Russia to build missile defence shield and renew nuclear deterrence (Russia joins StarWars)

Times of London ^ | 09/27/08 | Tony Halpin

[TigerLikesRooster]

Russia to build missile defence shield and renew nuclear deterrence

The Russian President has signalled a new arms deal with the US

Tony Halpin in Moscow

Russia is to build new space and missile defence shields and put its armed forces on permanent combat alert, President Medvedev announced yesterday.

In a sharp escalation of military rhetoric, Mr Medvedev ordered a wholesale renovation of Russia’s nuclear deterrence and told military chiefs to draw up plans to reorganise the armed forces by December.

He said that Russia must modernise its nuclear defences within eight years, including the creation of a “system of air and space defence”.

The announcement puts Russia in a new arms race with the United States, which has infuriated the Kremlin by seeking to establish an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe. The US argues that the shield is aimed at rogue states such as Iran, but Russia is convinced that its own security is threatened.

Mr Medvedev told military commanders that “all combat formations must be upgraded to the permanent readiness category” by 2020. He added that Russia would begin “mass production of warships, primarily nuclear cruisers carrying cruise missiles and multi-purpose submarines”.

“A guaranteed nuclear deterrent system for various military and political circumstances must be provided by 2020,” he said after attending military exercises in the southern Urals region of Orenburg.

Tensions with the West have soared to new levels since Russia’s war with Georgia last month. Mr Medvedev told army chiefs that the conflict showed that “a war can flare up suddenly and can be absolutely real”.

[Tublecane]

Oh my God, a new arms race!

Quick, someone remind the liberals that nations do not go to war because they build arms. They build arms because they want to go to war—or at least gain territory and influence without going to war.

[sunmars]

Now voters, think carefully do you really want Obama taking charge of combatting this? Thought not, vote accordingly please.

[Hugin]

Guess going bankrupt once wasn’t enough for them.

[sunmars]

Russia could easily go back to its old USSR ways, if they can, they have huge energy supplies that they could bargain with. Don’t be naive on this. They have Europe by the nuts on energy.

[Neidermeyer]

I don’t buy it... after all don’t the Russians still aim the soyuz rockets at the right orbit by tilting the launch pad? I’m glad to see them spending all that oil money on something that’ll never work.

[kittymyrib]

Another consequence of the Democrat/enviro-nazi embargo of our domestic oil exploration. Now that the Russians are awash in oil cash, they are resurrecting their yen for expansion. With a dying population and China on your doorstep, the fledgling republics on their doorstep better be very worried.

[Hugin]

For now. If we institute an all-of-the-above energy program it will radically drop the price of all energy everywhere, and cut Russia's income drastically. Combined with reduced capital investment their economy is in real danger of a disastrous collapse. Their stock market is already in a meltdown, and life outside of Moscow isn't much better than the bad old days. A new arms race would bankrupt them.

[Movemout]

HOLY SHADES OF RONNIE REAGAN!I’D LOVE TO SEE RUSSIA GO BANKRUPT ALL OVER AGAIN.AM HERE TO CAUSE PROBLEM FOR MOOSE AND SQUIRREL

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

I dunno about that, but in the mid-1980s, the Soviets were in fact doing cutting-edge research on anti-ballistic missile systems in response to President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. Never underestimate Russian scientists and engineers. They are first rate and are experts at making the most at what they have on hand rather than sitting around whining about what they don't have.

DIA Military Art Collection: The Threat in the 1980s

[RayChuang88]

Isn’t the Russian S-300 and S-400 mobile missile platforms more or less capable of warhead intercepts now? Especially if they’re fitted with low-yield neutron warheads?

[Thunder90]

Russia currently uses a system of nuclear tipped interceptors for NMD, plus many say that the Russians have orbital weapons as well.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think they are talking about extensive ABM system, including interceptors and satellites networks in space.

[mkjessup]

Google up 'FOBS' (Fractional Orbital Bombardment System) and you'll see that the Soviets, err Russians have had that capability for decades.

[RayChuang88]

However, why would the Russians want to use the extremely expensive system of fixed-pad interceptors like they do around Moscow? The S-400 SAM system already can take out targets well over 100,000 feet in altitude, and most importantly because it’s a proven and mobile system all they need to do is build more of these launchers, not build more fixed-pad launchers that cost way too much money to maintain.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think they want to shoot it down during the booster phase.
Besides, Russians always have soft spot for big and gargantuan.:-)

[exit82]

After the crappy Mir space station they built with our money, I can’t wait to see this shield in action.

[omega4179]

Russia follows the Bush doctrine! /s

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.

[robert david]

Looks like we have little time left before war must be waged on Russia. So be it.