“Unique situation”: the Ministry of Defense plans to increase the speed of hypersonic missiles

The Russian Ministry of Defense expects in 2020 to increase the maximum speed of the dagger and Zircon hypersonic missiles to over ten Mach numbers, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda.

“The development of critical technologies continues to ensure an increase in flight speed (more than 10M on the trajectory), range, and accuracy of guidance,” he explained.

It is worth noting that earlier, on December 24, during an expanded meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense, Vladimir Putin noted that not a single country in the world, except Russia, has hypersonic weapons.

“Today, we have a unique situation in our new and recent history: they are catching up with us,” the Russian leader emphasized.

The possession of hypersonic weapons today is the prerogative of Russia, said RT Head of the Department of Political Science and Sociology G.V. Plekhanova Andrey Koshkin.

“In addition, according to foreign experts, the USA will not have time to create anything like this in the next 10 years, it’s impossible. We have high technology in the field of weapons, which no one has. Of course, the performance characteristics of hypersonic weapons, in particular hypersonic missiles, are speed. And, of course, an increase in the number of Mach numbers - this is improvement, modernization along the path of increasing combat capabilities. We are forced to respond to the threats that are real today both from NATO and from other regions along the perimeter of our border, ”he said.

Serial "Vanguard"

In addition, the deputy head of the defense department announced the launch of serial production of yet another hypersonic weapon - the promising Avangard missile system, as well as the rearmament of the Dombarovsky Strategic Missile Forces unit on it.

On the eve of the Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu reported to Vladimir Putin about the placement on combat alert missile regiment with the "Vanguard". Recall that the development of the complex became known from the message of the President of Russia to the Federal Assembly on March 1, 2018. Then the head of state noted that this winged block is absolutely invulnerable to any means of air defense and missile defense.

“In March 2018, no one even wanted to believe in such opportunities of this complex. A year has already passed, and all the experts of the world are well aware that Russia has such a complex in service. Moreover, they are already on duty, and this, of course, has stunned the entire military community. It practically flies along a trajectory that cannot be calculated; its speed exceeds the ability to intercept missiles of those countries that claim to confront Russia. With such parameters, our complex surpasses all others, and this seriously unnerves the United States and its allies, ”said the head of the Department of Political Science and Sociology of the Russian University of Economics. G.V. Plekhanova Andrey Koshkin.

In addition, in 2019, two missile regiments were re-equipped with Yars mobile missile systems. At the same time, in 2020, it is expected to conclude a three-year contract for the manufacture of Yars complexes for the re-equipment of three more missile regiments, as well as an agreement on the production of a mobile complex of Sirena-M command missiles with their delivery until 2025.

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“The implementation of these measures will make it possible to achieve 76% equipping of the Strategic Missile Forces with modern weapons this year, and by 2022 to raise this level to 92 percent,” Krivoruchko said.

In addition, next year, flight tests of the Sarmat missile system should begin, and the bulk of its ground-based experimental testing will be completed.

Air defense systems

Also in 2019, the state tests of the S-350 anti-aircraft missile system were completed with positive results, the first production model of which is currently being transferred to the troops. At the same time, according to the Deputy Minister of Defense, the supply of Vityaz-PVO systems is envisaged until 2027.

On December 22, Almaz-Antey Concern transferred the first S-350 complex of the Ministry of Defense of Russia to the Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan Region. The medium-range air defense system is designed to combat all types of existing and promising air targets - aviation, cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as inconspicuous objects like unmanned aerial vehicles.

In addition, the start of preliminary tests of the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system is scheduled for 2020, the delivery of the first sample of this complex is scheduled for 2025.

Production of Prometheus began in June 2019. The main difference between this system and the S-400 is the ability to hit ballistic targets.

As noted by Andrey Koshkin, the new air defense system not only has a longer range for detecting targets, but also has the ability to intercept them 360 degrees around itself. In addition, it is capable of operating on aircraft with different ranges and flight paths, which allows one air defense system to work across the entire spectrum of airborne objects, the expert explained.

“They are already waiting for this system on the world arms market, they know about it all over the world,” Koshkin emphasized.

At the same time, in 2019 over 1.5 trillion rubles were allocated for the implementation of the state defense order in Russia, which ensured the further planned development of the armament system of the Russian Armed Forces. According to Krivoruchko, more than 68% of these funds were directed to "serial package purchases of high-tech samples."

The defense department expects that by the end of 2019, the fulfillment of the tasks of the state defense order on the supply of new weapons, military and special equipment will be 99.3%.

“More than three thousand units of new basic modern weapons and military equipment that determine the combat power of the types and arms of the troops have been delivered to the troops,” the deputy minister emphasized.

In addition, work is expected to increase the power of the Peresvet laser complex and place it on aircraft, Krivoruchko said. In addition, the development work (OCD) of the tactical laser complex for the destruction of unmanned aerial vehicles should be completed.

At a collegium of the Ministry of Defense, the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, said that the Peresvet complexes had been deployed in position areas of the five Strategic Missile Forces missile divisions since December 1.