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Post by balkannj on Apr 8, 2009 22:09:33 GMT -5
Russia to supply advanced surface-to-air missiles to Belarus08/ 04/ 2009 MINSK, April 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is to deliver S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) surface-to-air missile systems to Belarus under an integrated air-defense agreement, a senior Belarusian military official said on Wednesday. Igor Azarenok, commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, said the countries' defense ministries were currently discussing delivery terms. The S-400 is designed to intercept and destroy airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles), twice the range of the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot, and 2 1/2 times that of the S-300PMU-2. The system is also believed to be able to destroy stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, and is effective at ranges up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and speeds up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second. Azarenok also said the Russian and Belarusian parliaments would ratify the integrated air-defense agreement in May. He said Belarus would modernize its Air Force by buying new warplanes from Russia and upgrading others. The official said the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Forces had plans to conduct over 200 various drills, exercises, and field training sessions. Moscow and Minsk signed an agreement in February on the joint protection of the Russia-Belarus Union State's airspace and the creation of an integrated regional air defense network. It will comprise five Air Force units, 10 anti-aircraft units, five technical service and support units and one electronic warfare unit, and will be placed under the command of a Russian or Belarusian Air Force or Air Defense Force senior commander.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 10, 2009 5:51:52 GMT -5
Russia-Belarus firm to export Pechora-2M systems to 5 countries.
MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) - The Russia-Belarus financial and industrial group Defense Systems will supply Pechora-2M air defense systems to five countries in the near future, the company's deputy general director said on Tuesday.
The Pechora-2M is an upgraded version of the Pechora (SA-3 Goa) low-altitude surface-to-air missile system. The modernized system features a longer range (up to 27 kilometers), an increased kill probability, better resistance to jamming, and the ability to engage multiple targets, including cruise missiles.
"We will deliver Pechora-2M air defense systems to three former Soviet states and two [other] foreign countries soon," Vyacheslav Karatayev said, without specifying the customers.
He added that the company was holding talks with another 10 countries on sales of Pechora missile systems.
"This system is very popular around the world. However, we have not yet been able to increase the production capacity to 15-17 systems annually, as was the case during the Soviet era," the official said.
Some Russian media sources earlier reported that the portfolio of 2009-2011 export orders for Pechora-2M and Pechora-2A SAM systems totaled 200 units, including 70 for Egypt.
The Defense Systems joint venture was formed in 1996 under a Russia-Belarus intergovernmental agreement. The company comprises 38 subsidiaries in both countries and focuses on the production, export and post-sale servicing of Pechora-2M air defense systems.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Aug 11, 2009 8:20:03 GMT -5
Russia to revamp air-space defenses by 2020 - Air Force chief.
MOSCOW, August 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will create a new generation of air and space defenses to counter any strikes against its territory by 2020 due to a potential foreign threat, the Air Force commander said on Tuesday.
"By 2030...foreign countries, particularly the United States, will be able to deliver coordinated high-precision strikes from air and space against any target on the whole territory of Russia," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said, referring to the potential for new hypersonic and space-based offensive weapons.
"That is why the main goal of the development of the Russian Air Force until 2020 is to create a new branch of the Armed Forces, which would form the core of the country's air and space defenses to provide a reliable deterrent during peacetime, and repel any military aggression with the use of conventional and nuclear arsenals in a time of war," the general said.
According to Zelin, all Russian Air Force units will be constantly combat-ready by 2020.
"We are planning to conduct a gradual transition of Air Force units to a constant combat-ready status...and accomplish this task by 2020," the commander said.
During this period, the Air Force will bring combat units to full strength, equip them with modernized and new weaponry, and significantly improve combat training of military pilots.
Zelin said under the new concept, air-space defense brigades will be created within Russia's Air Force, and they will be equipped with advanced S-400 and planned S-500 air defense systems.
"In line with the new air-space defense concept, we have already formed a number of brigades, which will be armed with S-400 and S-500 air defense systems," Zelin said at a news conference in Moscow.
The S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) is designed to intercept and destroy airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles), twice the range of the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot, and 2 1/2 times that of Russia's S-300PMU-2.
The system is also believed to be able to destroy stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, and is effective at ranges up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and speeds up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second.
