SS-25 in the NATO designation, was successfully launched from a mobile launcher located at the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region. The missile traveled east, with the warhead or warheads being delivered to the designated target at the testing ground of the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The launch was part of an ongoing plan to extend the service lives of the SS-25, which shores up the strength of Russia’s offensive nuclear forces. Russia’s project to extend the service lives of Cold War workhorses such as the SS-18 and also the SS-25 helps to save or at least delay the costs associated with replacing them with newer ICBMS, such as, for example, the Topol-M (SS-27) which would otherwise be necessary to retain Russia’s sizable nuclear arsenal.
The SS-25 Topol missiles have already exceeded the period through which they were expected to be operable. A statement by Colonel Aleksey Kuznetsov, head of the Space Troops’ press service, is quoted by the Russian Interfax news agency: “The purpose of the launch is to confirm the flight, technical and operation characteristics of the mobile ground-based Topol missile complex so that its service life can be extended to 20 years.” (Meanwhile, the Associated Press quoted the statement as saying the missiles could be extended to a life of 23 years, and RIA Novosti that it was 19.) To clarify, the service lives of specific missiles means that while some Topols were first introduced around the late-1980s, others which were built and deployed later could still be in service for some time, while still having the same overall “service life.” RIA Novosti explained that some Topol missiles could still be operational until 2016-2018.
Russian Channel One TV notes that when the Topol missiles were introduced, they were expected to have a life for only ten years, which they have already almost doubled. It is however, worthy of notice that the Channel One report discussed the relation of the Topol and the newer Topol-M to missile defense, and specifically American missile defense capabilities. The Russian press, like the Russian military, is remarkably blunt in their desire to retain the means to deliver nuclear weapons to America, even so far as specifying that America is among its “likely enemies.”
…the launch from Plesetsk today of the oldest missile, and from the first batch, proved that they can maintain complete combat readiness for at least twice as long as this. A rocket usually becomes old when the opponent learns how to intercept it, but our likely enemies have not known what to do about the Topol, nor know so far.
The army is unlikely to keep the Topol missiles in service for longer than 23 years. A new weapon is on its way. …
[Gennadiy Yasinskiy, captioned as first deputy constructor at the Moscow institute of thermal technology] This missile is coming to the end of its service life. I don’t think the Americans will come up with anything special with their air defense [missile defense] system over these three years, whereas our modernized Topol-M missile [the SS-27] has all the elements required to overcome the US system being developed today.
[Correspondent] It was precisely in an attempt to catch up with the Topol that the Americans built the terribly expensive B-2 stealth bomber, each costing two billion dollars. But the outlay turned out to be justified: once in the air, this missile—the foundation of our nuclear shield—is completely unassailable for any air defense [missile defense] system.
Given the fungibility of money, Russia can allocate resources in its growing military budget to other programs. As RIA Novosti noted, “This measure will allow Russia to keep the infrastructure of missile deployment areas for new mobile ground-based missile systems as it continues to commission modernized Topol-M versions according to schedule.” (Article, Link)
» Russian Channel One TV description of Topol test
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-N-5
» Missile system details for: Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Ivanov: Russia Maintains Offensive Nuclear Deterrent
November 10, 2005 :: Xinhua :: News
In a meeting with top military commanders and President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov declared that Russia maintains adequate nuclear deterrent capabilities with its strategic forces. Russia’s nuclear forces “are still able not only to secure deterrence of an aggression against our country and its allies, but also guarantee an adequate answer to any aggressor,” Ivanov was cited by the Itar-Tass as saying.
“The level of preparedness at the present time has allowed making several successful launches from positional areas, air and sea missile carriers. Early warning systems have timely detected all launches of Russian and foreign inter-continental ballistic missiles and carrier rockets,” Ivanov said.
Ivanov also noted that the Russian army and navy presently number 1,134,800 officers and men, and that this number will be reduced to 1,100,000 men by 2011. He further noted that six new intercontinental range missiles would be delivered in 2006—probably referring to Topol-M missiles. (Article, Link)
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