India Tests Prithvi II Missile, Plans Agni III Test
March 19, 2004 :: London Guardian :: News
Pakistan and India continue to exchange missile tests. On Tuesday, March 9, Pakistan tested its Shaheen II nuclear capable missile. Pakistan shortly thereafter announced it would be making other tests during the year. Now today, on March 19, India responded with a test of its Prithvi II, also nuclear capable. And on March 23, India is reported to also be planning another test of its more advanced, 3000km range Agni III sometime in 2004. (Article, Link)
» Mar. 23: Wash. Times: India to test Agni III this year
» Oct. 2003: Agni III test originally postponed till January 2004
» More stories on: India, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Agni-2, Prithvi SS-250
Russia Tests Two SLBMs: Russian Arsenal Combat Ready
March 17, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The Novomoskovsk nuclear submarine in Russia’s Northern Fleet today tested two RSM-54 (SS-N-23) intercontinental missiles, from a submerged position in the Barents Sea. The missiles are said to have hit their target at the the Kura testing ground on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, reportedly some 4,500 miles away. Versions of the SS-N-23 are called “Sineva” by Russia, and “Scythian” or “Skiff” in the West. The “Sineva” version, that tested today, is believed to be armed with 10 warheads rather than the usual four, and an additional system to permit it to penetrate missile defenses.
The two missile tests follow Putin’s March 1 order that the failed launches during the massive February 10-18 nuclear war exercise be repeated. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-X-14
Pakistan Tests Nuclear Capable Shaheen II
March 9, 2004 :: Pak Tribune :: News
Pakistan today tested a Shaheen II (Hatf-6), nuclear capable missile with a reported range of between 2,000 and 3,000km. The missile is capable of reaching all of India’s major cities, and reportedly has multiple warheads. (Article, Link)
» U.S. asks Pakistan to reduce missile tests
» Pakistan to conduct more missile tests
» More stories on: Pakistan, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Hatf 6
Russia to Repeat Failed Missile Tests
March 1, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The Itar-Tass news agency reports that Russian President Putin has ordered his defense chief to redo the three failed missile tests during the massive and highly publicized February nuclear war exercise. “I task you to prepare as soon as possible new exercises, perhaps on a smaller scale, so I could make sure that all mistakes have been fixed,” Putin is quoted as saying at a meeting of top military officials.
On February 17, two SLBMs failed to launch properly from the Novomoskovsk submarine in the Barents Sea, and the following day another missile engaged its self-destruct mechanism after it diverted from its set course.
It was not clarified if these re-tests would be in addition to the ten tests already said to be planned for 2004. (Article, Link)
» Itar Tass account of order to redo tests
» Mar. 2, 2004: Itar Tass: Investigation results due in April
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
Russian Gearing Up for 10 ICBM tests in 2004
February 12, 2004 :: CNS News :: News
Russian Strategic Missile Forces head Nikolai Solovtsov is said to have told the official Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily newspaper that a total of ten “test-combat” missile launches were planned for 2004. It is as yet unclear how many of these were part of the February war games. However, so far the exercises have included two SLBM abortive launches, a Topol SS-25, an SS-19, and the launch of a military communications satellite. (Article, Link)
» Dec. 26, 2003: Russia tests SLBM, its third missile this month
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-21 B, SS-N-5
Russia Begins Nuclear War Exercise; Rivals 1982 “Seven Hour Nuclear War”
February 11, 2004 :: AP :: News
Russia has begun the first stages of a massive “all-out nuclear war” exercise, according to reports from several Russian newspapers. The largest in over two decades, the war games rival the “seven hour nuclear war” maneuvers by the Soviet Union in 1982. The tests include test firings of sea and land-based ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, cruise missiles, spy satellite launches, the simulated destruction of a U.S. satellite, and a test of the Moscow ABM system.
