Ukraine Cooperation in Missile Defense
April 19, 2005 :: News
President George W. Bush and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko agreed “to work together on missile defense,” reports Defense News. The agreement to begin negotiations for industry cooperation is said to have been made during an April 4 meeting in Washington. US and Ukrainian defense officials have been meeting to discuss such cooperation in February and March, and a U.S.-Ukraine missile defense workshop may take place in June, which is said to seek to “capitalize on Ukraine’s long-standing missile expertise and its newer sea-launch capabilities.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Former Soviet Republics
Plans for S-400 Testing in 2005
February 10, 2005 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Later this year, Russian aircraft will participate for the first time in air defense exercises held jointly with other former Soviet republics. The tests will include the latest S-400 air and missile defense system, reports RIA Novosti, citing a press conference by Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force.
Bizhev is quoted as saying that “We plan to conduct a command-and-staff training exercise at the Central Command Post in April 2005. During the exercise, we will deploy for the first time strategic aviation aircraft as test targets.” Armenia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus are each said to have requested participation in the exercise, to take place in Kazakhstan, for the purpose of testing “the full range of capabilities of the S-400 air defense complex,” said Bizhev.
Russia has recently announced its own plans to deploy the S-400 in its own territory in 2005. The joint tests of the system would seem to indicate plans to distribute the system on a much wider basis. (Article, Link)
» Feb. 9, 2004: Syria wants to acquire S-400
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Ukraine Reportedly Sold Nuclear-Capable Cruise Missiles to China, Iran
February 2, 2005 :: News
Ukrainian lawmaker Hryhoriy Omelchenko recently wrote a letter to newly elected President Viktor Yushchenko claiming that the government of Yushchenko’s predecessor, Leonid Kuchma, in collaboration with members of the military and the state arms company UkrSpetzExport sold some 20 air-launched Kh-55 and Kh-55M cruise missiles, which had the capability to carry nuclear weapons. Of these, six were sent to Iran and six to China, all between 1999 and 2001. The transfers, if true, would violate various non-proliferation agreements. Kuchma’s government is also believed to have sold advanced radar systems to Iraq in 2002, despite UN sanctions to the contrary. An American embassy spokesman in Kiev was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that the United States was “aware of the reports” of such sales and took them “very seriously.”
The Kh-55 cruise missile has a range of 3,000 kilometers, is capable of carrying a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead, and was developed for use on Russian Tupolev long-range bombers. In June 2004, Russia tested an air-launched Kh-55 which may well have been the Kh-55. (Article, Link)
» June 29, 2004: Russia tests air-launched cruise missile
» More stories on: China, Former Soviet Republics, Iran, Proliferation
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
Georgia to Test Upgraded Soviet-Era Defenses
November 16, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Georgia is preparing a test of its S-125 air defense systems, inherited from the Soviet Union, according to a report by the Russian Interfax news agency. The tests are scheduled to take place at sea, and follow upon recent upgrades to the system. The S-125 air defense system is said to have a range of 25 km and a maximum altitude of 18 km. (Link)
» Description of S-125
» Interfax report
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Testing - Foreign
Belarus to Acquire Iskander Missiles
November 12, 2004 :: News
In recent years Russia has been developing a new version of the SS-X-26 Iskander ballistic missile, a short range tactical weapon designed as a successor to the SS-21 “Tochka” short range missiles previously deployed in Europe. In recent months there have been reports that the newly designed missile—apparently designed to overcome advances with the American Patriot missile interceptor—will be deployed as soon as 2005.
Today the Minsk Belapan news agency reports that a number of these missiles will be sold to and deployed in Belarus sometime before 2010, citing a Colonel Henadz Shawrow.
The description of the Iskander-E missile matches that given in recent months, namely that it has a range of about 280km. New to this report is that the missile can reportedly deliver multiple conventional warheads of 480 kilograms each, each warhead consisting of 54 separate bomblets. (The weight of such payloads, however, may be too large to be correct.) The description also mentions that it is useful for either point or area targeting—implying it has a high degree of accuracy—and that it “can overcome any anti-ballistic missile system,” confirming earlier suggestions that it can overcome the Patriot.
The deployment will replace the Tochka-U (SS-21B) missiles currently in Belarus. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia
» Missile details: SS-26
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)
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)
Belarus Displays S-300 Defenses, SS-21 Missiles
July 3, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
To commemorate its own day of independence, Belarus held a military parade in the city of Minsk. The parade included, among other things, the Tochka (SS-21, or “Scarab”) missile system, and the S-300 air and missile defense systems, reports BBC Monitoring, citing a Belarusian television broadcast. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics
» Missile details: SS-21 A, SS-21 B
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
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