Russian air force puts X-38 air-to-surface missile into service

The Russian Air Force has put the advanced X-38 air-to-surface missile into service. Although the short-range missile was developed for the T-50 fifth generation fighter jet, the existing bombers and fighter jets, including Su-34 and MiG-29 CMT will be equipped with these missiles.

The missile was tested in great secrecy in 2012, and was commissioned in late December. The delivery of missiles will be started shortly. The new missile will be equipped with independently guided warheads. This solves various tasks and increases the striking power of T-50 multipurpose fighter jets. The missiles will be placed inside the jet that is being developed using stealth technology, says editor-in-chief of the “Nezavisimoe Voennoe Obozrenie” magazine Victor Litovkin.

“A fighter jet may have special characteristics, including non-visibility to radar and other detecting equipment, but it is just an aircraft. But when it is equipped with high-precision guided missiles, this is a high-precision aviation complex. That can be considered a fifth generation fighter jet. The fact, that the missile on board the jet increases its low visibility,” Victor Litovkin said.

Your Ad Here

The missile will not reflect on the radar screen. It has another advanced feature. It can orient itself during the flight using the GLONASS space navigation system. The recent armed conflicts, including in Afghanistan and the Middle East have shown that it is difficult to discover targets from air even with the guidance from the ground because advanced camouflaging systems have been developed. These missiles will be guided to the target by a GLONASS satellite, says Victor Litovkin.

“The missile’s accuracy increases owing to the GLONASS satellite that sees the target and missile and combines these two points. When taking into account the fact that this is a supersonic missile, a complicated task is solved, a missile that is flying at a high speed is guided to a target. In short, this is a great achievement of Russian missile designers,” Victor Litovkin added.

Russian Military District Tests New Air Defense Systems

Russia’s Southern Military District has moved a step closer to adopting the new S-400 Triumf air defense systems, the district’s press service confirmed on Saturday.
Further successful target-shooting trials of the new air defense systems brings the district closer to the point at which the S-400 Triumf systems will be put on combat duty, replacing the S-300 PM systems, the district's press service confirmed on Saturday.
The Southern Military District was created in October 2010. It comprises the republics of Adygea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Chechnya, and the Krasnodar, Stavropol, Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov regions.
The S-400 Triumph long- to medium-range surface-to-air missile system can effectively engage any aerial target, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
Russia already has four S-400 regiments protecting national airspace around Moscow, in the Far East and in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
By 2020, Russia plans to have 28 S-400 regiments, each comprised of two battalions, mainly positioned in maritime and border areas.

Russia to create two new super missiles, more powerful than Satan

Two kinds of new strategic missiles, which Russian experts develop, should become a response to the deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe. It goes about a heavy liquid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) weighing 100 tons. The new missile will surpass the most powerful missile in the world RS-20B Voyevoda (Satan). The second type is a solid-fuel ICBM, which is said to replace fifth-generation Yars and Topol-M complexes. The news was revealed Friday by the Commander of Strategic Missile Forces of Russia, Colonel General Sergei Karakayev.

Since the potential of solid-fueled ICBMs may not be enough to overcome the U.S. missile defense, a heavy liquid ICBM will be able to oppose the system. Such an ICBM would create a strategic precision weapon with non-nuclear equipment of  "practically global reach," if the United States does not refuse from its program, ITAR-TASS quoted the commander as saying.

Karakayev condemned Washington for its anti-Russian activities in the field of missile defense.  He also said that in the future there would be missile defense complexes deployed of the European continent that would be able to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles. "We are told that this is being done against the missile threat from Iran. However, only Russia has such missiles in Europe," said Karakayev.

As for the new solid-fuel ICBM, it is the first time when Russia announces its creation. According to General Karakayev, strategic missile forces have already conducted several launches of the prototype of this missile this year. The last launch took place on October 24th. The missiles were launched at Kapustin Yar range ground from a mobile launcher.

