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Russia Tests RSM-50 (SS-N-18) SLBM; Second Test in Four Days

Russia today conducted a test launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the St. George the Victorious nuclear submarine. The missile was launched from the Sea of Okhotsk and the warheads traveled to their targets at the Chizh range near the White Sea.
        The Sea of Ohtotsk is in the Pacific Ocean, near the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. The targets are said to have traveled to cape Kanin Nos, on the island of Kanin. The White Sea is in the far north, almost directly due north of Moscow.
        “The RSM-50 submarine-based missile was launched from submerged position from a depth of about 30 meters,” a Defense Ministry source is quoted by Itar Tass as saying, adding that “This is the first launch of an inter-continental ballistic missile by Russia’s Pacific Fleet this year. The previous missile launch from the same submarine was carried out on November 2, 2004.”
        The St. George is identified by the Moscow News as a Delta-III-class submarine equipped to carry 16 R-29R nuclear-tipped missiles. The missile fired today, however, was identified as an RS-50, both of which designations refer to versions of the SS-N-18 SLBM.
        The test follows upon the September 27 test of Russia’s new submarine-launched SS-NX-30, or Bulava, missile. (Article, Link) 

» Sep. 30, 2005: Moscow News on SLBM launch

» Itar Tass on missile test

» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: SS-N-20, SS-N-23, SS-NX-30

Russia Tests Bulava SS-NX-30 SLBM For First Time

Russia today conducted the much anticipated first flight test of its new Bulava SS-NX-30 intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile was successfully launched from the Dmitry Donskoy Typhoon-class submarine of the Northern Fleet from the White Sea, and it traveled to its designated target at the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka peninsula.
        The Bulava had undergone surface and underwater “pop-up” tests in September 2004 to test the submarine release mechanism, but it did not involve the firing of any missile engines.
        The test comes a day after President Putin affirmed that Russia continues to develop hypersonic maneuverable warheads for its new missile systems which are capable of evading the sort of midcourse missile defenses being deployed by the United States. The Bulava is the sea-based variant of the Topol-M missile, said to carry such warheads.
        Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told Itar Tass that the Borey-class nuclear submarines will be equipped with the Bulava missiles; two such submarines are being constructed at the Sevmash plant in Severodvinsk in the Arkhangelsk region. The first submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, will be commissioned in 2006 and the second, the Alexander Nevsky, in 2007.  (Article, Link) 

» September 26: Putin reaffirms development of maneuverable hypersonic vehicles

» September 23, 2004: Russia conducts “pop-up” test of Bulava

» Sep. 27: Itar Tass on Bulava launch

» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: SS-26

Putin Reaffirms Plans for Hypersonic Maneuverable Warheads

In a question-and-answer session with members of the Russian public broadcast live by Russian RTR television, President Putin spoke of Russia’s plans to rearm its military forces with advanced new weapons, including strategic missiles capable of penetrating foreign defenses. Putin discussed in particular hypersonic strategic systems capable of maneuvering both in course and altitude which are capable of evading ballistic missile defenses such as those being developed by “partner countries”—a probable reference to the midcourse defenses gradually being fielded by the United States. Putin has spoken of these maneuverable systems on several occasions. Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov referred to them as well in a recent television interview.         Excerpt of Putin response from Russian television and print media:

There is a lot going on from the point of view of re-equipping our army. This goes for state-of-the-art tanks. For the first time, large batches of new tanks for the army will be procured. We are moving towards the trials of upgraded new missiles that will be employed both on sea and on land. We are beginning to procure new ballistic missiles, including mobile systems.

We are continuing to develop precision-guided weapons in the testing of which I recently took part, as you probably have seen. It was a long-range, precision-guided weapon [possible reference to SS-N-23 launch on August 16, or to the test of a new cruise missile]. We shall be developing—indeed we are developing and will be bringing into service—new precision-guided strategic systems. I have already spoken about it. They are the kind that no-one in the world has obtained or is likely to obtain before we do. They are systems that will operate at hypersonic speeds and will be able to change direction in terms of heading and altitude. They are virtually unassailable systems, unassailable for anything including the missile defenses that are being developed in some of our partner countries.

