Missiles, Radar & ☢ Nuclear Weapons.

[TsarSamuil]

‘What kind of alliance is this?’ Erdogan asks after US S-400 sanctions decision.

RT.com
16 Dec, 2020 14:33

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has questioned the Turkey-US alliance after Washington announced sanctions on Ankara over the purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.

During a televised statement, the Turkish leader criticized the Trump administration for issuing further sanctions, labelling it an attack on the country’s sovereignty and declaring that his government will continue to strengthen its defense systems regardless of the consequences.

“What kind of alliance is this? What kind of partnership is this? This decision is an open hostile attack against our country’s sovereign rights.”

The US imposed the sanctions on Monday under CAATSA, the US Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, marking the first time that it has taken such a step against a NATO ally. It comes amid heightened tensions between Western countries and Ankara over Turkey’s actions in the Middle East and Northern Cyprus.

Explaining the decision, US State Department Assistant Secretary Chris Ford said, “We very much regret that this has been necessary and we very much hope that Turkey will work with us to resolve the 400 problem as quickly as possible.”

CAATSA seeks to discourage governments from signing military deals with Russia, in an attempt to reduce Moscow’s influence across Eurasia. The legislation also targets Iran and North Korea, imposing similar restrictions.

This is not the first time America has attempted to punish Turkey for purchasing military equipment from Russia. Last year, the US removed Ankara from its F-35 fighter jets program after it took delivery of the first parts of the S-400 system.

America’s actions were sparked by its concern that accepting the S-400 could allow Russia to secretly gather confidential information about the US-made Lockheed Martin F-35s. Turkey has repeatedly rebuffed these concerns, seeking to reassure the West that the defense system and fighter jets will not be integrated.

[TsarSamuil]

Here’s why Russia’s Tos-1A is called Blazing Sun | The Kalashnikova Show. Episode 15

RT Documentary
Dec 23, 2020



The Tos-1A Solntsepyok is a Russian multiple rocket launcher. Its Russian name, Solntsepyok, can be translated as ‘blazing sun’ because this flamethrower system is able of unleashing hell with its 24 220mm missiles. The Tos-1A system’s intense firepower makes it one of Russia’s most powerful weapons. A full salvo can be fired in just 6 seconds and raze an area the size of eight football pitches to the ground.

[TsarSamuil]

Bullseye: AK-47 manufacturer releases spectacular NIGHT-TIME VIDEO of its newest guided anti-aircraft missile test.

RT.com
24 Dec, 2020 18:22

Kalashnikov, the maker of AK-47 assault rifle, has carried out a successful test of its brand new Strela (arrow) guided anti-aircraft missile, sharing an impressive clip of a fiery projectile finding its target in the dark skies.

The footage, edited to a dramatic soundtrack, showed the Strela-10M anti-aircraft system on tracked chassis in action at the Donguz range in Russia’s Orenburg Region on the border with Kazakhstan.

During the night-time tests, the system employed Kalashnikov’s state-of-the-art Strela-9M333 guided missiles to eliminate several targets, which were simulating enemy projectiles and aircraft.

According to the developers, this missile is capable of shooting down low-flying planes, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles. It remains effective during any season of the year and is able to bypass several types of optical interference used for protection of aircraft.

Strela-9M333 surpasses other similar missiles due to greater flexibility of its homing system, which can operate in contrast, infrared and interfering modes, Kalashnikov said.

With the test labeled a success, the company announced that it’s now starting mass production of Strela missiles for the Russian military.

[TsarSamuil]

Isaak Khalatnikov dies aged 101: Legendary Russian physicist & WW2 veteran helped create first Soviet nuclear bomb in 1940s.

RT.com
9 Jan, 2021 17:28

Russian physicist Isaak Khalatnikov, the oldest member of the country’s Academy of Sciences (RAS), has died at the age of 101. The scientist was the last living participant of the team that built the first Soviet nuclear bomb.

The scientist died early on Saturday in the Moscow Region, RAS told Russian media outlets. Born in 1919, more than a century ago, Khalatnikov was one of the leading Soviet – and, after the collapse of the Union, Russian scientists in the field of theoretical physics.

He was also the first head of the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, a prestigious research agency within RAS, leading it from 1964 until 1992, when he stepped down due to old age. The scientist remained the honorary director of the Institute till his death.

