Posted on 02/04/2008 9:52:47 AM PST by lizol
Russia had had an operational ABM system for many years. It’s however seldom mentioned in any news story regarding the construction of a US system. Nobody ever protests the “destabilizing” Russian system.
“The only other ICBM ABM system to reach production was the Soviet A-35 system. It was initially a single-layer exoatmospheric (outside the atmosphere) design, using the Galosh (SH-01/ABM-1) interceptor. It was deployed at four sites around Moscow in the early 1970s.
Originally intended to be a larger deployment, the system was downsized to the two sites allowed under the 1972 ABM treaty. It was upgraded in the 1980s to a two-layer system, the A-135. The Gorgon (SH-11/ABM-4) long-range missile was designed to handle intercepts outside the atmosphere, and the Gazelle (SH-08/ABM-3) short-range missile endoatmospheric intercepts that eluded Gorgon. ABM-3 was considered to be technologically equivalent to the United States Safeguard system of the 1970s”
November 29, 2004
TASS reports that the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces tested an ABM interceptor at its Sary-Shagan facility in Kazakhstan on Monday. A spokesman for the Strategic Rocket Forces told TASS.
The current Russian ABM system comprises 100 nuclear-armed interceptors and several radars stationed around Moscow.
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/280/russian-abm-test
Turning “on” a radar array and pointing it in any direction is noticable to those you are watching so it would be a very poor covert tool. We have other, better ways to peek at the Bear.
Yes, but the base is a good cover for ‘contractors’ to use other devices for collecting data, and for coming and going. They would still use the missile equip for it’s original purpose.
I don’t believe our Polish friends care where we go or what we do so long as we share our observations with them. (They like Freedom)
That’s pretty much the way it works with most host countries. The coming and going cover, is mostly for nosy civilians and non-host observers.
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