Russia's Defense Ministry considers the delivery of S-400 air defense missile systems to the Russian Armed Forces a priority, and wants the defense industry to increase the production of these systems despite the current economic crisis.
The fifth-generation S-500 air defense system, which is currently in the blueprint stage and is expected to be rolled out by 2012, would outperform the S-400 as well as the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system.
"The S-500 system is being developed under a unique design...and will be capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic targets," the general said.
Meanwhile, the Soviet-era MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft will most likely be used as part of the new air-space defense network, as was intended when it was designed.
"We are upgrading this system to be able to accomplish the same [air-space defense] tasks," Zelin said.
According to some sources, Russia has over 280 MiG-31 aircraft in active service and about 100 aircraft in reserve.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Aug 15, 2009 5:02:20 GMT -5
R-77, R-73 Missile Upgrades Emerge
Aviation Week and Space Technology ^ | Aug 13, 2009 | Douglas Barrie & Maxim Pyadushkin
Russia's leading guided-weapons manufacturer will wheel out revised--if long- touted--versions of its two key air-to-air missile products this month, as it tries to bolster its position in the export arena.
Tactical Missile Corp.--also known as TRV--will formally unveil its so-called RVV-SD and RVV-MD missiles for the first time at the Moscow air show later this month. The RVV-SD is an improved version of the R-77 (AA-Adder), while the RVV-MD is a variant of the R-73 (AA-11 Archer).
The radar-guided R-77 has been sold widely, with China and India placing significant orders for the weapon, as was the case for the R-73. The baseline R-77 was designed in the 1980s, with development complete by around 1994. India was the first export customer for the export variant, known as the RVVAE, with the final batch delivered in 2002.
A problem for the company was the lack of adequate funding during the 1990s and the first part of this decade to support further evolution of the R-77, either for the Russian air force or the export market. The basic version of the R-77 is not thought to have entered the Russian air force inventory in significant numbers.
Meanwhile, Western suppliers have been pushing into some traditionally Russian markets--while major customers such as India and China have been pursuing their own missile programs such as the Astra and the PL-12, respectively.
The RVV-SD and RVV-MD already appear to be part of Russia's bid for India's medium multirole combat aircraft competition. Both designations were included by MiG on a presentation covering MiG-35 Fulcrum armament during Air Show India in February.
The basic R-77 is known as the Article 170, and the RVV-SD includes the upgrades associated with the Article 170-1 designation. The 170-1 development has been underway for some time, and testing is believed to have been carried out. The RVV-SD is in effect the export variant of the 170-1.
According to information released by the company, the missile is 15 kg. (33 lb.) heavier than the basic R-77/RVVAE, weighing 190 kg. rather than 175 kg. Maximum range claimed is increased to 110 from 80 km. (68 from 50 mi.). The missile is also slightly longer at 3.71 meters (12 ft.), rather than the 3.6 meters of the basic variant.
The radar seeker has also probably been upgraded. Russian missile manufacturer Agat previously confirmed it was working on seeker upgrades for the R-77, implying that at least two projects were underway, one for export and one for the Russian air force.
Vympel--which originally designed the R-77, and is now part of TRV--is also working on a more extensive upgrade of the missile than the 170-1. This project is designated the Article 180, and is in effect a mid-life upgrade for the weapon. This is intended to provide a further improvement in range, with the design including a dual-pulse motor configuration. Moving from the R-77's signature lattice fin configuration to a conventional fin is also part of this program.
The initial RVV-MD offering is likely no more than a stopgap to try to maintain its position, and to provide a credible radar-guided weapon to offer as part of fighter export packages and upgrade programs.
As for upgrades to the R-73, the RVV-SD variant appears to have a considerable amount in common with a development known as the K-74, which Vympel first discussed publicly in 1997. Both designations are associated with Archer variants with an improved seeker and an improved off-boresight limit. Data released by the company show the RVV-SD as 1 kg. heavier than the R-73 at 106 kg., and also slightly longer at 2.92 meters rather than 2.9 meters. The maximum launch range is also increased by 10 km.
As with the RVV-SD, the upgraded variant of the Archer is again a stop-gap to provide for the export arena--and possibly for the domestic customer-- until a more capable short-range air-to-air missile is available. Vympel's K-30 dogfight missile program is intended to provide an eventual successor to the Archer, and the program dates back to at least the 1990s. Development, again, has been hampered by a lack of sufficient resources.
