Post by brotheromar1 on Dec 4, 2006 8:12:17 GMT -5
MOSCOW, December 4 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is completing the mobilization of a regiment of Topol-M mobile missile systems and placing it on active duty, the defense minister said Monday.
"In the future, these complexes will constitute the foundation of the Strategic Missile Forces," Sergei Ivanov said.
Ivanov said earlier Russia is planning to purchase 69 silo-based and mobile Topol-M ballistic missile systems in the next decade.
He said the defense ministry was also planning to procure 60 Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile systems to equip five missile brigades, 57 Sprut-SD self-propelled guns, 499 Rakushka airborne armored personnel carriers, and several Bereg mobile coastal artillery systems.
President Vladimir Putin said last month that developing the strategic forces is the main priority on the national defense agenda.
The president told a meeting with top military officials, "Maintaining a strategic balance will mean that our strategic deterrent forces should be able to guarantee the neutralization of any potential aggressor, no matter what modern weapons systems he possesses."
He called for the creation of cutting-edge strategic weapons, and emphasized quality over quantity.
As of January 1, Russia possessed 927 nuclear delivery vehicles and 4,279 nuclear warheads for strategic offensive weapons, while the United States owns 1,255 and 5,966, respectively, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
MOSCOW, December 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Strategic Missile Forces is set to start re-equipping its single-warhead mobile Topol-M (SS-27) intercontinental ballistic missile systems with multiple re-entry vehicles, its commander said Friday.
Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov said: "We will begin to equip the Topol-M mobile missile system with multiple re-entry vehicles in a few years."
Solovtsov said his forces conducted six ICBM launches in 2006, and 12 launches are scheduled for 2007.
The latest firing was held in November to test the performance characteristics of the RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) to extend its service life by one year, from 29 to 30 years.
Following numerous test launches, RS-18 missiles are considered to be highly reliable. About 360 silo-based Stiletto missiles are currently deployed in the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, with each missile carrying six warheads.
A total of six ICBM systems of the fourth and fifth generations are on active duty, including four silo-based, RS-18, RS-20B (SS-18 Satan), RS-20V(modified SS-18 Satan), RS-12M2 (Topol-M), and two mobile systems RS-12M (Topol) and RS-12M2 (Topol-M), Solovtsov said.
President Vladimir Putin has said the deployment of mobile Topol-M systems contributes a great deal to Russia's national security.
The first regiment of Topol-M mobile ICBMs was put on active duty in the Ivanovo region in Central Russia in early December.
"This is a significant step forward in improving our defense capabilities," he said while inspecting the regiment Thursday.
Russia currently has five missile regiments equipped with silo-based Topol-M missiles, and one regiment equipped with mobile Topol-M systems. The total number of Topol-M ICBMs, including three silo-based systems to be deployed at the Tatishchevo base, will reach 48 by the end of the year, according to the Strategic Missile Forces Command.
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier that Russia is planning to purchase 69 silo-based and mobile Topol-M ballistic missile systems in the next decade.
Vladimir Putin said last month that developing Russia's strategic forces is the main priority on the national defense agenda.
"Maintaining a strategic balance will mean that our strategic deterrent forces should be able to guarantee the neutralization of any potential aggressor, no matter what modern weapons systems he possesses," the president told a meeting with top military officials.
As of January 1, Russia possessed 927 nuclear delivery vehicles and 4,279 nuclear warheads for strategic offensive weapons, while the United States owns 1,255 and 5,966, respectively, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Russian military will mark Strategic Missile Forces' Day, a professional holiday, December 17.
Russia's Missile Forces successfully launch SS-18 Satan ICBM
MOSCOW, December 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Strategic Missile Forces have conducted a successful test launch of an RS-20V Voyevoda (NATO codename SS-18 Satan) intercontinental ballistic missile, the forces' press office said Thursday.
The launch was made at 11:20 a.m. Moscow time (8:20 a.m. GMT), a spokesman said, adding that the missile, launched from Orenburg in the south Urals, successfully hit hypothetical targets on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The launch was made to test the RS-20V's flight and technical characteristics to extend the service life of the R-36M2 missile systems to 20 years, the spokesman said.
"Before the launch, the missile had been in operation for 19 years," he said.
He said the RS-20V was a modernized version of the RS-20B.
The RS-20V Voyevoda was developed in Ukraine's design bureau Yuzhnoye. In 1988, the system, equipped with this missile, was adopted by the Missile Forces. The missile has a maximum flight range of 11,000 kilometers (6,840 miles) and a launch weight of 211 metric tons.