To the general public, not that familiar with theoretical physics, Khalatnikov was better known as one of the scientists involved in the creation of the first Soviet nuclear weapon – the RDS-1 bomb. The project was launched by the Soviet Union back in 1942 amid the carnage of World War II and concluded in 1949 with a successful test of the nuclear fission device.

During the war, Khalatnikov served within the ranks of the Soviet military and joined the development process only after WWII ended. The scientist, within a group of other physicists, was tasked with calculating the yield of the bomb — a task for which calculations had to be performed manually in those days and which could only be taken on by the brightest minds in the field.

“I managed to produce an interpolation formula of extraordinary beauty,” Khalatnikov wrote in his memoirs. “And the calculations corresponded with actual results of the test very well.”

The scientist also took part in development of the first Soviet fusion bomb, which proved to be an even harder mission than the creation of the fission one. Making all the calculations to construct it without computers was described as a “miracle” by Khalatnikov. The fusion bomb project was a success as well, culminating in a successful test mid-1953.

[TsarSamuil]

Who gives a shit that they don't like it, stop being so defensive!

Belarus risks angering US over order of advanced Russian S-400 missile system that has sparked worries for NATO warplanes.

RT.com
16 Jan, 2021 13:43

The Ministry of Defense in Belarus announced on Thursday that it is at an advanced stage of negotiations with Russia to obtain one of the world’s most sophisticated anti-aircraft missile systems.

Igor Golub, the commander of the country's Air Force, told reporters that “we are continuing pre-contract work to equip our missile units that are currently using the S-300 systems with the new S-400,” its more modern successor. He added that “we have already signed contracts [with Russia] for the supply of Mi-35 multifunctional attack helicopters and the second batch of Su-30SM fighter jets.”

Commenting on recent military exercises by the anti-air battalions on the same day, Minsk said that “securing new and modernized weapons, and special military equipment… in the fight against precision weapons and armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is a priority, looking at the experience of modern conflicts in the region.”

Among the list of hardware due to be received by Belarus, the S-400 is likely to cause the most concern in the West. While Minsk set out its intentions to upgrade its systems in August last year, there had only been speculation that the truck-mounted launcher was on its wish list. Described by international analysts as “arguably the best strategic surface-to-air missile systems in operation today,” the Russian-made launcher has been aggressively lobbied against by the US.

The Pentagon has warned that the S-400 poses a new challenge to American-made fighter jets, including the flagship Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter. “You cannot operate an F-35 in the vicinity of an S-400,” General Todd Wolters of the US European Command said, insisting that the launcher would “attempt to exploit the F-35’s capabilities,” While this has been presented as an existential problem, Israeli F-35s have been flown near Russian S-400s deployed in Syria without incident.

In December last year, Washington announced that it would put in place a package of sanctions in response to a deal brokered between Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply Ankara with the system. “The US has expressed to the Government of Turkey, at the most senior levels, that the acquisition of Russian military systems such as the S-400 is unacceptable,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said at the time.

Despite being a member of NATO, Turkey’s possession of the primarily defensive launcher was seen as a threat both to American air supremacy and the US arms trade. “We have also repeatedly offered them military equipment to help meet their operational needs in a way that doesn’t trigger sanctions,” Christopher Ford, the US assistant secretary for international security, told reporters. “Unfortunately, Turkey turned down every single one of these efforts over the past several years now.”

Despite the threat of sanctions, more than a dozen countries have expressed interest in the system, including nations that otherwise buy large volumes of hardware from the US, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Belarus, not originally on the list of those who placed orders for the anti-aircraft weapon, is no stranger to sanctions. Since August, when veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko declared victory in the presidential election, which the opposition and many international observers say was rigged in his favor, the country has faced massive civil protests. Thousands have taken to the streets to call for a new election, and have been met with a harsh crackdown from authorities. As well as the EU, the US has already placed sanctions on officials in Lukashenko’s government they believe were responsible for election fraud or the subsequent violence.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia’s Su-57s Conducting Captive-Carry Tests of New Air-Launched Hypersonic Missile - Report.

Sputnik
MILITARY & INTELLIGENCE 00:38 GMT 19.02.2021

Defense industry leaders have long indicated that Russia’s advanced fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, equaled by only a handful of other jets in the skies, will have several special weapons designed for it.

Russia’s stealthy Su-57 is reportedly undergoing tests on its ability to carry a new hypersonic weapon, according to sources inside Russia’s military-industrial complex.