Russian industry sources indicate that both the RVV-SD and RVV-MD will have folding fins to allow for internal carriage. This at least suggests the Russian air force may be keeping its options open should it acquire the domestic variants of these upgrades to include them in the weapons inventory of its fifth-generation fighter, known as PAK-FA. India is also "participating" in PAK-FA, and the internal carriage modification may also have been performed with this in mind.
As well as upgraded air-to-air systems, TRV will showcase an extended-range version of its Kh-35/3M-24 (AS-20 Kayak/SS-N-25 Switchblade) anti-ship missile. The Kh-35UE will have a maximum engagement range of 260 km., compared with the 130km. range for the basic Kh-35. Zvezda-Strela, the company which originally designed the Kh-35/3M-24, is also now part of TRV. In 1997, company literature discussed the 3M-24E1 variant of the missile as part of the Uranium anti-ship missile system for surface ships. This proposed version of the weapon had a claimed range of range of 250-300 km.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Sept 10, 2009 8:45:24 GMT -5
THIS SEEMS LIKE A BS STORY... Russia deploys missiles along border with North Korea The Times (UK) ^ | 08/29/09 | Tony Halpin Russia has put defences on alert along its border with North Korea amid tensions over possible new missile tests by the secretive Communist regime. The Kremlin ordered troops to deploy Russia’s most advanced missile defence system, the S-400, to intercept any threats from North Korea’s nuclear programme. General Nikolai Makarov, the head of the Russian army, said that a mobile battery of 32 surface-to-air missiles had been put into operation in anticipation of any Korean tests. “We are taking these preventative measures as a security guarantee against faulty launches of the missiles and to guarantee that fragments of these missiles never fall on Russian territory,” he said. “We are concerned by the fact that the site in North Korea where it carries out its nuclear tests is located quite close to the Russian border.” A senior Russian senator said that use of the S-400 system could not be ruled out, but he rejected any comparison between Moscow’s actions and the decision by the United States to build a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe. The US argues that the shield is necessary to deter attacks by rogue nations such as Iran and North Korea, but Russia has denounced the plan as a threat to its national security. Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Federation Council’s International Affairs Committee, said that the US was responding to “non-existent” dangers, while Russia was defending against “the emergence of real sources of threat”. ---------------------------- PROBABLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS?  China to showcase new missiles during October 1 parade BEIJING, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - China will display five new types of domestically produced missiles at a National Day military parade on October 1, local media said on Wednesday citing military sources. The Global Times newspaper said the five new missiles include the CSS-X-10 (DF-41) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and the CSS-NX-4 (JL-2) submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), as well as conventional cruise missiles and medium-range and short-range conventional missiles. "These missiles are domestically designed and manufactured and have never been officially reported before," the paper quoted an anonymous military source as saying. According to open sources, the CSS-X-10 is the latest land-based solid-fuel ballistic missile to be deployed by China and represents the peak of Chinese missile technology. It is believed to be similar to the Russian SS-27 Topol-M missile, and is capable of striking the United States. The missile will likely become the core of China's nuclear strike force. The CSS-NX-4 is a two-stage solid-fuel SLBM, which has a range of 8,000 km (5,000 miles) and can carry either single or multiple warheads. The missile has been developed to be deployed on China's current and new-generation strategic submarines. China has made notable progress in the development of its nuclear deterrent since the last military parade on Tiananmen Square in 1999. The source said that China had developed nuclear and conventional missiles, both solid-fuel and liquid-fuel missiles, with different ranges, quick emergency response and precision strikes. "Any country that attempts to attack China with nuclear weapons must prepare for retaliation, even if it has an anti-missile system," the source told the Global Times. The People's Republic of China celebrates its 60th anniversary on October 1. President Hu Jintao will give a keynote address on Tiananmen Square, followed by the military parade - only the third in five decades - and mass festivities. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Sept 12, 2009 5:40:41 GMT -5
Venezuela Set to Receive Long Range Russia Missiles.
Novinite.com
World | September 12, 2009, Saturday
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has announced that the country will soon take delivery of Russian missiles with a range of 300 km.
Returning from a 10-day tour of Africa, Asia and Europe, including Russia, Chavez is also planning to buy Russian T-72 and T-90.
