Duelfer Report: Russia Aided Iraq Missile Programs
October 8, 2004 :: The Moscow Times :: News
According to a report recently presented to the U.S. Congress by U.S. weapons inspector Charles Duelfer, Russian engineers were traveling to Iraq to aid Saddam Hussein’s missile program from 1999 and 2003. Hussein had requested Russian help and missile systems—and in some cases received them. North Korea also helped Iraq develop its Al-Samoud 2 missiles.
In addition, the report notes that Iraq wanted to acquire the Russian air defense system, the S-300, apparently via a son of former Syrian Defense Minister Mustafah. The report did however say that an Iraqi engineer had “gained access” to an S-300 system.
An excerpt of the report:
• ISG uncovered evidence that technicians and engineers from Russia reviewed the designs and assisted development of the Al Samud II during its rapid evolution. ISG also found that Iraq had entered into negotiations with North Korean and Russian entities for more capable missile systems.
• According to contract information exploited by ISG, Iraq imported at least 380 SA-2/Volga [a.k.a., S-75] liquid-propellant engines from Poland and possibly Russia or Belarus. While Iraq claims these engines were for the Al Samud II program, the numbers involved appear in excess of immediate requirements, suggesting they could have supported the longer range missiles using clusters of SA-2 engines. Iraq also imported missile guidance and control systems from entities in countries like Belarus, Russia and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY).
(Article, Link)
» Key Findings of Duelfer Report
» Vol. 2 of Duelfer Report, on Iraqi missile systems and nuclear programs
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Proliferation, Russia
» Missile details: Al Samoud
» Missile system details for: S-75 (SA-2 Guideline), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
Russia to Purchase Four New ICBMs in 2005
October 1, 2004 :: Xinhua :: News
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reported today that Russian plans to purchase an additional four ICBMs in the coming year to maintain “parity” and the Russian national interest. The Chinese Xinhau news agency quotes Ivanov as saying that with respect to the new missiles, “The number of nuclear warheads is not important.”
The identity of the missiles which will be added to Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces in 2005 was not given, but it is likely a reference to either the land-launched SS-27 (Topol-M) or its sea-launched counterpart, the SS-N-30 Bulava). (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia
» Missile details: SS-27, SS-NX-30
Superpower Proliferation to Iran: Seven Chinese Companies Sanctioned; Three from Former Soviet Union
September 27, 2004 :: Washington Times :: News
The State Department imposed sanctions on fourteen firms or individuals today for illicit proliferation, seven of which were on Chinese companies. The Chinese companies were sanctioned for the proliferation of unconventional weapons and missile technology to Iran.
In addition, one Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian companies were also sanctioned, as well as one from North Korea. Each of these entities was charged with selling materials to Iran.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher commented on the Chinese companies that “There was credible evidence that these entities had transferred one of several categories of items to Iran” since January 1999. “That would be equipment listed on multilateral export lists, items that have a potential of making a contribution to weapons of mass destruction or cruise or ballistic missiles.” (More »»»)
» VOA: Fourteen firms or individuals sanctioned
» Sep. 29, 2004: 100 tons of S. Korean dual-use sodium cyanide reached N. Korea by way of China
» More stories on: China, Iran, North Korea, Proliferation, Russia
Russia Tests Bulava (SS-N-30) Sea-Launched Missile
September 23, 2004 :: News
As expected, Russia today test launched its new Bulava submarine launched intercontinental ballistic missile, according to the Interfax news agency. A Russian nuclear submarine, the Dmitry Donskoy, fired the Bulava missile from the White Sea.
The test coincides with Russia’s launch of two Kosmos military satellites today, as reported by Itar-Tass, which are used to monitor ballistic missile launches.
Interfax initially reported that the missile traveled to its intended target successfully. Another report said the test consisted of only a “pop-up,” a test of the release mechanism which ejects the missile from the submarine, and involved no actual firing of the missile’s engine.
Update: The latter report is confirmed by another report by Interfax, which quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov:
The Bulava system was tested under water last week, Ivanov said. “The tests were successful,” he said. The minister said they used a real-size mock-up of the missile for tests. It was fired from the submerged Dmitriy Donskoy submarine. “The mock-up was delivered to a height where the cruise engine starts working,” Ivanov said. The tests showed that the missile system could be fired from submerged submarines, the minister said.
(Article, Link)
» Sep. 23, 2004: Defense News on Russian satellite launches
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-NX-30
Russia to Test Another SLBM Next Week
September 21, 2004 :: News
Russia is planning to test yet another sea launched ballistic missile in the coming week, reports the Interfax news agency. The Dmitriy Donskoy nuclear submarine in the Russian Northern Fleet is expected to test launch the advanced Bulava ICBM from the White Sea. The Bulava or SS-NX-30 is the submarine-launched version of Russia’s Topol-M missile, of which there are both mobile and silo-launched versions. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-NX-30
Flight Testing of Topol-M Almost Complete
September 20, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The Russian state news agency Itar Tass reports that flight tests for the new and advanced Topol-M ICBM are nearing completion. The first deputy director and first deputy designer-general of the Moscow Institute for Thermotechnology, Aleksandr Dorofeyev, is cited as saying that, “A range of ground-based tests of the missile have been completed. All that remains to do this year is to carry out the final flight test.