Russian media reported earlier this week that a realistic mockup of a new “intra-fuselage hypersonic missile” was being carried by an Su-57 for test flights. The details of the weapon are vague; however, it is likely the same weapon reported to have been developed in February 2020.

The Su-57 has long been expected to one day carry the Kh-47M2 “Kinzhal” missile, an air-launched hypersonic weapon already deployed on the Russian Air Force’s MiG-31 long-range fighters that has a blistering top speed of Mach 10. The Tu-160 supersonic bomber is slated to receive a similar upgrade.

However, in order to be carried inside the Su-57’s 14-foot-long internal weapons bay, the missile would have to be much smaller than the Kinzhal, which is roughly 26 feet long. No extant hypersonic weapon has been so small, as all have been the size of large cruise missiles or air-launched ballistic missiles.

Such a weapon might be powered by an air-breathing scramjet, a type of advanced rocket engine used to attain ultra-fast speeds, such as that currently being developed by India.

Russia has also developed the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, which is launched by a large ground-based rocket, and is currently testing the Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missile, which will one day be carried by its missile cruisers.

[TsarSamuil]

Действия расчетов зенитно ракетных батарей ВДВ

Минобороны России
Mar 26, 2021



Действия расчетов батарей ЗРК «Стрела-10», ПЗРК «Верба» и зенитных установок ЗУ-23 по прикрытию подразделений Новороссийского десантно-штурмового горного соединения в ходе тактического учения на полигоне Опук.

Зенитчики уничтожили порядка 20 воздушных мишеней, имитировавших самолеты и вертолёты условного противника над Черным морем.

В учении было задействовано более 500 военнослужащих и около 40 единиц техники.

[TsarSamuil]

‘Death Zones’: Russian military creating system to make areas of airspace inaccessible to foreign missiles and drones, reports say.

RT.com
22 Apr, 2021 14:12

Russia’s electronic warfare specialists will practice creating ‘protection areas’ in the country’s airspace that could render foreign satellite navigation systems completely useless, disabling an enemy’s high-precision weapons.

According to Moscow daily Izvestia, citing a source in the Defense Ministry, radio-electronic warfare troops will practice using the technology during exercises this year, with the practice to be held nationwide in 2022.

The system, known as Field-21, creates interference that disorients foreign satellite navigation systems, including the American GPS NAVSTAR. According to experts, the creation of special zones could be used to protect military facilities, as well as industrial areas, making the airspace virtually impenetrable. They believe the new approach will radically increase national security.

With satellite navigation foiled, enemy high-precision weapons and drones will not be able to direct themselves towards their target.

“Electronic warfare systems hit several cruise missile systems at once,” military historian Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. “Satellite navigation interference causes them to get ‘lost’ in space and dramatically reduces their accuracy. If the radio altimeter signal is suppressed, the ammunition will also not be able to perform its combat mission as expected.”

Radio-electronic troops have already been deployed in Syria, where an electronic warfare protection dome has been created over the areas of Tartus and Khmeimim, protecting the military from attacks by militant drones. Russia has been involved in the Syrian Civil War since 2015, when it was invited by the Damascus government, led by President Bashar Assad, to help fight against a terrorist insurgency in the country.

In Russia’s Far North, the powerful Murmansk-BN system has been deployed on the Arctic coast, and is capable of interfering with the communication, navigation, and control systems of ships, submarines, and aircraft illegally crossing the border. In March 2019, the Norwegian Defense Ministry officially complained to Moscow, stating that the jamming technology is affecting security in Norway’s own air space.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia: Navy test-fires supersonic anti-ship cruise missile in the Black Sea.

Ruptly
Apr 30, 2021



Mandatory Credit: Russian Defence Ministry press-service

In what is being deemed as the first of its kind, the Russian Navy test-fired a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile in the Black Sea.

The flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet "Moscow" practised hitting a simulated target with the use of the "Basalt" complex, the Russian Ministry of Defence press department reported on Friday.

According to the department, the missile cruiser targeted sea shields imitating enemy vessels with a "Vulkan" missile.

The flagship crew reportedly hit targets as part of combat training exercises. Marine aircraft and helicopters also took part in the drills, the ministry said.

[TsarSamuil]

Russian Aerospace Forces get a new radar that could strip US military of its trump card.

RT.com
15 May, 2021 14:03

The Russian armed forces have recently accepted into service the Yenisei radar detector, which has exceptional tactical and technical capabilities and can be used as part of both the S-400 and S-500 air-defense missile systems.