Russian Air Force to Get New Cruise Missile in 2013

The Russian Air Force will accept into service in 2013 the new Raduga Kh-101 cruise missile, capable of delivering precision strikes with a conventional warhead at long-distance, an Air Force source told Izvestia on Wednesday.

The new missile, currently being flight-tested, will be able to hit targets with an accuracy of just 30 feet (10 meters) at ranges of up to 6,000 miles (10,000 km), giving Long-Range Aviation its first precision-strike long-range weapon, the paper says.

The Russian Air Force's bombers currently deploy the Kh-555 conventionally-armed cruise missile, which only has an accuracy of 75-90 feet (25-30 meters) accuracy.

The subsonic Kh-101 navigates primarily by using Russia's GLONASS satellite navigation system, but also has a backup intertial guidance mechanism which can take over if its SATNAV is jammed. It will also be capable of hitting small moving targets like vehicles, the paper said.

The new missile delivers a bigger payload - 880 pounds (400 kg) than its Kh-555 predecessor (440 pounds), and over a much longer range. A nuclear-armed variant, Kh-102, will also enter service.

Teikovo Division Gets Full Arsenal of New Missile Systems

The Teikovo missile division of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (SMF), based in central Russia, has been fully equipped with advanced Topol-M and Yars ballistic missile systems, the defense ministry said on Thursday.
“The Teikovo division has become the first SMF division fully rearmed with fifth-generation mobile missile systems,” the ministry spokesman Col. Vadim Koval said.
Two regiments of the Teikovo division are equipped with Topol-M systems while the other two regiments of the division are equipped with Yars systems.
The Yars missile system is armed with the multiple-warhead RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile that has considerably better combat and operational capabilities than the Topol-M (SS-27 Stalin).
Two more missile divisions have started receiving the Yars systems in 2012, Koval said.
The Novosibirsk division (in Siberia) will receive mobile Yars systems, while the Kozelsk division (in central Russia) will be armed with the silo-based version of the system.

Russia will respond to U.S. missile defense in Asia

Russia monitors projects for the deployment of U.S. missile defense systems in South-East Asia, acknowledged Friday Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

Washington spoke in the spring of this year its plans to expand the frontiers of missile defense not only in Europe but also in Asia and the Middle East. U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Madeleine KRIDON then said he could These territories of Australia, Japan and South Korea.

S-400 Triumf Hits Moving Targets in the Dark

Anti-armor missile 9M119 Svir (Russian)

The 9M119 missile Svir/9M119M Refleks is an anti-armor guided laser developed in the former Soviet Union. The missiles are similar but their efficacy varies, being in effect until the first 10.2 kilometers and the second up to 14.2 miles, equipped with their respective launch pad. These can be actuated so as from a launcher tube as the standard caliber guns 100 or 125 mm. His name is NATO code AT-11 Sniper. The name comes from the river Svir Svir, while Refleks means reflection. A freeware version is also built in China and North Korea.
In the design and subsequent construction special attention was given immunity to the action of countermeasures systems and noise emitted from the rocket and its possible use in various weather conditions. The two missile warheads, both loads and in tandem shaped charge projectiles are composed of 2 lengths (the warhead and the main driver). The load "Leader" is designed to destroy the shields and armor blocks reagent added. The base load capacity provides sufficient penetration for both the basic framework and for the destruction of equipment for added protection. To attack the infantry, buildings and light armored vehicles has developed a version of the missile equipped with a thermobaric head.
During its operating life missiles require no maintenance other than frequent inspection of their condition and from the time of unpacking, it is ready for combat. The trajectory of its flight, which is spiral-makes its penetration is increased compared with conventional missiles.

