Posted on 04/04/2012 9:53:17 PM PDT by U-238
Russia announced a new stealthy cruise missile for their heavy bombers and whatever emerges from the effort to develop something to compete with the American F-22 and F-35. The Russian announcement said little more, declaring that details of the new missile were classified. That was probably to avoid embarrassment, as the Russians have been having a hard time completing missile designs that were halted at the end of the Cold War (1991) because there was no more money. One of these missiles was the Kh-102, a stealthy development of the Cold War era Kh-55. The Kh-102 had been in development for nearly two decades, but most work was halted in the 1990s because of money shortages. Ten years ago, there were reports that work had been resumed. Five years ago some appeared, hanging from a Tu-95 heavy bomber.
These missiles are upgrades of the Cold War era Kh-55 (AS-15) cruise missile. Five years ago, an upgrade, the Kh-555 appeared. This missile is six meters (19.8 feet), weighs 1.6 tons and has a range of 3,000 kilometers. The 364 kg (800 pound) conventional warhead appears to be a cluster bomb type (carrying bomblets). The missile uses inertial and satellite supplied guidance, and can hit within six meters of its aiming point. Russia says it will use these missiles to attack terrorist bases in foreign countries. There was also a nuclear version, but this does not appear to be in regular service.
The Kh-102 has a new shape, and a radar absorbing skin, to make it more difficult for radar to detect it. Otherwise, the Kh-102 weighs 2.2 tons, but otherwise has the range and payload of the Kh-555. Apparently, the Kh-102 isn't going to replace Kh-555 missiles
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
This is what Obama, the leftist and our enemies are trying to do to us right now.... and they are doing a great job of it.
Ping.
But don’t they know that Barry the Boy Prezzydent wants to end ALL of the US’ arsenal?
Why would the Ruskies to this to us?
Hillary Clinton had a reset button and apologized for the US winning the Cold War and all...
March 2007
The USAF announced that it will retire its entire inventory of AGM-129 missiles. (Stealth cruise missiles)
and, January 2006
The United States has dismantled its entire fleet of Peacekeeper missiles, the most modern, powerful and capable inter-continental ballistic missiles in the U.S. arsenal.
The Peacekeepers live on as part of the Minotaur rocket program
http://www.orbital.com/spacelaunch/minotaur/
Or anyone else, anywhere else. The statement was simply designed to give the "One" political cover after his open mic incident, and to pretent that Russia is no longer a threat to anyone.
Wow, I had no idea we got rid of the Peacekeeper or the Air Launched nuke cruise missile.
I must have been watching “Dancing With The Stars”.
The USAF still has about 1,628 AGM-86B nuclear armed cruise missiles. Some missiles were converted to conventional warheads and used against Iraq in the 1990s.
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