Report: Russia to Refit Nuclear Missiles

Las Vegas Sun ^ | December 15, 2006 at 7:25:11 PST | VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia will replace single nuclear warheads on some of its strategic missiles with multiple warheads, Russian news agencies reported Friday, allowing Moscow to modernize its nuclear arsenal while building fewer new missiles - and spending less.

In theory, the shift would also make it easier for Russian nuclear weapons to evade a U.S. missile defense system.

"In the near future we will begin to substitute the single warheads on Topol-M intercontinental missiles with multiple warheads," the Interfax-Military News Agency quoted Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, commander of Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces, as saying Friday.

"This makes the task of replacing aging missiles much easier," said Alexander Pikayev, a Moscow-based defense analyst who is co-chair of the Committee of Scientists for Global Security.

On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said the deployment of Topol-M missiles on mobile launchers was a "serious step forward in strengthening Russia's defense capability."

Capable of hitting targets more than 6,000 miles away, the Topol-M missiles have so far been deployed only in silos. The mobile version of the missile, mounted on an off-road vehicle, is harder to locate and destroy.

The United States has not deployed similar mobile launch systems, but it has better access to oceans and can concentrate its nuclear missiles in submarines, Pikayev said.

Johns Isaacs, executive director of the Council for a Livable World in Washington, said Friday that the deployment would not change the strategic balance between Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals.

"It's a reflection that the Russians as well as the Americans continue to update their forces with weapons they won't use and don't need," Isaacs said. "Adding a few more here or there is not going to make any difference in the balance of power, the state of the world, peace on earth, or good will toward men."

During the economic shocks of the 1990s, Russia was slow to modernize its nuclear weapons systems.

The military has commissioned just over 40 of the Topol-M missiles since 1997, and aging Soviet-era missiles form the backbone of the nation's nuclear capability.

In 2002, Putin and President Bush signed a treaty obliging both sides to cut the number of strategic nuclear weapons by about two-thirds by 2012, down to between 1,700 and 2,200 missiles each.

When the treaty was signed, many analysts said the number of Russian nuclear weapons could fall far below the number set by the treaty.

However, the recent oil boom allowed the Kremlin to increase military spending and speed modernization.

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Associated Press writer Judith Ingram contributed to this story.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

At least if they launch it at us it will hit South America. Now if they target Brazil... well then we're in trouble.

[pctech]

The Russian bear continues to stir to life once again. Anyone still think Russia is our friend?

[Leisler]

Something like %80% of major businesses are run by ex security or military officers.
Russia is losing population.
Average mortality age of Russian male is 50
Highest rates of abortion in the world.
High rates of Muslim growth, such that by 2050 Russia could be a Muslim nation.
Putin is stealing, chasing away foreign skilled workers and investment.
Russian state is taking over Vodka production, such that massive bootlegging is producing liver/people killing rotgut.
The Russian Navy is way down and now takes a decade from keel to launch. Large and growing corruption at all levels. Other than that, things are great.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Something like %80% of major businesses are run by ex security or military officers.

Russia is losing population.

Average mortality age of Russian male is 50

Highest rates of abortion in the world.

High rates of Muslim growth, such that by 2050 Russia could be a Muslim nation.

Putin is stealing, chasing away foreign skilled workers and investment.

Russian state is taking over Vodka production, such that massive bootlegging is producing liver/people killing rotgut.

The Russian Navy is way down and now takes a decade from keel to launch.

Large and growing corruption at all levels. Other than that, things are great.

What do you think, Gary?

[M. Espinola]

The Kremlin's advanced, expanding ICBM force is being modernized with the addition of the SS-X-27 which can be MIRVed x6. Russian & Red Chinese strategic missiles (below) with nuclear warheads continue to pose a grave threat to US.

Both Putin's "neo-Soviet" Russia & Red China continue developing new, longer range strategic missile systems, many with MIRV capabilities. Somebody is planning for all out nuclear war.

If the START II treaty is ratified by the Russian Duma and the New York Protocols are ratified by the Duma and the US Senate, ICBMs with MIRV payloads will be banned after 2007. Washington would be very unwise not being even more prepared to counter any threat.

