Russia’s Maneuverable Warhead
February 8, 2005 :: News
The site edited by Pavel Podvig, author of Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces, reports a few additional details for the February 18, 2004 test of a hypersonic and maneuverable warhead which has since been touted as another means by which Russia can overcome the midcourse ballistic missile defense system currently being deployed.
Citing Yuri Solomonov, head of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, Russianforces.org reports that the test may not in fact have been successful, and that the warhead may have been burned up in the atmosphere over the Svobodnyy launch site. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Maneuverable Warheads, Russia
Russia to Launch Iranian Satellites Within Months
February 2, 2005 :: Kommersant :: News
In January of 2004, Iran declared that within the next 18 months it would launch a satellite into orbit using its own rocket systems and doing so from its own territory, becoming the first Islamic state to do so. Recently, however, reports the Russian Kommersant, Iran has signed an agreement with Russia which will permit it to launch two satellites, named Mesbah and Sinah-1, from the Russian Plesetsk launching site. According to the Russian newspaper, Moscow persuaded Iran to do so to avoid a harsh American reaction. Both are said to be spy satellites. The Mesbah satellite is said to orbit at 900km. The Sinah-1 is said to weight some 20 kg. Other sources also refer to cooperation on a Zohreh telecommunications satellite, but Kommersant claims this project may have been a diversion.
Iran would probably have launched the satellites using its own Shahab missile, which it claims is not intended for distances even sufficient to reach Europe. A ballistic missile capable of putting a satellite into orbit, however, is also capable of traveling long distances, indeed, nearly anywhere on earth, notes Kommersant. Kommersant also claims that Italy, China, Mongolia, Pakistan and Thailand were each assisting Iran in preparations for the launch, but that they have since withdrawn such help out of concern for U.S. sanctions. Although Iran was also negotiating with China for such a launch, Russia is said to have stepped in to help Iran complete the project. The launch is reported to take place in the second quarter of 2005, perhaps by May, and will use the Russian Kosmos-3M launcher.
If one gathers nothing else from this and other news of similar proliferation and military ties, it should be that Russia and China both continue to project power into the middle east, and are specifically interested in making Iran a strategic ally. Both countries do so in order to counter American force. Neither country is a friend, or ally, of the United States. Both are rather strategic competitors. Any attempt to confront the Iranian regime, its sponsorship of terrorism, its nuclear and other WMD programs, and its ballistic missile programs, would be strongly opposed by both countries. (Article, Link)
» Geostrategy Direct on Iran-Russia satellite cooperation
» Nov. 29, 2004: Aviation Weekly & Space Technology: Iranian space interests disguise strategic missile ambitions
» Sep. 20, 2004: Iran announces plan to launch satellite
» Middle East Newsline on Iranian-Russian satellite launch plans
» More stories on: China, Iran, Russia, Space-Based Systems
Russia to Take Delivery of Additional Topol-Ms
February 1, 2005 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Itar-Tass provides an update on the planned delivery of additional Topol-M ballistic missiles in 2005, given by first deputy defense minister Colonel General Aleksandr Belousov. The military will acquire seven new Topol-M missiles of both the silo- and mobile-based types. Itar-tass quotes another Russian Defense ministry spokesman as saying that, “The troops will be getting between three and nine launchers a year. And the combined missile force stationed in Ivanovo Region will get mobile Topol-Ms first, with several Strategic Missile Troops divisions to be armed with them in total.” The Strategic Missile Troops will also take delivery of five space rockets, noted Belousov. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia
» Missile details: SS-N-6
Iskander Deployment Update
January 28, 2005 :: Itar-Tass :: News
Itar-Tass provides an update on the scheduled deployment of the first Iskander-M ballistic missiles to the Russian army later this year, quoting First Deputy Defense Minister Colonel General Alexander Belousov. Itar-Tass also quotes head of the Russian Armed Forces’ Missile Troops and Artillery Colonel General Vladimir Zaritsky as specifying that that the first squad of Iskanders will be formed in the North Caucasian military district, and “Next year we will start re-equipment of missile brigades stationed in the Far East and the Siberian military district, in compliance with the armament program and the development concept.”
The Iskander short range ballistic missile has also been in the news for Russia’s reported plans to sell a version of the missile, the Iskander-E, to Syria, a state sponsor of terrorism. The Iskander has been characterized as a next-generation Scud, which the Soviet Union and Russia widely proliferated the world over, and as a replacement to the “SS-21 Tochka,” with much more advanced guidance and perhaps even the capabilities to avoid theatre ballistic missile defenses, such as the Patriot. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia
» Missile details: SS-26
Russia to Deploy S-400 Missile Defenses
January 28, 2005 :: Itar-Tass :: News
Russian news agencies have widely reported that Russia will begun to upgrade its missile defenses in 2005, as expected, replacing older systems with the newer and widely touted S-400 interceptors. Interfax and Itar-Tass quoted deputy defense minister Belousov as saying that the military would purchase six S-400 systems this year, but did not specify the price, or where they would be deployed. Russia has previously indicated that the S-400 may be offered for export.
