Posted on 11/17/2004 8:34:53 AM PST by hsrazorback1
MOSCOW (AP) - President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is developing a new form of nuclear missile unlike those held by other countries, news agencies reported.
Speaking at a meeting of the Armed Forces' leadership, Putin reportedly said that Russia is researching and successfully testing new nuclear missile systems.
"I am sure that ... they will be put in service within the next few years and, what is more, they will be developments of the kind that other nuclear powers do not and will not have," Putin was quoted as saying by the ITAR-Tass news agency.
Putin reportedly said: "International terrorism is one of the major threats for Russia. We understand as soon as we ignore such components of our defense as a nuclear and missile shield, other threats may occur."
No details were immediately available, but Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier this month that Russia expected to test-fire a mobile version of its Topol-M ballistic missile this year and that production of the new weapon could be commissioned in 2005.
News reports have also said Russia is believed to be developing a next-generation heavy nuclear missile that could carry up to 10 nuclear warheads weighing a total of 4.4 tons, compared with the Topol-M's 1.32-ton combat payload.
Topol-Ms have been deployed in silos since 1998. The missiles have a range of about 6,000 miles and reportedly can maneuver in ways that are difficult to detect.
Earlier this year, a senior Defense Ministry official was quoted as telling news agencies that Russia had developed a weapon that could make the United States' proposed missile-defense system useless. Details were not given, but military analysts said the claimed new weapon could be a hypersonic cruise missile or maneuverable ballistic missile warheads.
Given the nonexistent economy (about the size of Iceland's economy), Putin had better watch it. The U.S. could toss Russia into chaos on a whim.
Doesn't the current nuclear arms control treaty limit the number of MIRVs per missile to 1?
This is the hypoersonic drivel he was talking about
several months ago. I think the first successful
test was conducted in March.
We can do it too.
Big deal.
MV
Oh God, I am sooo worried about Russian nuclear research. :)
I just have to wonder how much our people know about this and how they plan to counter. I also have to wonder what we have up our sleeves. Weather warfare?
Possible smoke and mirrors?
You mean like our Stars Wars program in the 80s? :-)
Honestly, I've never been afraid of certain nations possessing nuclear weapons, as the cost of launching them (namely retaliation fire from our own nukes) would far outweigh the benefit of their use. In other words, nukes cannot really obtain anything (besides fear) for that nation because they would equally be obliterated as soon as their launch button was pressed.
What does worry me though, are these rogue terrorist groups that can come into possession of such capabilities from nuclear powers and can freely launch an attack with no immediate reprocusions, as they are not affiliated with any particular nation state and thus cannot be targeted with equal force.
So, unless Russia is going to be handing these nukes over to Al Qaeda, I'm not terribly worried at the moment.
Tell that to the Progressives that maintain a missle defense system is a big waste of time.
The doctrine of MAD.
Mutual Assured Destruction
And terrorists don't give a damn which is why we need to assure their immediate destruction.
Ping:
Topol-Ms have been deployed in silos since 1998. The missiles have a
range of about 6,000 miles and reportedly can maneuver in ways that
are difficult to detect.
Earlier this year, a senior Defense Ministry official was quoted as
telling news agencies that Russia had developed a weapon that could
make the United States' proposed missile-defense system useless.
Details were not given, but military analysts said the claimed new
weapon could be a hypersonic cruise missile or maneuverable ballistic
missile warheads.
The Soviet Union was and remains a command economy. But the missiles apparently are just more maneuverable. I guess they simply stole remote guidance technology from whatever 'top secret' gubment lab, to which YOU AND I have no access. And the target remains - the good ole US of A. That's their boast, that these missiles could defeat any potential US missile shield; that thing which supposedly brought down the Soviets under Reagan. I mean, I WANT . . to give Reagan credit for ending the Cold War. But, gosh, the Soviet still seem to be there, and playing by the same old rules. We just don't have our bombers in the air anymore, and The Wall is gone.
Before the election, someone said the the winner could end up being the loser. This is just one of the scenarios that could bring the current election euphoria to a very rapid conclusion.
The U.S. could toss Russia into chaos on a whim<<
LOL! Most democrats misunderstood what President Reagans "Star Wars" was all about, I guess Russia did too.
We can make them outspend themselves into nothingness in several short months. . .
Since Russia has been cooperating with China on millitary development, and China has been such a nice government that shares what it has and knows to so many other countries, I would be very worried with any type of development Russia comes up with. While it may be the latest and greatest for Russia now, in a few years it will be old hat to them and they won't think twice about giving or selling the technology.....
Outstanding point!
MV
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