Hypersonic Brahmos Missile to be Ready by 2017

The first prototype of a hypersonic cruise missile being jointly developed by Russia and India will be ready for flight testing in 2017, CEO of the Russian-Indian joint venture Brahmos Aerospace, Sivathanu Pillai, said on Wednesday.
Russia and India have recently agreed to develop hypersonic BrahMos 2 missile capable of flying at speeds of Mach 5-Mach 7.
“I think we will need about five years to develop the first fully-functional prototype [of the hypersonic missile],” Pillai said at an engineering technology forum near Moscow.
“We have already carried out a series of lab tests [of the missile] at the speed of 6.5 Mach,” he said.
Pillai said that the new missile will be made in three variants – ground-launched, airborne, and sea-launched.
The official said the new missiles will be supplied only to India and Russia, without exports to third countries.
Established in 1998, BrahMos Aerospace Ltd, a Russian-Indian joint venture currently manufactures BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles based on the Russian-designed NPO Mashinostroyenie 3M55 Yakhont (SS-N-26).
The BrahMos missile has a range of 290 km (180 miles) and can carry a conventional warhead of up to 300 kg (660 lbs). It can effectively engage targets from an altitude as low as 10 meters (30 feet) and has a top speed of Mach 2.8, which is about three times faster than the U.S.-made subsonic Tomahawk cruise missile.
Sea- and ground-launched versions have been successfully tested and put into service with the Indian Army and Navy.
The flight tests of the airborne version will be completed by the end of 2012.
The Indian Air Force is planning to arm 40 Su-30MKI Flanker-H fighters with BrahMos missiles.

Russia May Deploy First S-500 Missiles in 2013 - Air Force

Russia's Armed Forces could receive the first of its next-generation S-500 air defense missile systems as early as in 2013, Air Force commander Maj.Gen. Viktor Bondarev said on Wednesday.
"I think that as soon as next year we will get the first of these (S-500) systems in service," Bondarev said at a RIA Novosti press conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Russian Air Force.

The commander stressed that Russia's air defenses are in very good shape with new regiments of a formidable S-400 Triumf air defense system entering service every year.
The crews of air defense systems regularly carry out training drills to improve their efficiency.
“We have improved the response time to airborne threats to 3-4 seconds compared to the previous 9-10 seconds.
Russia currently has four S-400 regiments - two in the Moscow region, one in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, and one in the Eastern Military District.
By 2020, Russia is to have 28 S-400 regiments, each comprised of two battalions, mainly in maritime and border areas.
The S-400 Triumf long- to medium-range surface-to-air missile system can effectively engage any aerial target, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles at up to 400 kilometers and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.

New Containerized Missile System on Show

Russia's Morinformsistema-Agat has unveiled a containerized system of its Club-K missile system using a new Kh-35UE cruise missile with a highly advanced target acquisition and seeker system, company representative Rostislav Atkov said on Wednesday at the Technology in Machine-Building 2012 exhibition at Zhukovsky near Moscow.
"We are demonstrating Club-K with the Kh-35UE cruise missile (NATO SS-N-25 Switchblade) for the first time, which differs from earlier versions due to its advanced target acquisition and seeker systems," Atkov said.
The company showed a similar system last year at the MAKS Moscow air show, but with four supersonic 3M54TE missiles in a container.
The containerized system allows flexibility in basing the system, which can even be sited on merchant ships, he said.
The system is not in service with the Russian armed forces, he noted. "However, we are in active talks with foreign clients from the Asia-Pacific region," he said, but declined to name them.

Russia halts plans to supply S-300 missile system to Syria

Russia’s main weapons producer has allegedly suspended its contract with Syria to supply S-300 long-range missile systems. Russia’s ‘Vedomosti’ daily published the report, citing unnamed sources within the military-industrial complex.

The very fact of the contract’s existence was not known until it was revealed in an annual report made only last week and published online by the makers of the S-300 systems, Almaz-Antey.

The report states that the company’s largest contracts are with Algeria (which is paying $39 million for a long-range missile defense system), and Syria, which signed a contract for the same system for $105 million.