According to a high-ranking source in the Russian military-industrial service, the new radar was put into service in late April.

The Yenisei system can operate non-stop during extended periods of time, which is a very important aspect of radar reconnaissance. And there is basically no room for human error as it is fully automated.

The system is a completely digital radar with an active phased-array antenna. It’s an active-passive radar that can conduct reconnaissance, detect aircraft and designate targets for air defense weapons without going live. In other words, Yenisei is capable of conducting radio surveillance.

Yenisei, for instance, can send information about targets to the multifunctional radars of the S-400 and S-500 missile systems. The S-500 Prometheus systems are expected to be introduced into service this year, because all the components of the system are ready. As for the S-400 Triumph, Yenisei (along with the 96L6 all-altitude target detector) has already been included in the system.

The Yenisei radar is equipped with remote-control stations, which allows it to effectively deal with jamming. For instance, the US Air Force has been so successful in many local conflicts because in almost every case, the air-defense systems employed by America’s opponents were neutralized by powerful and well-organized jamming systems.

They wouldn’t derail the Yenisei though. That’s because it traces and assigns targets with higher precision when countering powerful jamming. It is safe to assume that by accepting Yenisei into service, the Russian Aerospace Forces have removed the Americans’ tactical advantage.

Another key Yenisei feature is its sector-scanning capabilities (most radars can only do circular scans). This makes it possible for the radar to trace and assign ballistic missiles.

Commanders of the Antiaircraft Missile Troops of the Russian Aerospace Forces are very interested in the Yenisei and see a lot of potential in its features. For example, the S-400 command and control center is equipped with the 91N6E panoramic radar detection system.

But it’s Yenisei’s continuous and lasting sector-scanning that will significantly improve the efficiency of air and missile defense, addressing ballistic missile threats in the most dangerous zones. That’s why the S-400 command and control centers are going to be equipped with two radars – the regular 91N6E radar and the Yenisei.

The Yenisei can also trace its own guided anti-aircraft missiles after launch and accurately detect whether or not the target is hit.

Capable of target assignment for hypersonic targets, the Yenisei has another notable feature. For example, an Iskander-M missile first rises to a high altitude of about 100km and then starts intensive maneuvering going down, which makes intercepting it almost impossible. Approaching its target, the Iskander-M releases decoys, which renders enemy radar systems completely useless: there are so many false targets on the screen that there is no way to effectively deploy any air defense missile systems. The US so far has failed to come up with a way to successfully counter this.

The Yenisei, on the contrary, is capable of detecting such targets, can trace them and provide accurate target assignment.

Moreover, it is effective against so-called “radar angels.” These meteorological phenomena normally occur over water surfaces and blank out portions of the screen by appearing as a large number of false targets on both surveillance radars and missile guidance radars.

In addition, the Yenisei has built-in IFF interrogators and transponders, both the Russian Strazh system and the NATO Mk XII, and the latter may be of interest to foreign buyers. The new Russian radar has a secondary channel to operate within the joint air traffic management system in the range of 1030-1090 MHz, which means it has all the information about civil aircraft in the air space at a particular moment.

The system is very mobile, with a setup/teardown time of under five minutes. For better mobility, it has no outriggers, unlike the 96L6 all-altitude surveillance radar. Of course, the mechanical “paws” to level the system are still there, but they are extended straight into the tracks and not on the sides.

All in all, the Yenisei system is capable of detecting air targets flying over 100 km above ground (basically at the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space) and more than 600 km away. It guarantees continued tracing. It is a versatile system that accurately detects air targets and designates them for air-defense weapons.

[TsarSamuil]

Russian warship reports successful test-fire of hypersonic Zircon missile in tense Arctic waters, hitting target at 350km (VIDEO)

RT.com
19 Jul, 2021 11:05

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Monday that one of its warships, the Admiral Gorshkov, has conducted the successful test-fire of a high-tech missile, ahead of the rockets being rolled out to submarines and naval ships.

In a statement issued by Moscow, military chiefs said that “the Zircon missile successfully struck the target in the White Sea with a direct hit at a distance of over 350 kilometers. The test confirmed the tactical and technical performance of the missile, and its flight speed was around Mach 7.” This means that the projectile flew at hypersonic velocity, seven times faster than the speed of sound.