        Whereas only a few years ago Russia bought very little for the army, Putin said, “A great deal has been done in the past few years to restore the defense industry’s financial health. Xinhua cited Putin as saying that some 5 billion US dollars worth of Russian arms were exported in 2004. Putin said that expansion to foreign markets was a way to support Russia’s defense sector financially. “If our specialists make it to foreign markets and uphold our interests there, it will be a very good job,” the president said.
        In a curious follow-up story published by RIA Novosti, however, an anonymous “air defense expert” is cited as saying that Putin, “must have meant state-of-the-art air defense systems when he said that Russia would deploy new hypersonic missile systems, virtually invulnerable to enemy defenses.” The air defense expert quoted by RIA Novosti added that specialists and researchers had been working on these weapons for a long time, and that the new system would (allegedly) combine the functions of air defense, missile defense and space defense.
        To suggest that these systems referenced are air defenses would seem to make little sense, however—air defenses (for example Russia’s S-300 and S-400 systems) have no need to penetrate American missile defenses. (Article, Link) 

» RIA Novosti: Air defense expert says Putin really meant to say air defenses

» Translation of RTR television broadcast

» Xinhua on Putin comments

» Sep. 6, 2005: Ivanov interview on strategic weapons, Chinese relations

» More stories on: Maneuverable Warheads, Russia

Alaskan Cobra Dane Radar Tracks C-17 Aircraft-Launched ICBM

The Missile Defense Agency today announced the successful completion of a test of the Cobra Dane radar located at Shemya, Alaska, and of the fire control system which relays information to Colorado Springs or Fort Greely Alaska, which would control the launch of an interceptor against an incoming missile.
        A missile was launched by parachuting it from a C-17 aircraft over the Pacific some 800 miles (1280km) from Shemya, and then having the missile’s engines ignite and travel across the face of the Cobra Dane radar. The exercise was the first test of the Cobra Dane radar for missile defense purposes. The often-traveled trajectory of missiles and interceptors going between Vandenberg Air Force Base, California and the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific is sufficiently south to be out of range of the Cobra Dane radar. Designed to track Russian missile launches during the Cold War, its northern location also makes the Cobra Dane radar of especial use for tracking missile launches coming from North Korea or China.
From MDA:

After the missile was dropped from the aircraft, a parachute deployed to stabilize and slow the missile. The missile’s first stage rocket motor then ignited, sending the missile downrange. The target missile’s flight was successfully tracked by the Cobra Dane radar, and the data obtained by Cobra Dane was then used to construct a Weapon Task Plan, or firing solution, that was fed into the systems fire control system manned by military “warfighters” in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Ft. Greely, Alaska, who currently operate the interceptor missiles now deployed in Alaska and California, as well as the sensors and radars that provide operational detection and tracking information. …

Launching a missile from an aircraft provided an operationally realistic trajectory and an opportunity to fly across the face of the Cobra Dane radar. The radar has not been available for use during previous flight tests because it is well outside the area of the existing missile test range that stretches between the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean to the California coast. …The exercise completed today marks the first time that data obtained from an actual missile tracked by Cobra Dane was fed into the missile defense fire control system to obtain a firing solution.

