Russia tests Topol-M missile to subdue USA's $50-billion air defense

[lovuian]

http://english.pravda.ru/main/18/87/347/16401_TopolM.html

The unpredictable flight trajectory of the Russian missile makes it immune to destruction

The successful test launch of the Topol-M missile has proved that the up-to-date Russian warhead is capable of subduing the USA's air defense, Russian military specialists say.

Russian strategic troops performed the test launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile RS-12M Topol on November 1. The chairman of the press service of the troops, Colonel Alexander Vovk, stated after the test launch that the missile successfully hit the conditional target on the Balkhash range ground in Kazakhstan.

It is worthy of note that yesterday's launch of the Topol-M missile became the sixth test of the system, which was created to subdue the US air defense. The Russian military command was keeping the entire flight data under control during the launch of the missile. The test showed that the maneuver, as performed by the missile on its flight trajectory, would not let foreign air defense troops intercept and destroy the missile.

According to the information obtained from the open sources, the arsenal of the Russian strategic troops currently has stationary Topol-M missile systems. It is planned to use the systems on both shaft and mobile bases in the future.

more...
There goes the ABM project and I love how the US pulled out of the 1972 Start treaty only to allow Russia to develop this missile!!!
Bush's Biggest mistake!!!

[madeline_con]

1. Oh, goody.

We can lob crap back and forth over Asia as we fight for the world's oil!

[liberaltrucker]

2. Can you blame them?

* has alienated so many countries, including Russia. They have a right to self-defense.

[madeline_con]

4. The oil in the M.E. doesn't belong to Russia, China or the U.S.

What self defense?

[liberaltrucker]

5. I saw nothing in the article about ME oil

Just some boasting about the capabilities of their new "toy". Russia has plenty of their own oil. On edit, maybe THAT'S what they're defending.

[lovuian]

3. yes and the 50 Billion we spent on the ABM Shield is el gono!!!

I can hear the swooshing sound of the 50 Billion biggest Military Pentagon mistake ever!!!

[daleo]

6. The money fattened the bottom lines of favored contractors

That was its only real purpose.

[lovuian]

7. and left America with useless technology and large debt!!!

This is such a huge mistake!!!

[agincourt]

8. I've been saying this about ABM for years,

They don't want a system that might actually work, it could no longer be used as a cash cow.

[lovuian]

19. Its over!!!

Stupid Republican idea!!!

[punpirate]

10. Actually, now...

... the money spent on NMD is just shy of $100 billion, with more to come. This particular counter-defense produced by the Russians is only meant to prevent interception by the so-called mid-course NMD systems.

We're still spending money on sea-based, airborne and space-based early interception systems. Those will still continue to eat money, and the lesson will likely be that the counter-measures against those systems devised by the Russians will still be cheaper than what we're spending.

[CabalPowered]

13. From what I've read, Topol-M will eventually have

MIRV warheads, protection from an electromagnetic pulse, possibly a scramjet for the last stage and now unpredictable trajectories.. If they can engineer a missile with all that, our NMD doesn't stand a chance in its current or planned forms.

[punpirate]

15. MIRVs are less a possibility...

... because of follow-ons to current treaties. We are in the process of reducing warheads and so are the Russians. Most warheads today already have some hardening against EMP, but improvements in that are inevitable.

Scramjet, I dunno. Getting one to work at several-hundred mile altitudes and the speeds required are large problems--solid-fuel rockets are more reliable and cheaper. Remember that the Russians are spending about $60 billion a year on all defense--they will be looking for cheap, not glitzy.

The unpredictable trajectories now seem to be a reality. But, steerable warheads are the cheapest counter-measure (along with multiple decoys) to evade a mid-course ABM system.

The Russians are simply looking for the most for the money. The current Topol variant will be trailered, to frustrate hard targeting of retaliatory (or first strike) missiles, have steerable warheads to get past mid-course ABM, and use new short-burn solid fuels to reduce launch and trajectory detection by satellites. Those are all cheap ways to counter the NMD system.

Cheers.

[Stella_Artois]

24. MIRV's are still viable

You don't need to fully populate the MIRV bus with warheads. It is totally viable to have one warhead and 4 decoys per missile.

No problem with treaties, and an impossible problem for ABM.

[tatertop]

25. A bit of useful ifo there.

[sleipnir]

9. Unpredictable trajectory = Shitty Russian design

My guess, it's a complete accident the missile has a unpredictable trajectory. Probably shoddy work that is often the hallmark of Russian engineering. How the Soyuz works out is beyond me, but I guess everyone once in a while a blind man runs into something.

[liberaltrucker]

11. Unpredictable to us

Not to them. Ingenious design, IMHO. On edit, you SERIOUSLY underestimate Slavic ingenuity. So did "someone else" in 1941.

[tkmorris]

12. Then you have much to learn

The original Topol-M did not have this ability but the Russians set out to design a system which could evade specifically the US missile defense systems. The current incarnation of the Topol-M now being tested is the result of that initiative.

You seem to have a rather severe case of bias against the Russians. You might want to watch that lest it interfere with your objectivity.

[Ben Ceremos]

14. Shitty Russian design...

such as the Kalashnikov, The Stalin tank, the Soyuz capsule, variable angle thrust jet engines...talking out your jingoistic half this morning, eh?

[oscarmitre]

18. And the Mig-29

with its robust design and avionics (no fly-by-wire) and an undercarriage that is as tough as a tractor.

[tatertop]

27. I have seen nothing but glowing reports on these new units

From Sunburn on up.
That Sunburn has already been out a while, I
would think they have something even nastier by now.
They would seem to be WAY ahead of us in this area.

[Nihil]

16. But, but, but ...

> The unpredictable flight trajectory of the Russian missile

... the ABM system has already got an unpredictable flight trajectory
of its own!

Oh, you mean it's a *deliberately* unpredictable flight trajectory as
opposed to an "expensive heap of shit" unpredictable flight trajectory?

[truthisfreedom]

17. evasive maneuvers, mr. sulu!

sigh.

[hunter]

20. Ooooh.... More penis waving.

This new Russian vibrator is quite impressive!

Phhht.

What a bunch of irrational monkeys we are.

[Brundle_Fly]

21. Earth to Russia

you don't need it, the ABM project doesn't work!!

[enigma000]

22. Why are the Russians wasting money on this?

They have enough problems securing their borders. High-tech missiles should not have been a military priority. Is this just saber rattling aimed at the US or China? or even Iran?

[Crits]

23. Topol-M is a cool thing

I don't think that problems inside our teritory is very big
problem, but having such missiles like Topol-M is a realy good
indeed.
I think the first target for such a missile not Iran or China,
but is USA. 

Can see you or not, but I sure that can't that USA put its
nose deeply in our politics and international goals and
terretories of Former Soviet Union and this missiles are very
important for us as a Hummer to beat an Elefant at his trunk
when he gets very impudent. 

WBR,
Yurik from Russia

[tatertop]

26. A war between Russia and the US is far from impossible

Russian needs to stay on top of the game.
Wouldn't you?
These missels are lethal and cost-effective.

[jwcomer]

28. So they can sell them?