There are now plans to kit out a range of other naval vessels, including both submarines and surface ships, with the Zircon system. In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that next-generation “hypersonic and laser” weapons were an essential part of the country's future arsenal to deter aggression from overseas. “We have patience, self-confidence, and righteousness on our side,” Putin added. “I hope no one will think of crossing red lines in their relations with Russia. Where that line sits is ours to determine.”

Earlier this month, Moscow's diplomats expressed concern over US-led NATO wars in the Arctic region, which saw American jets fly over the frigid waters. Envoys branded the exercises “provocative,” and said that they would have a profound impact on “confidence-building in Europe.” At the same time, they argued that the actions flew in the face of international commitments to “ensuring the sustainable and peaceful development of the Arctic region.”

In May, Russia opened a state-of-the-art Arctic military base, designed to project Moscow’s military force across the region and acting as a potential landing strip for heavy, nuclear-capable bombers. Located in the Franz Josef Land archipelago, its construction comes as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s northern border.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia shows off new high-tech S-500 rocket system designed to take down enemy SPACE WEAPONS high above planet Earth (VIDEO)

RT.com
20 Jul, 2021 10:11

A cutting-edge anti-aircraft system capable of taking out high-speed fighter and bomber jets has been tested by Russian forces ahead of its deployment to units protecting the country’s airspace, defense chiefs said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Defense in Moscow released a video of the launch, saying that “after completing all the assessments, there are plans to deliver the first of the S-500 systems to air defense-missile brigades near Moscow.” It added that the test was a success, with the rocket striking a high-speed projectile as it moved through the skies.

Earlier this month, Chief Commander of the Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin said the S-500 will be capable of destroying enemy warplanes and even hypersonic weapons in near-Earth space, hundreds of kilometers away. Therefore, he said, it is the first generation of anti-space defense weapons, and no other such systems exist.

According to the developers, work on the rocket launcher was finishing up in April. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that it would soon be distributed to troops after proving itself in field tests. “Unique weapons systems are on the way, among them the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, the Zircon shipborne hypersonic missile, the S-500 anti-aircraft systems and other complexes,” he said.

On Monday, a Russian warship in the White Sea conducted a successful test of the Zircon missile, which hit a target over 350km away and flew at seven times the speed of sound.

[TsarSamuil]

New Russian ICBM to enter combat service in 2022: 208-ton Sarmat can carry 16 warheads and has operational range of 18,000km.

RT.com
6 Aug, 2021 17:52

Russia is poised to begin test flights of a new liquid-fueled, super-heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has confirmed. The missiles are expected to enter service in 2022.

“Flight tests [will begin] this year and should be completed in 2022. In 2022, the first batch should enter service with the strategic missile forces,” Shoigu said on Friday while visiting Krasmash, a machine-building plant in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.

The new RS-28 Sarmat ICBM is capable of carrying 16 warheads. The advanced silo-based system features a heavy liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile, and is to replace the R-36M/R-36M2 Voevoda ICBM.

The new missile will be capable of hitting targets using either the North Pole or South Pole route, effectively bypassing any defense system employed by a potential enemy.

Due to its nearly unlimited range, the Sarmat missile can hit targets in any direction. It also has a very short boost phase, which makes it hard for enemy defense systems to intercept at that stage.

Sarmat will be equipped with a wide range of powerful warheads, including hypersonic weapons, and the most advanced missile defense penetration systems. Sarmat’s operational range is 18,000 km.

The ICBM’s mass is 208.1 tons; it has a payload of over 10 tons and a fuel capacity of 178 tons. The length of the missile is 35.5 meters, with a diameter of three meters. Its payload comprises multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.

Currently, Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces have seven types of missile systems in operation, including fixed-site systems (Voevoda, Stiletto, Topol-M, Yars) and mobile ones (Topol-M, Topol, Yars). In the near future, the plan is to equip missile units with Sarmat, Avangard and Yars systems.

Today, the R-36M/R-36M2 Voevoda (with over 40 launchers) is Russia’s most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile. It was designed in the Soviet Union and has been operational since the late 1980s. The Voevoda weighs 211 tons and can carry 10 nuclear warheads of 0.5 megatons each to a distance of 11,000km (16,000km if equipped with a single reentry vehicle). With CEP accuracy of half a kilometer, the missile is quite precise.

The Voevoda is designed to eliminate all types of targets protected by advanced air defenses, including in combat conditions – retaliation is guaranteed even if the enemy has hit the missile-launching area with multiple nuclear warheads.