The military exercise, overseen by President Vladimir Putin, will test the Russian nuclear triad while showing the world that Russia is still a first rate military power. Some dismiss the goals of the exercise as innocuous political maneuvers in anticipation of the Russian Presidential election in March. Officially, the exercise is said to be anti-terrorism-related. But a more likely explanation is that, like the 1982 tests, this exercise serves the genuine goals of sharpening of Russia’s offensive nuclear deterrent against the United States, overcoming American missile defenses, and upgrading Russia’s own missile defenses. As Putin commented last week, “The world should see our military power as an element of strategic security.” (More »»»)
» Update: Feb. 18: Itar-Tass: SS-19 Missile Launched
» Pravda description of nuclear exercise
» Update: Feb. 17, 2004: Two SLBM launches fail
» Russia denies Interfax, Itar-Tass reports of missile failures
» More stories on: Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses, Testing - Foreign
French Missile Defense?
January 28, 2004 :: News
France may complain of America’s unilateralism, efforts to defend ourselves from ballistic missiles, and of American recklessness as regards the sacred strategic stability—but sometimes France’s actions belie such complaints. Aviation Week & Space Technology reports that France has recently awarded a $156 million contract to Astrium to build a prototype early-warning satellite system, which will be part of a program to deploy a theater missile defense system within 10 years. (Link)
» NTI: European contracts for missile defense
» More stories on: Allies, Testing - Foreign
India Test Fires Prithvi Missile
January 23, 2004 :: Channel News Asia :: News
India has conducted the 23rd test of its Prithvi (Earth) nuclear-capable missile. The missile was fired from a mobile launcher from the integrated test range Interim Test Range at Chandipur in the Orissa state, located on the eastern coast of India. Indian defense sources said that the test was successful and that the missile hit its target accurately.
Versions of Prithvi have ranges from 150-350km. Prithvi can reach a target at a distance of 150 km in just 300 seconds, and is said to have a minimum range of 40 km. Prithvi can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, with a payload weight up to 1000 kg.
Prithvi was first tested in 1988, and are believed to have entered service in 1994. Some reports suggest that Prithvis are equipped to carry multiple nuclear weapons. The Prithvi-350, or P-3, is believed to be ship-launched. (Article, Link)
» Villages evacuated for Prithvi test
» Map of India
» More stories on: India, Testing - Foreign
Russia Tests Yet Another SLBM
December 26, 2003 :: Global Security Newswire :: News
On December 26, Russia tested yet another submarine-launched ballistic missile, its third test this month. The Global Security Newswire cites Russia’s Defense and Security publication that the test was carried out from the Yekaterinburg Delta IV class ballistic missile submarine, and fired toward a target in the firing range located in the Kamchatka peninsula. (Article, Link)
» Dec. 11: Second Russian Ballistic Missile Test in a Week
» Dec. 5: Russia Continues Missile Testing
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
Israel Arrow 2 Intercept Exceeds Expectations
December 16, 2003 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
On December 16, the Israel Air Force conducted the eleventh firing of the Arrow 2 ballistic missile interceptor, the sixth test of the complete Arrow Weapon System, including an interception. The successful intercept test was described as exceeding expectations, according to the December 30 edition of Janes Defense Weekly.
The test took place with the interceptor launched from the Palmachim air force base. The Arrow missile intercepted a Rafael Armament Development Authority Black Sparrow target missile which had been dropped by an Israel F-15 aircraft and made to simulate a medium-range ballistic missile.
The test, said one Israeli official, confirmed that the system “almost doubled the interception altitude of the Arrow,” making them useful against such longer range threats as Iran’s Shahab MRBM. “This was the most complex Arrow test we ever conducted and the results were even beyond our expectations,” the source said. Plans for future tests include the interception of an actual SCUD MRBM in 2004, to take place in the United States. The US Missile Defense Agency co-manages the Arrow program. (Article, Link)
» Jan. 17: China Daily: U.S. to increase production of Israeli Arrow Interceptor
» JINSA: Another Arrow Success
» More stories on: Allies, Technology, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Arrow