 (Article, Link) 

» Chinese media coverage of missile launch, tracking

» More stories on: Testing - American, Detection and Tracking

» Missile system details for: Cobra Dane Radar

Iran Parades Missiles

Iran conducted a military parade today to mark the anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, the beginning of what Iran calls “holy defense” week. The parade took place conducted south of Tehran, near the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini. At his first military parade since taking office, President Mamhoud Ahmadinejad addressed dozens of top Revolutionary Guard officials, as well as generals in the regular army. (The Revolutionary Guard operates Iran’s ballistic missiles.)“Those who decide to misuse our nation’s honour and dignity and want to test what has been tested in the past, should know that the flames of the nation’s wrath are very hot and destructive,” said Ahmadinejad. The parade’s announcer repeatedly cried “God is Great!” when six Shahab-3 missiles went past the presidential viewing platform. The announcer said too, “If world arrogance wants to attack Iran … [it] will destroy their countries with these missiles.” Some of the missiles had banners saying, “Israel should be wiped off the map” and “We will trample America under our feet,” “Death to America,” and “Death to Israel.” The banners and verbal attacks prompted a number of European military attaches, from France, Italy, Greece, and Poland, to leave the parade. One diplomat is quoted as saying, “there was a common position among the European Union members that, if the military parade included any slogans that attacked our allies, we would leave.”

        The major media services report the display of the Shahab-3, but there were a number of others. According to a summary of the parade provided on live Iranian television (Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1) and translated via BBC Monitoring, the missiles displayed included:

• Shahab-3, 2,000km range
• Zelzal 1 and Zelzal 2, range 150-400
• M-11 Variant/Tondar-68, purchased from China, range 400km
• Nazeat
• “M-6”(see below)
• HQ-2 air-/missile-defense system, purchased from China

        The reference to an “M-6” missile may well be a typographical error. It more likely refers to the M-9 variant, which Iran purchased from China. The term “Nazeat,” however, has been used to describe a primitive 150km range missile.

• M-9 missile, range 600km, purchased from China

        Summary of parade provided by Iranian television: (More »»») 

» AFP Summary of parade

» Iranian TV account of parade, via BBC Monitoring

» More stories on: China, Chinese Missile Defenses, Iran, Proliferation

» Missile details: M-9 variant, M-11 variant, Shahab-6, Zelzal-1/2/3

» Missile system details for: Hongqi-2 (HQ-2)

Ninth Ground Based Interceptor Emplaced in Silo at Greely

On September 18, the seventh ground-based midcourse interceptor at Fort Greely, Alaska, was emplaced in its silo, reports Boeing. The interceptor is the ninth total interceptor to be put into a silo; an additional two are at Vandenberg Air Force Base, in California.
        This emplacement is the first since November of 2004, when the sixth interceptor was put into a silo at Greely. Some ten interceptors were scheduled to be deployed in 2005, which when added to the existing eight would amount to eighteen in the ground (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Deployment

» Missile system details for: Fort Greely, Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)

Japan to Design Interceptor Nose Cone

Demonstrating both cooperation with the U.S. and ambitions to pursue missile defenses of its own, Japan will partner with the U.S. to design a nose cone for a ballistic missile interceptor, Kyodo reports, citing close sources. The interceptor at issue is an upgraded version of the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) which is part of the Aegis sea-based defense system, in which Japan and other countries are quite interested. An agreement between the two countries specifying the cooperation is said to be expected soon, possibly by the end of the year. The Japanese technology would subsequently be tested by the U.S. in a joint flight test from Hawaii. (Article, Link) 

» August 25, 2005: Japan Times: Japan expected to produce four components for new SM-3

» More stories on: Allies, Japan

» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD

MDA Tests Forward-Based X-Band Radar in Conjunction with Air Force

The Missile Defense Agency today issued a press release on a successful launch and tracking exercise which took place on September 14. The test involved the operational test of a U.S. Air Force strategic missile from Vandenberg AFB, California, to serve as a “target of opportunity.” The primary tracking objective was to be done by the Forward-Based X-Band Transportable Radar, which is transportable and can moved by aircraft anywhere in the world. The test was called “Glory Trip 189.”

The radar acquired, tracked, and collected data on the target vehicle from acquisition of signal until approximately 500 seconds into the flight. The radar transmitted reports of the missile’s flight track to the Ballistic Missile Defense System’s (BMDS) Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system. Similarly a U.S. Navy Aegis ballistic missile defense ship also tracked the target vehicle and relayed tracking data to the command and control system, using operational communication links. Other MDA elements that participated in the test included the Airborne Infrared System, Project Hercules (improved missile detection and tracking research), and External Sensors Lab.