RIA Novosti notes that, in addition, Russia’s navy will add two new strategic nuclear submarines, the Yury Dolgoruky and the Dmitry Donskoy, each armed with Russia’s most advanced submarine launched ballistic missile, the Bulava SS-N-30. Belousov added that, “Allegations that all our technology is outdated do not hold water. The performance of our technology is not inferior to that in any other industrialized country.” Other systems to be added in 2005 include a battalion of new T-90 tanks, two TU-160 strategic bombers, and a host of other systems. (Article, Link)
» Defense News description of Russia’s 2005 acquisitions
» RIA Novosti on Belousov report
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile details: SS-NX-30
» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Ukraine-Russia Missile Cooperation to Continue
January 26, 2005 :: Interfax :: News
The Russian Interfax military news agency stressed in a January 25 report that strategic ballistic missile cooperation between Russia and Ukraine will continue unabated, despite the recent election of Westward-leaning Yushchenko. Interfax quotes Aleksandr Ryazhskikh, former deputy commander of the Strategic Missile Troops of Russia as saying that such missile cooperation was necessary for Russia’s efforts to extend the combat-ready service life of strategic missiles. Missiles whose service lives are being extended include the SS-18 and SS-19. Ryazhskikh noted that after the fall of the Soviet Union, “Up to 40 per cent of the companies involved in cooperation in producing strategic missiles stayed in Ukraine. It is impossible to do without these companies in extending the guaranteed service life.” Thus, whatever appearances of Western-Ukrainian cooperation, it seems likely that Russia will strongly oppose any significant breakdown of its relations with Ukraine. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia
Russia Backpedals Missile Proliferation to Syria, Hezbollah
January 13, 2005 :: News
The Russian newspaper Kommersant recently reported of Russian plans to sell a number of missile systems to Syria, a state sponsor of terrorism and in particular Hezbollah. These included the shoulder-fired SS-18 Igla anti-aircraft missiles, but also and more significantly, eighteen of Russia’s new and made-for-export SS-26 Iskander missile, and the S-300PMU-2 (SA-10) air and missile defense system, similar to that which rings Moscow, and other systems. The S-300PMU-2 system is one of Moscow’s most developed air and missile defense systems. The SS-26 has increasingly made the news for its touted capabilities to evade other air-defenses—possibly the U.S. Patriot interceptors—and the Russian’s plans to market it widely, including in the middle east. The export version of the SS-26 Iskander missile has a reported range of 280 km, sufficient for Syria to strike nearly all of Israel.
At this time, negative publicity may be sufficient reason for Russia to back out of the missile deal, but it nevertheless serves as yet another example of Russia’s long track record of being willing to proliferate missiles and missile technology throughout the world. (More »»»)
» January 12: Original report of planned missile sales by Russian newspaper Kommersant
» January 13: Ivanov denies plans to proliferate Iskanders to Syria
» January 12: Interfax: Colonel Vladimir Anokhin defends missile sales to Syria
» More stories on: Proliferation, Russia, Syria, Terrorism
» Missile details: SS-26
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)
Russian Plans to Counter U.S. BMD
January 10, 2005 :: AFPC :: News
Although Russian strategic forces are amply equipped to overcome or overwhelm the ballistic missile defenses currently being considered, though not yet deployed by the United States, Russia is still quite serious about staying abreast of any and all means it could devise to retain a strategic advantage over the United States. Citing a report in Moscow’s Trud newspaper, dated December 22, the American Foreign Policy Council describes the work of Major-General Vladimir Belous, a scientific associate of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and his proposals for additional neutralization of any missile defenses. These include upgrading Russian offensive forces to avoid or confuse interceptors, “new methods” including decoy missiles to overwhelm interceptors, and even offensively targeting U.S. missile defense facilities. Belous is quoted as saying, however, that these are only the beginning: “[T]he mission of countering the [American] missile defense system opens up a broad creative expanse for Russian designers.” (Article, Link)
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Russia Tests Topol-M
December 24, 2004 :: LA Times :: News
While the West prepares for Christmas, Russia today launched a Topol-M ballistic missile, its last ballistic missile test reportedly scheduled for 2004. It is also the last test of the Topol-M (SS-27) before it is put into full combat service. The land-based missile—the mobile version of which was tested today for the fourth time—was launched from the Plesetsk test site in the northern Arkhangelsk region. It traveled to and successfully hit its target at the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka peninsula.
This test brings the total number of Russian ICBM/SLBM launches in 2004 to fifteen. They were as follows:
(More »»»)
» RIA Novosti description of Topol-M
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-27
Russian General: Nuclear War Still Possible
December 29, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
The Russian Interfax news agency carries a story on the plausibility of future nuclear warfare. Interfax cites Colonel General Aleksandr Ryzhskikh, former deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Strategic Missile Troops, as saying that nuclear warheads, perhaps with small yields, may well be employed in future wars.
“It is highly likely that nuclear warheads may be employed,” Ryazhskikh told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday [29 December] when asked whether nuclear weapons would be employed in wars or local conflicts in the near future.
“I believe that those will be low-power nuclear warheads, employed in certain terrain areas,” Ryazhskikh said.
(Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia
