Russian-US relations (as well as Russia's relations with NATO) over the past two years, hit a record low point. As a result, the issue of nuclear weapons again came to the fore. It has repeatedly said in the most serious declarations that parties are preparing to deliver a nuclear strike against each other.
For example, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has recently published its annual report, which states that the Russian Air Force in 2013 had a training flight, during which simulated an "nuclear strikes against Sweden." The report noted that to carry out this task were involved in long-range supersonic bomber Tu-22M3, acting under the cover of Su-27 fighters. Meanwhile, a member of NATO, Turkey is just a few steps from a major war with Russia, which does not simplify the situation.
In such circumstances, you might need to evaluate the state of the US and Russian nuclear forces . How does this situation affect the strategic balance, urging the parties to the unreasonableness of the beginning of the conflict ? And what are the prospects for the development of nuclear power in the two superpowers?
Russia and the United States perform START-3
Agreement on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms , signed on 8 April 2010 Presidents Obama and Medvedev, it commits the parties to reduce the number of their nuclear warheads to 1 550. The number of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and heavy strategic bombers is limited to 700 units. According to data released by the US State Department on April 1, the parties have already reached or are close to achieving these numbers. The United States has 741 deployed platform to start with 1481 nuclear warheads, while Russia means the carrier 521 to 1735 nuclear warheads.The difference is negligible, and it does not affect the strategic balance. In Russia at the moment is less than the launchers, but this disparity is due to the fact that ICBMs with multiple warheads independently targetable have a wider field of application - one intercontinental ballistic missile can carry up to ten nuclear warheads.
American ICBMs are stuck in the 1970s
Armed with the US has intercontinental ballistic missiles land-based is only one type - LGM-30G «Minuteman-3". Each missile carries one nuclear warhead W87 capacity of up to 300 kilotons (but can carry up to three warheads). The latter type of missile was made in 1978 year. This means that the "youngest" of them - 38 years.These missiles repeatedly modernized, and their life span is scheduled for completion in 2030.
The new system of intercontinental ballistic missile called GBSD (means of strategic deterrence land-based) seem stuck at the stage of discussion. US Air Force asked for 62.3 billion dollars in the development and production of new missiles, and hope in 2017 to receive 113.9 million dollars. However, the White House does not support this application. In fact, many there are against this idea. The development was postponed for a year, and now GBSD prospects will depend on the outcome of the presidential election in 2016.
It is worth noting that the US government intends to spend on nuclear weapons colossal amount: about 348 billion dollars by 2024, and 26 billion will go to the intercontinental ballistic missiles. But $ 26 billion is not enough to GBSD. Actual costs may be higher, given the fact that the United States had long been producing new intercontinental land-based missiles. The last such rocket called LGM-118A «Peacekeeper" was launched in 1986. But by 2005, the US unilaterally withdrew all 50 missiles of this type of combat duty, although it is no exaggeration to say that the LGM-118A «Peacekeeper" was better in comparison with the LGM-30G «Minuteman-3", because it could carry up 10 warheads. Despite the failure of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty START-2, which prohibits the use of multiple warheads with individual guidance, the United States voluntarily renounced their MIRV. Trust in him has been lost because of the high cost, but also because of the scandal, during which it became clear that these missiles for almost four years (1984-88 gg.) Was not AIRS guidance system (an improved inertial reference sphere). In addition, the manufacturer tried to hide missiles delivery delay - at the time when the Cold War came to an end.
Russian intercontinental ballistic land-based missiles, new technologies against missile defense
Russia currently has a wide range of intercontinental ballistic missiles, ground-based, including on mobile launchers. In 2015, the Strategic Missile Forces Russian got 24 new units of the RS-24 "yars" missiles in the silo, and a mobile version. This missile can carry a warhead 3-4 independently targetable nuclear weapons that are able to overcome the missile defense system. It is fairly safe to assume that the delivery of these missiles in 2016 will not give the level of 2015. Russia will be able by 2020 to replace a missile "Topol" (in fact, this is the equivalent of "Minuteman-3) at the latest designs that are able to overcome the enemy's missile defense system.
Russia also has a heavy liquid-fuel intercontinental ballistic land-based missiles. Well known missile R-36M2 "Voivod", located in service since 1988. It can carry 10 nuclear warheads capacity of up to 750 kilotons each. This year will test the RS-28, "Sarmat" modern missiles, which in 2020 should replace the "Voevode", and will have the capacity to overcome missile defense. First of all, it is expected that this rocket will output a nuclear warhead on a suborbital trajectory (it is somewhat shorter than the circular orbit, which is banned by international agreements). Beat this missile can be applied anywhere, even from the South Pole. This forces a potential enemy to create an integrated missile defense system, which is extremely expensive, even for the US. Moreover, nuclear warheads enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds and move in a more extended path for maneuvering 7-7.5 km per second. prelaunch rocket time will be kept to a minimum, accounting for less than a minute from the moment of receiving the order.
Russia also has a mysterious missile RS-26 "Boundary". Information about it a little, but most likely, this complex is a further development of the "yars" project, having the ability to strike at the intercontinental and intermediate-range. Minimum launch range of the missiles is 2000 kilometers, and it is enough to break the US missile defense system in Europe. The United States objected to the deployment of this system on the grounds that this would be a violation of the INF Treaty. But such statements do not hold water: maximum RS-26 launch range exceeding 6,000 kilometers, which means that it is an intercontinental ballistic missile, but not medium-range ballistic missile.
With this in mind it becomes clear that the US significantly behind Russia in the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, land-based. In the United States alone, and quite old ICBM "Minuteman-3", which can carry only one warhead. And the prospects for the development of a new model to replace it rather vague. In Russia the situation is quite different. Land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles are updated regularly - in fact, the development of new missiles is at a standstill.Each new intercontinental ballistic missile is being developed with consideration of the penetration of the enemy missile, which is why the project of the European missile defense and ground missile defense system at cruising area (set of US missile defense system designed to intercept the approaching combat units) in the foreseeable future will not be effective against Russian missiles.
Leonid Nersisyan - military commentator REGNUM news agency, Moscow, Russia
No comments:
Post a Comment