        The missile tracked is not named in the MDA press release, but it may well have been the Minuteman III missile tested on September 14 from Vandenberg. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Testing - American

» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD

Formal Peacekeeper Deactivation Ceremony

The gradual retirement of the American Peacekeeper ballistic missile, the most powerful land-based missile in our arsenal, came to an end with the formal ceremony today at Francis E. Warren Air Force base in Wyoming. The ceremony marks the conclusion of the missile’s deactivation. The Peacekeeper, which could carry up to ten independently targetable nuclear warheads, was designed and built in response to a considerable Soviet lead in offensive nuclear warheads, as a means to shore up the United States deterrent against a Soviet first strike attack. (Article, Link) 

» Missile details: Peacekeeper

Possible Tochka-U Missile Test

The Interfax-Military News Agency reported on September 14 that a test of the SS-21 Tochka-U ballistic missile was expected as the conclusion of a Russian military exercise at the Luzhskiy artillery firing range in the Leningrad Region. Interfax quoted Major-General Mikhail Akulov, commander of the Leningrad Military District’s missile and artillery forces, as saying that the launch was soon expected.

“The brigade headed by Col Aleksandr Fateyev is taking up marches in columns, changes of firing positions and some other training missions in the course of the exercise, which is going to end with the launch of a Tochka-U tactical missile. Representatives of a state-owned firing range present will assess the readiness of the brigade,” he said.

He pointed out that the brigade had already launched the same type of missile during the tactical exercise at the state-owned firing range in the Volga region. …

The SV 9K79-1 Tochka-U missile system is designed to effectively kill critical targets in enemy’s tactical depth. The solid-propellant single-stage missile with cluster or high-explosive/fragmentation warhead weighs 2,010 kg, and has a range of 120 km.

        Update: September 20, 2005:If the tests of the Tochka-U missiles took place, they seem to have not been reported in any publicly available media.  (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: SS-24, SS-25

Fourth and Final Minuteman III Test for Year

The Air Force successfully launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile early today, the fourth and final Minuteman III test of the year. The missile’s single warhead traveled some 4,000 miles in about 30 minutes to a predetermined target in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific. The last Minuteman test took place on September 7. (Article, Link) 

» Washington Post on Minuteman launch

» September 7, 2005 test launch of Minuteman III

» More stories on: Testing - American

» Missile details: Minuteman I

» Missile system details for: Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS), Vandenberg Air Force Base

Sea-Based X-Band Radar Transmits First Radar Beam

The Missile Defense Agency today announced that the Sea-Based X-Band (SBX) Radar successfully transmitted a radar beam for the first time on September 11, 2005. The SBX radar is on its way to the Pacific Ocean, where it will be used for both missile defense tests and the tracking and detection of hostile enemy missiles. (Article, Link) 

» Missile system details for: Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX)

Zaitsev on Bulava, Russian SLBMs

A recent opinion piece by Yuri Zaitsev for RIA Novosti discusses the status and role for the Bulava SS-NX-30 ballistic missile, yet under development, as well as the history of Russia’s various SLBMs.
Text of Zaitsev’s piece: (More »»») 

» Missile details: SS-26

PAC-3 Interceptor Test Successful

The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor system successfully destroyed a tactical ballistic missile during a flight test today at White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico. The test was designated Task 2-2. As in previous tests, two Patriot missiles were “ripple-fired,” one after another, at an incoming Patriot-As-A-Target (an older Patriot missile modified to simulate a short-range missile). An additional PAC-3 test is scheduled for later this year.
        From the press release:

The PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade consists of the PAC-3 Missile, a highly agile hit-to-kill interceptor, the PAC-3 Missile canisters (in four packs), a Fire Solution Computer and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System.