Additional Russian ICBM data & photos can be reviewed this FR thread "The Resurgent Bear" posted by Tailgunner Joe.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I can't look at that....been reading the Ezekial Option novel....

[steve86]

Somebody is planning for all out nuclear war.

My only question is whether it will come in the remainder of my life (~30 years, at best), or later, not "if".

And I do think that launch trails from Russia and China will converge on North America, although those two parties may turn on each other at some point.

[Sword_Svalbardt]

The Minuteman III have all been reduced to single warhead systems as of early 2001. No upgrade has been brought forward at this time.

[redgolum]

Well, we said the ABM treaty was no longer valid since the USSR is gone, so they probably don't think the START treaty is valid either.

[redgolum]

The question is who will they be using them on. Not the US at this time, but lets face it, Russia has a lot of angry also stans with possible nukes around it.

[M. Espinola]

"And I do think that launch trails from Russia and China will converge on North America, although those two parties may turn on each other at some point."

Both are milking US for all the high-tech data they accumulate, then the unthinkable will be directed at US. Afterward, as with Hitler and Stalin, they battle it out with each other for global supremacy.

[M. Espinola]

On page 333 of The Ezekiel Option, for example, a fictional Iranian leader calls for the annihilation of Israel, saying, "The world must understand—the Zionists must be humbled. Death to Israel". Sounds extremely familiar.

On page 74 of the novel, a fictional character warns that the Iranians "have been buying the latest weaponry from Moscow" and that "it is only a matter of time before they strike" Israel. On page 140, a fictional senior adviser to the President of Russia meets with the Iranian Ayatollah and the new president of Iran "to formalize the military alliance that had been developing between Russia and Iran" and "to show the Americans that a new global superpower was on the rise."

Putin is making the brutal Iranian régime's dreams come true .

• Iran and Russia in $1 Billion Arms Deal—Aljazeera.Net (12/2/05)
• Moscow Inks Arms Deal with Tehran—Moscow Times (12/5/05)
• Russia Agrees to Sell Missiles to Iran—Associated Press (12/5/05)

And that was a portion of last year's Russian arms sales to Iran.

[M. Espinola]

For the right price "Stans" in league with Moscow could sell out to the highest jihadist bidder.

[Marine_Uncle]

Taint a pretty picture by any means. Guess we need more LUKOIL gas stations across the United States to help finance their missle programs.

[M. Espinola]

Update:

Sergei Ivanov, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, and Russian President Vladimir Putin (left to right) inspecting mobile Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile systems while on a visit to a division of the Strategic Missile Forces deployed in Teikovo, Ivanovo Region.

(From left to right, foreground): Vice-Premeir, Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov, President Vladimir Putin and the strategic missile troops' commander-in-chief Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov on observing the land-based mobile strategic missile system Topol-M while visiting the guards strategic missile division in the town of Teikovo, Ivanovo region.

Land-based mobile strategic missile system Topol-M getting into position trategic missile division in the town of Teikovo, Ivanovo Region

[M. Espinola]

Update:

Sergei Ivanov, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, and Russian President Vladimir Putin (left to right) inspecting mobile Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile systems while on a visit to a division of the Strategic Missile Forces deployed in Teikovo, Ivanovo Region.

(From left to right, foreground): Vice-Premeir, Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov, President Vladimir Putin and the strategic missile troops' commander-in-chief Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov on observing the land-based mobile strategic missile system Topol-M while visiting the guards strategic missile division in the town of Teikovo, Ivanovo region.

Land-based mobile strategic missile system Topol-M getting into position trategic missile division in the town of Teikovo, Ivanovo Region

[COEXERJ145]

Yep, they're violating several treaties and agreements by re-MIRVing their ICBM's.

These treaties were why we retired the Peacekeeper missiles and are de-MIRVing the Minuteman III missiles.

[Mr. Mojo]

The MX/Peacekeeper was our finest ICBM; it never should've been retired.

Thankfully the Trident IIs aboard our Boomers still carry eight MIRVs each. ....at least I hope they still do.

[COEXERJ145]

Thankfully the MX's are in storage and can be reactivated if necessary.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the photos and the update on the Novel...got to get back to reading.....