"Soon some little rockets are going to be arriving... and they don't fail," he announced at the presidential palace.
But he denied they would be used for offensive purposes, the BBC reported.
"We are not going to attack anybody, these are just defence tools, because we are going to defend our country from any threat, wherever it may come from," Chavez said.
Venezuela is involved in a long-running diplomatic stand-off with neighbouring Colombia, over the latter's plans to allow US troops greater access to its military bases.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Sept 16, 2009 12:02:44 GMT -5
Russia set to finish development of new air defense system.
ASTRAKHAN (South Russia), September 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's advanced S-500 air defense system could be developed in the next few years, the Air Force commander said on Wednesday.
The S-500 is currently at the blueprint stage at the Almaz-Antei company and is expected to be rolled out by 2012.
"This work is in progress...I think this system will appear in the near future," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said.
The new system is expected to outperform Russia's most advanced S-400 as well as the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system.
The S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) is capable of intercepting and destroying airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles), and can simultaneously engage up to six targets.
The S-500 is expected to have an extended range of up to 600 km (over 370 miles) and simultaneously engage up to 10 targets. The system will be capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic targets.
Zelin said Russia's Defense Ministry considers the delivery of S-400 air defense missile systems to the Russian Armed Forces a priority at present, although exports of these systems to other countries of the Commonwealth of the Independent States (CIS) could be considered.
The general earlier said in line with a new defense model air-space defense brigades within Russia's Air Force will be established and equipped with advanced S-400 and S-500 air defense systems.
Russia has already deployed two S-400 regiments to protect the airspace around Moscow and industrial regions in the central part of the country, and an S-400 battalion in Russia's Far East.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Oct 19, 2009 5:17:51 GMT -5
Russia and India To Develop Supersonic Missile Invincible to Interception. Pravda.Ru Russia and India will start the development of a new supersonic missile nearly invincible to interception. No army in the world has anything similar to it. The sum of the investment has not been defined yet, but it can be expected to reach billions of dollars. The missile is to become a successor of the supersonic missile BrahMos (known as Yahont in the Russian army) that is now installed on ships, land missile complexes and may soon be installed on Su-30 MKI fighter jets and submarines. This possibility was discussed on Tuesday at the meeting of an intergovernmental committee on military and technical collaboration that took place in Moscow and was chaired by Russian and Indian Defense Ministers, Anatoly Serdyukov and Arackaparambil Kurien Antony. The missile was named in honor of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. BrahMos is considered to be a successful Russian-Indian joint project. It is unique since it’s the only cruise missile in the world that can be launched both as a single unit and a group. Its highly intelligent operational system allows the missile to reach the speed of Mach 3.0, which is three times faster than the speed of the subsonic American Tomahawk cruise-missile). BrahMos can engage any sea target, and a group of these missiles can destroy an entire ship formation. The missiles are so clever that they not only detect a target but develop a plan of attack based on the enemy’s air defense. They know exactly which target is the primary one, which of them is an attacker and which is a defender. When the main target is destroyed, they re-prioritize and continue with the attack. Now even more advanced missile is on the way. “These intentions mean that Delhi has strategic goals, and I believe they are realistic,” said Alexander Lukyanov, head of the Scientific Development and Production Center where the missile was designed. On Tuesday, India confirmed its intentions of the joint development of the fifth generation of fighter jets and financing of modernization of Admiral Gorshkov cruiser.  |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Oct 22, 2009 7:49:41 GMT -5
S-300 contract with Iran frozen – report.
RussiaToday.com
Published 22 October, 2009, 14:07
The standing contract between Moscow and Tehran on delivery of the long-range air defense system “S-300” has been frozen, according to a source in the Russian arms trade. Experts are split over the damage this may cause.
Implementation of the S-300 deal was frozen for an unspecified period of time, over a number of political issues, right after it was signed, the source told Interfax news agency. At the moment the delivery is on hold, although Moscow does not intend to cancel it altogether.
“A lot depends on the political environment, since the contract has long ceased to be a merely commercial deal,” the source is cited as saying.
No official comments on the news from either the S-300’s producer Almaz-Antey or Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport followed.
