Ivanov: Russia Will Maintain and Expand Nuclear Arsenal
August 16, 2004 :: News
Speaking after a visit with U.S. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov noted that his country will “not only maintain fighting efficiency of the strategic nuclear forces but also develop and upgrade them.” He also noted that Russia would be increasing its military exercises this year, including those of the Strategic Missile Troops.
Ivanov went on in his interview with Itar Tass to claim that Russia’s exercises are not “as aggressive as they were in the Cold War period, but during a joint press briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld renewed concern about the Greenland Thule radar. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia
Russia Concerned about Greenland Radar Upgrade
August 13, 2004 :: The Moscow Times :: News
As Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld travels to Russia to discuss missile defense and other subjects with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov, he is expected to face opposition about the recent agreement to upgrade the Thule radar complex located in Greenland, signed with Denmark on August 6. Russia is concerned that the location of the radar will permit the U.S. to track not only rogue state missile launches, but those of Russia as well, which could potentially allow the U.S. some chance of intercepting Russian ICBMs.
Interfax quoted an unidentified Russian defense official as saying that “These actions directly affect Russia’s security interests”—even though Russia frequently maintains that it has the capabilities to penetrate U.S. missile defenses. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Russia, Detection and Tracking
New Russian Missile Interceptor Announced
August 13, 2004 :: News
Russia’s newest air and missile defense system, called the Samoderzhets (Emperor), is “unbeatable” and surpasses the American Patriot system dramatically, boasts Russian designers at the Almaz and Antei defense companies, reports the Russian newspaper, Vremya Novostei.
The Samoderzhets apparently combines the longer range of the S-300VM system and the advanced technology of the S-400.
The Samoderzhets system could be the same “fifth generation” system as that referenced in a January report in Voyennykh Novostey, which quoted Antei designers saying that the new system would be available by 2012. (Article, Link)
» Jan. 27, 2004: Fifth generation Russian interceptors by 2012
» Russian defense budget to increase 40% in 2005
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant), S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Russia Ships S-300P Missiles to China
August 12, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
Russia shipped four batteries of its advanced air and missile defense system, the S-300PMU1, to neighboring China earlier on August 5, notes Geostrategy-direct, citing an Interfax press report. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: China, Chinese Missile Defenses, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)
Russia Launches SS-19
August 11, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
Russia today tested an RS-18 (SS-19) ICBM, reported by the Russian State news agency Itar-Tass as the 70th test launch of the massive strategic weapon, but by Interfax as having been closer to the 90th. The missile is capable of being armed with six independently targetable nuclear warheads, and has a range of over 10,000km. The successful test launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome was described in the press briefing as having accurately hit its target in the Kamchatka missile range some 6,700km away, located in far eastern Russia.
Interfax notes that this launch was the fifth this year by the Strategic Missile Forces, and cites Strategic Missile Force Commander Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov as saying that a total of ten missile launches have been scheduled for 2004. This number most likely does not, however, include the three launches thus far this year of the short range but nuclear capable SS-21 Tochka, most recently launched eight days ago, on August 3.
The first test of the SS-19 is said to have taken place at the Baikonur space center in 1973. The SS-19s are reported to be currently in service with the Tatishchevo and the Kozelsk Strategic Missile Forces units.