The R-36M2 system is expected to stay on combat duty in two regiments based in Dombarovsky air base in Orenburg Region and Uzhur, Krasnoyarsk Krai, until early 2020s. The new Sarmat will be deployed in the same locations.

The Sarmat can deliver several types of warheads, including the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. It’s capable of reaching a potential enemy’s targets at hypersonic speeds and provides great maneuverability in terms of both course and altitude. None of Russia’s potential adversaries have a countermeasure to these systems – nor are they likely to develop it in the foreseeable future.

The US is working on a new intercontinental ballistic missile, too. The US Air Force has struck a $13.3 billion deal with Northrop Grumman to develop a fresh ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile to beef up its strategic nuclear forces. These are intended to replace the Minuteman III, which is still in service.

A test launch of the new strategic ballistic missile dubbed GBSD is expected to take place in late 2023.

In the US, the Democrats and non-proliferation advocates alike have long been criticizing the new ICBM program. They maintain that the expected cost of upgrading US nuclear forces, currently priced at $1.2 trillion, is simply too high. Instead, they suggest exploring the possibility of extending Minuteman III service life.

As for the Russian new ICBM, Minister Shoigu said on Friday that he believes the Krasmash plant is ready to fulfill a long-term contract for the supply of Sarmat to the Russian military.

[TsarSamuil]

Kiev must harness its potential & build arsenal of missiles to 'fight war on foreign territory,' says Ukrainian ex-minister.

RT.com
20 Aug, 2021 07:18

Ukraine needs to build more missiles to enable Kiev to wage war on foreign territory because it is better to fight on someone else’s land than on your own. That’s according to former Ukrainian MP and cabinet minister Ivan Zayets.

Speaking to the Ukrinform YouTube channel on Wednesday, Zayets called for the Ukrainian authorities to create a “missile shield.”

“Today, we have all the potential for us to build a lot of missiles and to make a defense system,” he said, according to news agency RIA Novosti. “We also need missiles that will allow us to fight on foreign territory.”

It’s best to fight an enemy on his own territory, he claimed, noting that Ukraine “needs” such weapons.

Zayets has been involved in Ukrainian politics since 1990 when he was elected to the country’s first parliament. He served as an MP until 2012, with several short breaks dotted throughout the two decades. In the early 2000s, he served as minister of ecology and natural resources in the government of Prime Minister Victor Yushenko, a pro-EU and anti-Russian politician who later became a one-term president.

In recent months, Ukrainian public figures have openly disagreed about the quality of Kiev’s weaponry, with some claiming that the arsenal is more potent than many think. On March 17, Ukrainian military expert Oleg Zhdanov contended that Russia is “freaking out” over domestically-made anti-ship cruise missiles named Neptune. They were first deployed earlier this year.

However, a few months later, former Ukrainian MP and retired army general Vilen Martirosyan called on Kiev to stop deceiving people about the country’s capabilities, comparing the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine to a giant and a dwarf.

[TsarSamuil]

New Russian missile-defense radar system is world-first for helping intercept nuclear warheads, military industry chief reveals.

RT.com
26 Aug, 2021 13:39

Russia's Soviet-era nuclear defense shield has had a major overhaul and has now become one of the world's most advanced military installations, benefitting from secret technology, one of the businesses behind the project has said.

Speaking to RIA Novosti at the ARMY-2021 conference on Thursday, the general director of RTI systems, one of the country's largest defense contractors and a supplier of radar hardware and rocket technology, disclosed that the Don-2N station in the Moscow region had been upgraded. "It is now being tested," Yuri Anoshko said.

"As a result of these works, the functionality has changed," and the radar station, which underpins Russia's nuclear defense network, is now said to be unparalleled by any other in use across the globe. While Anoshko refused to reveal the nature of the added functionality, the colossal installation is a key part of the national anti-missile defense grid, and picks up potential threats at long distances in case of nuclear war.

The construction of the giant dome-shaped structure began in 1978, and took over a decade to come online. Since then, it has been on continuous duty, ushering out the Cold War and acting as the eyes of modern Russia's nuclear arsenal. Its antennas rise to the height of an 11-storey building, and it is said to be capable of tracking even smaller ballistic missiles that deploy technology to disguise against detection.

Concerns have previously been aired about countries' growing capacity to identify and intercept incoming nuclear weapons. After the US successfully intercepted a simulated missile attack in 2020, analysts warned that one nuclear state making itself invulnerable to a barrage would shift the delicate balance of atomic power and make conflict more likely, not less.