The deal to deliver several S-300 divisions to Iran was signed several years ago, but was not executed. It came under the spotlight in December 2008, when Iranian media reported on the upcoming delivery of the advanced system. The news came amid tension between Iran and several other countries, including Israel and the United States, over Tehran’s nuclear advances. Iran’s opponents voiced their concerns over the deal, since deployment of S-300 would have greatly impeded their ability to deliver air strikes on Iranian territory.
According to Interfax’s insider, the contract is subject to approval by the two governments before actual delivery can happen. Neither has Teheran started paying for the systems. The source concludes that the freezing of the deal will not harm Moscow’s interests.
Meanwhile, Vedomosti business newspaper says Iran delivered advance payment for the weapons, citing its own sources in defense circles. They’ve confirmed that the initial delivery scheduled on this year has been frozen.
If the deal is broken in the end, this may close the Iranian market for Russian arms suppliers, warned Konstantin Makienko from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technology. In addition to losing an estimated $1 billion from the deal itself, and paying $300-400 million for canceling the contract, Russia may lose customers in the Iranian Republic to Chinese competitors, he told RIA Novosti news agency.
S-300 is a long-range air defense system capable of shooting down aircraft and missiles at a range of up to 150 kilometers. It’s meant to be used with a closer-range system like the Tor-M1. Russia has earlier sold it to Iran in a separate deal.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Nov 12, 2009 9:57:37 GMT -5
Russian military to get 30 new ICBMs, 3 nuclear subs in 2010.
MOSCOW, November 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Armed Forces are to receive 30 new ground and sea-launched ballistic missiles, three nuclear submarines, and an assortment of other weapons, the Russian president said on Thursday.
Dmitry Medvedev said the list would also include "five Iskander [tactical] missile complexes, about 300 modern armored vehicles, 30 helicopters, 28 warplanes, one corvette-class warship, and 11 spacecraft."
In his state-of-the-nation address to parliament, Medvedev stressed provision of advanced weapon systems to the military was a priority.
"There is no room for debate here: These weapons simply must be procured," he said.
He instructed the government to put in place an effective contract system to strike the right balance between arms manufactured for export and for domestic needs.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Nov 29, 2009 19:28:15 GMT -5
Russia 'will' deliver S-300 to Iran in 2 months.
AR/MMN
Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:27:53 GMT
Russia has ensured that it will honor a deal providing Iran with the S-300 sophisticated anti-aircraft system, Tehran's envoy to Moscow says.
Mohammad-Reza Sajjadi on Friday rejected reports that Russia had pulled out of the deal due to a delay in the delivery of the system to Iran.
"We had heard reports that Russia would not deliver these systems to Iran, but we asked the Russian side and they denied it," he told reporters in Moscow.
"The delivery deadline has already passed, but the Russian side has cited technical problems which it said it was working on to fix," Sajjadi added. "We feel that this question will be resolved within one to two months."
He said neither Iran nor Russia planned to "go back" on the contract, which he said was "profitable" for both sides.
Russia's procrastination over the delivery of the advanced system to Iran has drawn harsh criticism from officials in Tehran.
Earlier this month, Chief of Staff of Iran's Joint Armed Forces Hassan Firouzabadi questioned Moscow's motivation for the delay. He said under a contract signed between the two countries, the Russian government was expected to supply Iran with the system aimed at boosting the country's defensive capabilities.
"The delivery is more than six months overdue," the top official said, urging Russia to expedite the process of delivery.
Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi also said that Russia had a "contractual obligation" to provide Iran with the system.
"We have made a deal with the Kremlin to buy S-300 defense missiles," he said, referring to a contract signed between Tehran and Moscow in 2007.
"We don't think Russian officials would want to be seen in the world as contract violators," he added.
Iran has been trying to obtain the sophisticated defense system to improve its deterrence power in reaction to Israeli war rhetoric.
According to Western experts, the S-300 missile defense system would shield Iranian nuclear sites against any Israeli airstrike.
The S-300 system, which can track targets and fire at aircraft 120 km (75 miles) away, features high jamming immunity and is able to simultaneously engage up to 100 targets.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Dec 3, 2009 14:09:01 GMT -5
More Triumphs For Russia.
