Russia Tests New Reentry Vehicle Said Designed to Penetrate U.S. Defenses
April 23, 2006 :: Pravda :: News
Russia on Saturday test-launched a new warhead designed to penetrate U.S. missile defenses. The warhead was launched aboard a K65M-R missile from the Kapustin Yar testing ground in the southern Astrakhan region. The K65M (R-14) is a launcher used to deliver satellites to orbit. Itar-Tass quotes Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov, commander of Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces, who noted that the test involved optic and radar measurement systems that reproduce U.S. missile defense systems. Kommersant reported that the test was made with the K65-M launcher as opposed to a newer Topol-M for cost reasons, and that only one Topol-M per year would be test launched, for operating purposes.
“Saturday, we began official flight tests for the…arming of promising missile systems which will go into service in 2008,” Ivanov was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying when he reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “that is of landmark significance for us and the country.” Ivanov added that “The deviation [from target] did not exceed several hundred meters, which is a good result for the first launch. The warhead dummy arrived at the preset point at a distance of more than 2,000 kilometers at the Balkhash test field in Kazakhstan, leased by Russia.”
The warhead tested is apparently under consideration for use on both land and sea-based missiles, presumably the Topol-M and Bulava. The trajectory on which it is tested makes use of many radars at the Sary Shagan site.
April 23, 2006 :: Pravda :: News
Russia on Saturday test-launched a new warhead designed to penetrate U.S. missile defenses. The warhead was launched aboard a K65M-R missile from the Kapustin Yar testing ground in the southern Astrakhan region. The K65M (R-14) is a launcher used to deliver satellites to orbit. Itar-Tass quotes Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov, commander of Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces, who noted that the test involved optic and radar measurement systems that reproduce U.S. missile defense systems. Kommersant reported that the test was made with the K65-M launcher as opposed to a newer Topol-M for cost reasons, and that only one Topol-M per year would be test launched, for operating purposes.
“Saturday, we began official flight tests for the…arming of promising missile systems which will go into service in 2008,” Ivanov was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying when he reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “that is of landmark significance for us and the country.” Ivanov added that “The deviation [from target] did not exceed several hundred meters, which is a good result for the first launch. The warhead dummy arrived at the preset point at a distance of more than 2,000 kilometers at the Balkhash test field in Kazakhstan, leased by Russia.”
The warhead tested is apparently under consideration for use on both land and sea-based missiles, presumably the Topol-M and Bulava. The trajectory on which it is tested makes use of many radars at the Sary Shagan site.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