A report by Interfax seems to indicate that the launch was of the more recently modified version labeled the “RS-18B,” which probably corresponds to the NATO designation SS-19 Mod 2. Moreover, the Interfax description of the characteristics of the SS-19 launched also matches those of the SS-19 Mod 2: “a range of over 10,000 km; a launch weight of 105.6 tons; a length of 24 m; a diameter of 2.5 m; two stages; a MIRV warhead, liquid-state propellant boosters; gas-dynamic launch from a silo.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-19 Mod 1, SS-19 Mod 2
New Russian Sub Will Test Bulava Missile System
August 4, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Russia’s new nuclear submarine, the Dmitri Donskoy, has left for extended trials in the White Sea, reports the Interfax news agency from Russia. After these trials, it will eventually return to the shipyard, and then join the Northern Fleet. Interfax noted that when it does so, it will have had installed the latest Bulava missile system, which will then be tested from the Dmitri Donskoy. The Bulava or SS-NX-30 is the sea-launched equivalent of the SS-27 Topol-M, and is being installed on all new submarines. (Link)
» More stories on: Russia
» Missile details: SS-NX-30
Jane’s: North Korea Deploying 2,500km Range Missile, Capable of Ship-Launch
August 3, 2004 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
Jane’s Defense Weekly reports that North Korea is deploying two different forms of a new missile system, with capabilities to strike both U.S military forces in Guam and Japan and also the continental United States. The new missile is believed to be based primarily upon the Russian R-27/SS-N-6 submarine launched missile, as well as some SS-N-5 technology and assistance from the Russian missile manufacturer VP Makeyev Design Bureau. The land-based mobile version of the missile has an estimated range of missile 2,500-4,000 km, and the submarine- or ship-based version some 2,500 or more.
Besides the indication of Russian proliferation, the significance of such a ship-launched missile to North Korea is the very scenario so often discussed here on Missilethreat.com: a ship-launched ballistic missile attack upon the United States. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld spoke of such a threat in October 2001, and Assistant Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz has since warned of the same. Such a prospect points to the need for a much more robust missile defense architecture, which includes space based systems. The long range midcourse interceptors to be deployed in Alaska and California would not have sufficient time to meet and destroy such a missile. A space based laser, reacting at the speed of light, is one serious alternative.
Update: August 4: The Russian Interfax news agency quotes “Admiral Eduard Baltin, ex-commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Hero of the Soviet Union,” as having “ruled out” the possibility of the transfer of Russian SS-N-6 missile technology to North Korea, and calling the reported transfers “absurd.”
Update: August 5: New York Times coverage of the story cites an unnamed official dismissing concern about the newly deployed missiles: “There is no way this can hit the mainland.” The story improperly dismisses the sea-launched version of the missile, weakly citing “doubts” that its purpose was to be launched from a freighter, and pointing out that North Korea has no submarines. Such slight of hand ignores entirely that there are two versions of the missile, one of which is designed to be launched by sea. The initial report by Jane’s Defense Weekly, cited by the New York Times, had correctly observed that “Both these new land- and sea-based systems appreciably expand the DPRK’s ballistic missile threat…The missile capable of being launched from submarines of ships is potentially the most dangerous.” (Article, Link)
» AFP summary of Jane’s report
» Globalsecurity.org description of “No Dong B”
» More stories on: North Korea, Proliferation, Russia
» Missile details: SS-N-5, SS-N-6
Russia Launches Tochka-U SS-21
August 3, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Russian troops today conducted a combat exercise which included the successful launch of the nuclear capable Tochka-U, SS-21, ballistic missile. The missile was launched from the Kapustin Yar firing range. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-21 B
Russian Missile Defenses to be Improved Over Next Three Years
July 28, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The Commander of the Russian Space Troops, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Popovkin, reports that Russia’s missile defenses are continuing to improve, due in part to a new generation of missile detecting radars, reports the Russian news service, Itar-Tass.
In the next two to three years, the Russian missile early warning system will receive new, “highly finished” radars. The new radars, said to utilize new technologies, are set to be tested in 2005.
Commander Popovkin described Russia’s missile defense capabilities as improving and growing, and said that “the Space Troops have a tremendous amount of work still to be carried out.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses, Detection and Tracking
U.S. Sanctions Russian Company’s For Missile Tech Proliferation
July 23, 2004 :: News
On July 15, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Nonproliferation enacted sanctions against the Russian Altai research and production complex for actions constituting proliferation of missile and other technologies.
The Russian Interfax news agency cites Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak that the Russian Foreign Ministry “regrets” the U.S. sanctions, but points out that the actions in question were no violation of Russian law or its own understanding of its nonproliferation obligations.
We too “regret” the sanctions—not for their imposition but for their need to be imposed. We should regret, but nevertheless admit, that Russia and China are both primary sources of missile and nuclear proliferation. (Article, Link)
» Iran hopes to acquire “booster” from Russia to enhance capabilities of nuclear weapons
» More stories on: Proliferation, Russia