        Army Colonel John Vaughn commented that this was a “variation of the current test, but we will be going after a slightly different threat.” (Link) 

» More stories on: Testing - American

» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), Patriot

Minuteman III Test

The Air Force launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile early today, the second such test in recent weeks. The missiles’ two unarmed warheads traveled about 4,200 miles in about 30 minutes, hitting targets at the Ronald Reagan Test Site on the Kwajalein Atoll in the western chain of the Marshall Islands. The launch was the third this year. The final, fourth, test of the year is scheduled to take place next week. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Testing - American

» Missile details: Minuteman I

» Missile system details for: Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS), Vandenberg Air Force Base

Poll: 71% of Europeans Support Missile Defense

The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance and the George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies have conducted another missile defense poll, this time of Europeans in the countries of France, Germany, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Overall, 71% of those surveyed were in favor of the deployment of missile defenses by NATO, and only 16% opposed NATO having such capability.

• 26% rated the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as the most significant threat facing Europe compared to 52% who said violent acts by terrorists groups pose the greatest threat.
• 75% said ballistic missiles with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons could be used as instruments of blackmail or coercion against NATO or NATO countries.
• Asked whether they think their own country should have a missile defense system, the following percentages answered affirmatively: France (69%), Germany (68%), the U.K. (72%), Spain (54%), Italy (60%), Poland (84%), the Czech Republic (62%), the Netherlands (63%) and Denmark (44%). In the aggregate, 56% of the adults surveyed would support a deployment of such a defensive system in their own country.
• 73% suggested it is a good idea for NATO to expand such a defensive system to protect troops in the field as well as citizens at home.

 (Article, Link) 

» Press release on poll results

Interview: Ivanov on Chinese Relations, New Strategic Weapons

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov gave a rare television interview, for the “Vesti Podrobnosti” television program on the RTR network, discussing the recent joint military exercise with China, Russian military doctrine and policy, and long term plans for Russian strategic forces. Comments of particular interest included Ivanov’s discussion of the “geopolitical” significance of Russian military exercises with China: that the exercises represented a certain “certain qualitative shift” in relations, and that China is a “strategic partner.” Ivanov seemed to bristle at suggestions that Russia was out of line to engage in such exercises: “we are, excuse me, a sovereign state and did hold and will hold military exercises with whoever we like.”
        But also of interest are his comments about Russia’s strategic nuclear forces. When asked by the interviewer about “new weapons” to be the “object of pride of the Russian armed forces,” Ivanov’s response seemed curious, and perhaps was directed less to the Russian television-watching public and more to the American defense community. Ivanov stressed in particular the importance of remarks made by President Putin “about a year ago” at the Russian launch facility at Plesetsk. The remarks referenced are likely those Putin made at Plesetsk in February 2004, in conjunction with Russia’s own, major, strategic wargames. Putin, Ivanov said, “was absolutely right when he said that every comma, every letter and every word in it had a particular significance. I still cannot expand on the matter but we are seriously working on the development of fundamentally different types of weapons, which will ensure for us reliable and guaranteed security after 60 years, after 70 years, easily.”
        If it is this speech by Putin to which Ivanov referred, then he meant to underscore the revolutionary quality of the alleged maneuverable (perhaps hypersonic) warheads which could be launched by ballistic missiles, and which pose a major impediment to any American ballistic missile systems which are designed to intercept in the midcourse phase or later. Only a boost phase defense, which can destroy the launcher before it can release the maneuverable warhead or any decoys and countermeasures, could defend against such a threat. It is likely this ability in which Ivanov resides hope that Russia can maintain its offensive nuclear ability to strike the United States for the next 60 years, if the United States continues its decades-long delay of the deployment of strategic defenses.
        Some excerpts from the Ivanov interview: (More »»») 

» February 8, 2005: Update on February 2004 test of maneuverable warhead

» More stories on: Maneuverable Warheads, Russia

» Missile details: SS-N-6, Taep'o-dong 2