The report also says that deliveries on the Syrian contract are expected to be made between 2012 and 2013. But ‘Vedomosti’ claims two separate sources, who chose to remain anonymous, have said deliveries have been put on the back-burner “after a direct order from above.”

It’s unclear whether these reports are true, but many are already speculating on the potential reasons for such a step. Some have suggested that Moscow has decided to placate Washington and Tel Aviv, drawing parallels between this situation and the one back in 2010, when Russia cancelled its contract for the same missile system with Iran.

However, the circumstances in 2010 were rather different. If Russia had fulfilled its contractual obligations back then, it would have been violating an international embargo. But no such embargo currently affects contracts between Russia and Syria.

Others have suggested that Damascus may be strapped for cash, and simply cannot afford the S-300 complex. This claim is also open to speculation as military cooperation between the two states is basically founded on the fact that Russia forgave Syria its $10 billion debt in return for future arms contracts.

No officials have yet commented on the matter, so it will be some time before light is shed on the situation. But President Vladimir Putin had previously said the arms that Russia delivers cannot be used in civil conflicts, and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, stated the supplies were merely defensive weapons sold in contracts signed long ago.

“We are sending no battleships to Syria. We have been saying publicly that we have been implementing contracts under which we have to supply arms to Syria. These armaments are entirely defensive and they mostly consist of air defense systems, which cannot be used against the population and can only be used to respond to outside aggression,” Lavrov told RT.

Russia's military trade with Syria

Attention has been focused on military ties between Russia and Syria for some time, ever since international media claimed Russia was supplying helicopters to Bashar al-Assad’s regime. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at first even lashed out at Russia, but later backtracked and was forced to admit that the shipment that had got the West’s blood boiling merely consisted of some old helicopters sent back to Russia for repairs.

Although the Russian Ministry of Defense does not disclose the total value of the arms supplied to Syria, outside estimates exist. The US Congress says Russia has outstanding contracts to supply arms for $3.5 billion, while the Swedish think-tank SIPRI puts the figure at between $5 and $6 billion.

Among the widely reported shipments are two K-300 Bastion coastal defense batteries, equipped with supersonic Yakhont missiles. Two anti-aircraft systems, BUK-M2 and PANTSYR-S1, have also been purchased by Syria, though it is unclear if the orders have been fulfilled.

A $550 million contract for 36 Yak-130 planes was signed between the countries earlier this year. While nominally a sophisticated training jet, it can also serve as a light combat aircraft. Russia has also promised to deliver 24 modernized Mig-29 destroyers. It is assumed that neither of these contracts has been fulfilled.

Russia’s Eastern Military District Gets S-400 Missiles

Russia’s Eastern Military District took delivery of a “regimental” set of S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems, the Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

Russia currently has four S-400 regiments - two in the Moscow region, one in the Baltic Fleet and one in the Eastern Military District.

By 2020, Russia is to have 28 S-400 regiments, each comprised of two battalions, mainly in maritime and border areas.

The S-400 Triumph long- to medium-range surface-to-air missile system can effectively engage any aerial target, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles at up to 400 kilometers and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.

The Russian Defense Ministry has said there are no plans so far to export the S-400, which will be produced only for the Russian Armed Forces.

Russia Order More S-300 SAM Missile

The Russian Defense Ministry has resumed large-scale procurements of modernized S-300V surface-to-air missile systems, the manufacturer said on Saturday.
“The State Defense Order through 2020 provides for significant volumes of procurement of modernized S-300V air defense systems,” Almaz-Antei’s general director Vladislav Menshchikov said.
Almaz-Antei’s former design bureau chief Igor Ashurbeili previously said S-300 production for the needs of the Russian military had stopped and that there were only export contracts.
However, in early March the Defense Ministry signed a three-year deal with Almaz-Antei for delivery of S-300V4 air defense missile systems.
The S-300 system is a family of long-range air defense missile systems capable of engaging all types of airborne targets including UAVs, helicopters and planes, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles.

S-300P surface-to-air missile system