Russian A-135 System to Receive Upgrades
May 10, 2005 :: Itar-Tass :: News
Itar Tass reports that Russia’s missile defenses which protect central Russia will be increased in size and capacity in the coming year. Lieutenant General Sergey Kurushkin, a commander of the Russian Space Troops, told the Russian news agency that “measures to improve a number of components in the A-135 system, which provides antimissile defense for the central region of Russia, will soon be completed.” “Last year tests were completed on the modernized active parts of the system—the interceptor missiles, and the training-combat launch of one of these was successfully carried out at the southern Sary Shagan range,” he is quoted as saying, as well as that Russia has “in prospect the deployment of promising radar equipment in the system for warning of a missile attack, and also the acquisition of new specialized equipment for monitoring space…We are talking about new technology and high-quality features which rival the best foreign models.”
A-135 is the name for the missile defense system which still surrounds Moscow. The recent test at Sary Shagan to which Kurushkin referred may have been the November 29, 2004 test of the Gazelle interceptor, which was successful. (Article, Link)
» Nov. 29, 2004: Russian test of Gazelle interceptor successful
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: System A-135, Gazelle (SH-08/ABM-3)
U.S.-Russia Joint BMD Exercises Underway in Moscow
April 12, 2005 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Between April 12 and April 23, joint short-range or theater ballistic missile defense exercises are taking place in Moscow, part of a collaborative effort between NATO and Russia. This exercise is the fourth in a continuing series.
Itar Tass quotes Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov as saying, “the aim of these exercises is to create an efficient system of antimissile defense on the territory of ‘greater Europe’, which would cover all critical facilities and missile-prone routes.” Ivanov added that the exercises would continue. The 4th Central Research Institute of the Ministry in Moscow is hosting the joint theater-wide command-post exercise (CPX). “The exercise is focused on crafting co-ordination techniques for use by non-strategic air defense and ballistic missile defense units in providing BMD coverage of a third country during a coalition operation under the aegis of international organizations,” according to a release by the Russian Defense Ministry. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses
Profile of Russian S-300 System
April 11, 2005 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Russian television, in a report on Russian Channel One TV on April 10, carried a profile of the Russian Air Defenses coinciding with the thirtieth annual “Day of Air Defence Troops” commemoration. The profile looks in particular at the radar and interceptor systems for the S-300, and other interceptors around Moscow. (More »»»)
» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
Russia-NATO Missile Defense Exercise Scheduled
March 10, 2005 :: Xinhua :: News
Russia and NATO will conduct a joint missile defense excercise from March 14 to March 23 at Airbase De Peel, the Netherlands, the second in the cooperative theatre missile defense exercises. A NATO press release describes the exercise: “The objectives of the CPX [Command Post Exercise] are to exercise the Experimental Concept and associated Experimental Concept of Operations (CONOPS)developed by the joint NATO-Russia TMD Ad Hoc Working Group as well as to practice procedures for TMD planning and coordination.” (Article, Link)
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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)
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)
Chinese Missile Defenses in Response to Taiwan
January 26, 2005 :: East Asia Intel :: News
As Taiwan begins to deploy some limited missile capabilities in hopes to deter China’s massive short range ballistic missile threat, China is pursuing short-range ballistic missile defenses to negate the Taiwanese response and retain strategic superiority. East-Asia-Intel.com cites a U.S. intelligence official as commenting on Chinese missile defenses. As the report notes, these missile defense systems are based in part on Russian versions which the Chinese continue to purchase, including the S-300V and S-300PMU, which the Chinese test, probably deploy, and reverse-engineer to develop their HQ- series of missiles. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Chinese Missile Defenses, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: Hongqi-9 (HQ-9), Hongqi-10 (HQ-10), Hongqi-15 (HQ-15), S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
Ivanov Hints at BMD Cooperation
January 13, 2005 :: Interfax :: News
During a wide ranging press interview in Washington yesterday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov mentioned that Russia still holds out a prospect for missile defense cooperation with the United States, according to the Interfax news agency. “It is theoretically possible to cooperate in the missile defence area on a bilateral basis. This work is continuing, and I am not in a position to say when it could be completed,” Ivanov said.
Ivanov also took the opportunity to remind Americans that while Russia was not increasing the quantity of its nuclear warheads, it was upgrading the quality of its ballistic missile systems, including the Bulava submarine based missile, by name. “We have begun testing the Bulava missiles this year, and we are also conducting research to create even more perfect systems” said Ivanov, adding, “Thank God, engineers capable of creating such weapons have not yet become extinct in Russia.” (Article, Link)
» Ivanov says no increase in nuclear numbers
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Profile of Underground Russian Control Center
December 13, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Moscow television, Ren TV, yesterday carried a report on an underground command center or situation room from which a decision to shoot down terrorist-hijacked planes could take place. The piece describes how the control center is designed to withstand a nuclear blast, and how it also has the capability to direct air and missile defense efforts. An excerpt:
[Correspondent] The air defence protects not only the sky but also the lower regions of outer space. Its missiles can hit targets - various spacecraft and ballistic missiles - at an altitude of up to 30 km.
The Russian air defence force was created 90 years ago, at the beginning of World War I, when it was equipped with anti-aircraft guns like the one you see here. It has been continuously developing since then. S-200 and S-300 missile systems are now being replaced by advanced S-400 complexes able to destroy any enemy target.
(Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-200 (SA-5 Gammon), S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant), S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Russia Upgrading Missile Defense Command Center
December 6, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Channel One television in Moscow reports that Russia is upgrading the “Elbrus” supercomputer which serves the “Don-2N” control center for the missile defense system which is located around Moscow. The newer technologies reportedly replace a decade-old system which took up an entire floor of a building.
While a relatively minor upgrade, this story confirms once again that Russia is serious about maintaining and improving its ballistic missile defenses. On November 29, Russia conducted an intercept test, which was successful.
Incidentally, Elbrus is also the name of an early Russian ballistic missile which has come to be proliferated around the world, the R-17 Scud-B.
The Don-2N center reportedly includes a phased array radar and a number of interceptors. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile details: SS-1C 'Scud B'