"In the future, these complexes will constitute the foundation of the Strategic Missile Forces," Sergei Ivanov said.
Ivanov said earlier Russia is planning to purchase 69 silo-based and mobile Topol-M ballistic missile systems in the next decade.
He said the defense ministry was also planning to procure 60 Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile systems to equip five missile brigades, 57 Sprut-SD self-propelled guns, 499 Rakushka airborne armored personnel carriers, and several Bereg mobile coastal artillery systems.
President Vladimir Putin said last month that developing the strategic forces is the main priority on the national defense agenda.
The president told a meeting with top military officials, "Maintaining a strategic balance will mean that our strategic deterrent forces should be able to guarantee the neutralization of any potential aggressor, no matter what modern weapons systems he possesses."
He called for the creation of cutting-edge strategic weapons, and emphasized quality over quantity.
As of January 1, Russia possessed 927 nuclear delivery vehicles and 4,279 nuclear warheads for strategic offensive weapons, while the United States owns 1,255 and 5,966, respectively, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
MOSCOW, December 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Strategic Missile Forces is set to start re-equipping its single-warhead mobile Topol-M (SS-27) intercontinental ballistic missile systems with multiple re-entry vehicles, its commander said Friday.
Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov said: "We will begin to equip the Topol-M mobile missile system with multiple re-entry vehicles in a few years."
Solovtsov said his forces conducted six ICBM launches in 2006, and 12 launches are scheduled for 2007.
The latest firing was held in November to test the performance characteristics of the RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) to extend its service life by one year, from 29 to 30 years.
Following numerous test launches, RS-18 missiles are considered to be highly reliable. About 360 silo-based Stiletto missiles are currently deployed in the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, with each missile carrying six warheads.
A total of six ICBM systems of the fourth and fifth generations are on active duty, including four silo-based, RS-18, RS-20B (SS-18 Satan), RS-20V(modified SS-18 Satan), RS-12M2 (Topol-M), and two mobile systems RS-12M (Topol) and RS-12M2 (Topol-M), Solovtsov said.
President Vladimir Putin has said the deployment of mobile Topol-M systems contributes a great deal to Russia's national security.
The first regiment of Topol-M mobile ICBMs was put on active duty in the Ivanovo region in Central Russia in early December.
"This is a significant step forward in improving our defense capabilities," he said while inspecting the regiment Thursday.
Russia currently has five missile regiments equipped with silo-based Topol-M missiles, and one regiment equipped with mobile Topol-M systems. The total number of Topol-M ICBMs, including three silo-based systems to be deployed at the Tatishchevo base, will reach 48 by the end of the year, according to the Strategic Missile Forces Command.
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier that Russia is planning to purchase 69 silo-based and mobile Topol-M ballistic missile systems in the next decade.
Vladimir Putin said last month that developing Russia's strategic forces is the main priority on the national defense agenda.
"Maintaining a strategic balance will mean that our strategic deterrent forces should be able to guarantee the neutralization of any potential aggressor, no matter what modern weapons systems he possesses," the president told a meeting with top military officials.
As of January 1, Russia possessed 927 nuclear delivery vehicles and 4,279 nuclear warheads for strategic offensive weapons, while the United States owns 1,255 and 5,966, respectively, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Russian military will mark Strategic Missile Forces' Day, a professional holiday, December 17.
Russia's Missile Forces successfully launch SS-18 Satan ICBM
MOSCOW, December 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Strategic Missile Forces have conducted a successful test launch of an RS-20V Voyevoda (NATO codename SS-18 Satan) intercontinental ballistic missile, the forces' press office said Thursday.
The launch was made at 11:20 a.m. Moscow time (8:20 a.m. GMT), a spokesman said, adding that the missile, launched from Orenburg in the south Urals, successfully hit hypothetical targets on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The launch was made to test the RS-20V's flight and technical characteristics to extend the service life of the R-36M2 missile systems to 20 years, the spokesman said.
"Before the launch, the missile had been in operation for 19 years," he said.
He said the RS-20V was a modernized version of the RS-20B.
The RS-20V Voyevoda was developed in Ukraine's design bureau Yuzhnoye. In 1988, the system, equipped with this missile, was adopted by the Missile Forces. The missile has a maximum flight range of 11,000 kilometers (6,840 miles) and a launch weight of 211 metric tons.