Posted on 01/21/2011 9:11:27 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Russia is developing a replacement for the world's most devastating intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a move that risks reviving a global nuclear arms race. Work on the new missile, which has yet to be given a name, started in Moscow in 2009 and could be wrapped up as early as 2017, the head of the secretive military industrial corporation helping develop it has revealed. In comments to Russian news agency ITAR-TASS that went largely unnoticed, the head of Rosobshemash said the new missile would be capable of overcoming any nuclear missile shield that the Americans or indeed anyone else might build. "This applies in the fullest sense to the USA's anti-missile defence system and to Nato's (planned) European missile defence system," said Artur Usenkov.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
. .The move comes as Russia pushes ahead with the biggest overhaul of its armed forces since the fall of the Soviet Union. Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, said the Kremlin planned to spend twenty trillion roubles (£420 billion) on the task in the next decade.
Well, well, now there's a surprise ! !
We all knew the Russians were going to cheat.
Right... As if the US missile defense system will remain static, and won't continue expanding capabilities and developing new ones... Then again, we do have hussein in there screwing things up, so missile defense progress may take a little siesta until 2013 when President Palin can re-invigorate it.
ABM development can continue in a “black budget” project envionment.
Ping.
So much for Obamas efforts in their agreements of recent. He’s laying a load on Obama...course we knew that Putin would do just that.
Pretty serious stuff going on in the world...
Everybody but Obama knew Russia wouldn't stop anything they intend to accomplish in their Nuclear ambitions.
Golly, if we only had a treaty or sumthin’. /sarc
Lots of work can happen via other means. That radar? It's not a missile defense radar, it is an advanced Doppler weather radar. Yes it is rather powerful, but we're investigating global warming you see ;-) ... That ballistic missile? Oh, it is an advanced target drone to test existing systems...sure, I guess if it ran into something up there and never came down that'd be something... Those command and control nets? No, that's not missile defense, that's um ... cooperative air traffic control, passing tracks and engagement, er, I mean landing instructions across systems... That laser in orbit? No, it's not a weapon, we're using it as a very precise laser range finder to more accurately determine ocean levels, looking for mean sea level changes if the polar ice caps melt. Sure, it is powerful enough to melt a fair amount of ice itself but ... um ... we need to be able to measure through thick cloud cover to get consistent, thorough data, yeah, that's it...
I agree. Its getting very dangerous out there.That is why we need to continue upgrading our nuclear stockpiles(both strategic and tactical missiles)
Black projects are the way to go if you want to keep programs alive. I have always been a huge fan of black projects.
No, but I will look it up. Thanks for the info.
:)
I beg to differ. Sure, if Russia launches 700+ ICBMs at us, we're toast. If North Korea or Iran launches a handful at us, well, I like our chances. China is in the middle ground.
According to globalsecurity.org they have about 20 ICBMs. As one of my smart friends explained to me, until former President Reagan made missile defense look like a reality, this was all they needed. My friends' take on it is that the Chinese had figured that a couple dozen missiles was enough to threaten enough US cities to keep any US President from pushing too hard. Once it looked like Reagan was serious, they started on the DF-31. Now that we have a viable, if limited, missile defense shield, they need more missiles. Hence they are developing the DF-41. I'd look for them to build and deploy as many as they need to stay a couple of dozen ahead of our count of interceptors.
In that respect you have to admire the Chinese practicality and pragmatism. While the US and (then) Soviet Union charged off on an insane arms race (did we really need 3000+ warheads?) the Chinese figured they only needed enough to deter, not annihilate, and saved themselves billions...
But, but ... we have a TREATY!!


What goes on in a computer simulation never has to see the light of day... Until the tactics and procedures are worked out and verified, the specific systems’ capabilities determined, optimal placements worked out... Then all of a sudden someone says “Build me this, put it there, load this software...bingo, we’re safe from attack.”
I would dare say that the Japanese are doing that now. Weapons, aircraft carriers, and whatever else. Realistically, do they believe that the US will come to their aid if the Norks decide to go for all the marbles, especially with Barry Dunham in office? Japan will not say so, but deep down they would think “Barry Dunham? You must be joking!” If Japan were to repeal one clause in their constitution, or amend it with a subtle workaround (likely the latter, given the culture. It would be subtle, but obvious), I would not be surprised, nor would I blame them, given the situation.
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