Dorofeyev also commented on the testing progress for the sea-launched Bulava (SS-N-X-30), saying that all is going to plan. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-27, SS-NX-30
Russia Launches Two Submarine-Based ICBMs
September 8, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Hours after Russia announced it would conduct preemptive strikes against terrorist bases, Russia’s Northern Fleet today launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles from submarines.
According to Itar Tass, the first missile was launched from the Yekaterinburg, and the second, some two hours later, from the Borisoglebsk, both nuclear-powered Delta-IV class ballistic missile submarines. A Russian defense official is cited as saying that “In both cases the launches were carried out from the waters of the Barents Sea in the sector of the Kura training area on Kamchatka. The dummy warheads hit the targets on the training area.” The Kamchatka peninsular missile range is located on Russia’s far eastern, Pacific coast.
Update: The missile fired from the Yekaterinburg was an R-29M (SS-N-23), that fired from the Borisoglebsk was an R-29R (SS-N-18).
Update: Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov commented on September 20 that both missiles were carrying three independently targetable warheads, all six of which successfully hit their targets. (Article, Link)
» Sep. 8, 2004: Xinhau on SLBM launches
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-N-18 Mod 3, SS-N-23
Russia’s New Iskander Missile; Response to America’s Patriot?
August 27, 2004 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Testing for a new Iskander missile has been completed, reports the Russian news agency, RIA Novosti.
President Putin is said to have asked Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov if the missile can be deployed quickly. Ivanov replied that it could be. Similar news reports suggest that the military may adopt the missile in 2005.
The relation of the “new” missile is unclear, however, to the much older SS-X-26 known as “Stone,” “Tender,” and “Iskander-E” (the export version, already marketed to a number of countries, including Syria and Iran). As noted in the 2001 National Intelligence Estimate on the foreign ballistic missile threat, the SS-21 (Tochka) and the SS-26 (Iskander) have both already been serving Russia well for its short range nuclear arsenal: “The SS-21 and SS-26 SRBMs provide Russian general-purpose ground forces with a rapid, precision-guided, theater deep-strike capability.” There was a report in October 2003, however, that the SS-26 Iskander missile was undergoing improvements.
The new Iskander is said to be capable of carrying either a nuclear or a conventional warhead. It was also described as a successor to the SS-21B “Tochka-U.” Unlike Tochka, however, the new Iskander system is said to have two missiles rather than one.
Channel One TV in Moscow gave a few more details of Iskander missile, which is describes as a “new generation weapon,” a “closely guarded secret,” and employing “stealth technology.”
Also of interest are the potential targets listed for the missile. These are said to include “missile systems, long-range artillery, aircraft at airfields, air defence and anti-missile defence systems and communications control centres” (emphasis added). The broadcast continued to say that “the system’s specifications show that the promising American air defence missile system, Patriot, will be unable to match Iskander.”
Could the Iskander be designed to destroy deployments of Patriot batteries? If so, marketing it to Syria and Iran would seem to indicate a clear purpose of negating America’s own attempts to counter the menace of those countries’ ballistic missile arsenals.
Moscow television news report also included a list of the missile’s characteristics:
Flight range: 280 km; Launch weight of missile: 3,800 kg; Warhead mass: 480 kg; Warhead type: cluster (54 submunitions), fragmentation-high explosive, penetrating; Number of missiles on launcher: two
The payload weight of 480kg would correspond to the previously known weights of the SS-X-26, but the reported range could indicate slight differences. Minister Ivanov is quoted as saying that the new Iskander has an effective range of up to 300 km, while also noting that it is a “high-precision missile.” Moreover, versions of the older Iskander had a range of between 280 (export version) and 400 km (Russian version). (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-21 B, SS-26
Belarus Conducts S-300 Air and Missile Defense Exercise in Russia
August 25, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Some 800 Belarussian troops are engaged in a military exercise in Russia, at the Ashuluk training ground in the Astrakhan region, which includes the testing of the S-300P and S-300V, which are both dual purpose air and missile defense systems. The exercise, begun on August 14, will continue until August 29. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
Russia Set to Deploy S-400 in 2005; Upgrades in Response to U.S. Defenses
August 18, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Colonel General Yuriy Solovyev, commander of the Moscow’s air defense, told a news conference on August 18 of plans to upgrade and reorganize the Moscow air and missile defense systems, notably remarking that Russia’s most advanced system, the S-400, would be deployed in 2005. (More »»»)
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