The Strategy Page ^ | 12/02/2009 | The Strategy Page
Russia is getting another five S-400 (also known as the Triumf/Triumph or SA-21) missile battalions in the next year. Russia already has two battalions, with the first one entering service two years ago. Belarus is buying the S-400, and part of a battalion was sent to the North Korean border recently (to make a political point, not that the Russians fear a missile attack from North Korea any time soon.) Within the next six years, Russia plans to buy 18 S-400 battalions, while exporting as many as possible. An S-400 battalion has eight launchers, each with four missiles, plus a control center and radar. The first one was deployed around Moscow. The Russians claim that this new system can detect stealth aircraft, implying that the hypothetical enemy is the United States. Russia also claims the S-400 can knock down short range ballistic missiles (those with a reentry speed of up to 5,000 meters a second, in the same way the similar U.S. Patriot system does.)
S-400 has a longer range (at 400 kilometers) than Patriot (70 kilometers). Export efforts are hobbled by a lack of combat experience for the system. Patriot has knocked down aircraft and ballistic missiles, S-400 has not. Moreover, Russia anti-aircraft missile systems have a spotty history (especially when confronted by Western electronic countermeasures.) But Russia is already touting a new, S-500 system, that can knock down longer range ballistic missiles (with higher reentry speeds) and stealth aircraft. The missiles around Moscow are part of a project to rebuild the Soviet era air defense system, which has fallen apart since the early 1990s. The new air defense system will be completed in about eight years. The S-500 will be available before that.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Dec 10, 2009 13:21:15 GMT -5
Russia successfully test launches Topol ICBM.
Russia successfully test launched a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday, a spokesman for the Strategic Missile Forces said.
Col. Vadim Koval said a RS-12M Topol missile was launched from the Kapustin Yar test site in south Russia's Astrakhan Region, and hit the designated target in Sary-Shagan, Kazakhstan.
He said the launch was designed to test the operational capability of the Topol ICBM.
The missile was in active service from 1987 until 2007, and deployed with the 54th Strategic Missile Division near the town of Teikovo, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Moscow.
The RS-12M Topol (SS-25 Sickle) is a single-warhead intercontinental ballistic missile, approximately the same size and shape as the U.S. Minuteman ICBM. The first Topol missiles were put into service in 1985.
The missile has a maximum range of 10,000 km (6,125 miles) and can carry a nuclear warhead with a yield of 550 kilotons.
Although the service life of the SS-25 was extended after a series of successful test launches last year, the missile will be progressively retired over the next decade and replaced by mobile Topol-M (SS-27 Stalin) missile systems.
Russia's SMF reportedly has a total of 541 ICBMs, including 306 Topol missiles and 59 Topol-M missiles.
MOSCOW, December 10 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Dec 17, 2009 10:50:49 GMT -5
S-400 Triumf air missile defense system. MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti) The S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) is designed to intercept and effectively engage airborne targets, including stealth aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, at ranges of up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and speeds of up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second.  en.rian.ru/infographics/ |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jan 14, 2010 9:32:28 GMT -5
Design flaw caused latest test failure of Bulava missile - source. Investigators have established that the latest test failure of the troubled Bulava ballistic missile was caused by a design flaw, rather than a faulty component, a Russian defense industry source said Tuesday. "An investigation commission established in December that a design flaw in the device which controls the separation of the third stage had caused the latest failure of the Bulava missile," the source said. It is the first time the Russian industry officials admit that there are problems with the original design of the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which Russia hopes will be a key element of its nuclear forces. The latest launch of the missile from the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine in the White Sea ended in failure in early December 2009. Only five of 12 Bulava launches have been officially reported as being successful. Earlier official statements cited a number of reasons for the failures of Bulava tests, including faulty components, attempts to replace specific materials with cheaper substitutes and obsolete manufacturing equipment. The further development of the Bulava has been questioned by some lawmakers and defense industry experts, who have suggested that all efforts should be focused on the existing Sineva SLBM. But the military has insisted there is no alternative to the Bulava and said the tests of the missile would continue until it is ready to enter service with the Russian Navy. Another defense industry source said on Tuesday that Russia could increase the number of Bulava tests in 2010 starting in May-June, and "drastically change the approach to testing procedures." The Bulava (SS-NX-30) SLBM carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The three-stage liquid and solid-propellant ballistic missile is designed for deployment on Borey class nuclear-powered submarines. MOSCOW, January 12 (RIA Novosti)  |
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