Restoring Strategic Balance: Russia’s ‘Invincible’ Nuclear Weapons

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On March 1, 2018, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin made his most important speech probably since the time of the 2007 Muenchen Conference. If 11 years ago he declared that Russia would not allow disrupting the strategic balance and losing great power status, in 2018 it was proven this has not happened and would not happen in the foreseeable future.

During his speech, Russia’s president introduced 6 high-tech weapons systems which were developed in order to preserve strategic parity that was being undermined by the US and NATO.

The core of the matter lies in the fact that, when Russia was weak, in 2002 the US unilaterally abrogated the ABM Treaty and then, pursuing the aim of neutralizing Russia’s nuclear deterrent, she began two large-scale programs.

The first was the global ABM system surrounding Russia and China. Land ABM bases were deployed in California, Alaska, Romania, and Poland, with over 100 GBI and Standard SM-3 missiles. Additional such facilities are planned for Japan, South Korea, and Qatar.

UN currently has the ability to intercept Russia’s ICBM warheads only during their terminal trajectories. However, the more modern SM3 Block II A and IB theoretically can accomplish boost-phase intercepts, before warhead separation. The US is also deploying a naval ABM component which at the moment includes 30 destroyers and 5 cruisers deployed in direct proximity to Russia.

in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, in the Sea of Japan, in the Pacific and Atlantic. These ships also carry SM3 missiles, no fewer than 150 of them. These launchers are dual-use, as they man launch not only SM3 but also Tomahawk SLCMs which are nuclear-capable.

The US also started pursuing the Prompt Global Strike (PGS) program, which seeks the ability to launch precision non-nuclear strike against any target on the planet within 1 hour. PGS entailed the development of several hypersonic delivery vehicle types, including cruise missiles and gliding warheads. Since these measures undermined the foundations of deterrence, namely Mutually Assured Destruction, Russia was forced to respond. It launched several weapons programs in order to nullify US and NATO superiority in that area.

Sarmat

On March 1, 2018. V. Putin presented the 5-th generation silo-based RS-28 Sarmat ICBM, a multi-stage liquid-fuel missile that will soon replace the Soviet-era R-36M2 Voyevoda (SS-18). While most of the missile’s characteristics are classified, it is known the 200-ton missile has a short active flight stage to make ABM intercept more difficult. The missile can reach the altitude of 100km and achieve speed of  Mach 7-10. While Voyevoda’s range stood at 11,000 km, Sarmat extends it to over 16-18 thousand, making possible strikes from different directions, including from over the Atlantic, Pacific, and also North and South Poles. It would force the target country to deploy a perimeter ABM defense around its borders that would be both very expensive and physically difficult. Experts believe two versions of the missile will be deployed, with different fuel loads to strike targets in the US and Western Europe.

The launch weight of the missile targeted at the US would be between 150 and 200 tons, its range—16-18 thousand km, with throw-weight of 5 tons. Sarmat targeted against Europe would have a range of 9-10 thousand km, launch weight of 100-120km, and  throw-weight of 10 tons.

When it comes to the warhead bus, as it enters the atmosphere it will carry out anti-ABM evasive maneuvers, and may carry 10-15 warheads of varying yields. If the payload consists of 10 warheads, their yield will be 750kt apiece, but if the Avangard  hypersonic maneuvering warheads are employed, the Sarmat will carry 3-5 of them at the weight of 1 ton each.

Much of the missile’s weight consists of traditional anti-ABM measures, such as decoys, or inflatable warhead imitators; spiral, corner, and dipole reflectors; and also rockets which imitate the trajectory and heat signature of warheads. Avangard warheads can also be used with conventional payloads, allowing the ICBM to strike naval squadrons from extreme distances. It’s unlikely the Sarmat would be used like that since any ICBM launch would be considered as a nuclear strike and could provoke a retaliatory strike.

Sarmat and Voyevoda have identical dimensions in order to allow to use the launch silos of the Voyevodas that will reach their service limits in 2021-2023. Sarmat is in its final launch tests. It is expected to enter service in 2018-2020, and will begin combat alert in 2020-2021. Therefore the production of new missiles will take place concurrently with the reduction in the numbers of old ones, allowing the SRF to modernize its force without reducing its strength. According to MOD representatives, all the practical, technological, and industrial problems have been resolved, so that factory capacity necessary to fulfill future orders already exists.

Even though dry launch tests were successfully completed in 2017, they will be continued in the near future to increase the system’s reliability.  There are plans to use Sarmat missiles that have exhausted their service lives to launch satellites in order to increase the cost-effectiveness of this system.

Burevestnik [Storm Petrel]—a cruise missile with a nuclear powerplant

Another weapon introduced by Russia’s president was a nuclear-powered cruise missile which, following a poll on MOD website, received the name Burevestnik. According to information presented, Russian scientists were able to create a compact nuclear power source and squeeze it into the confines of a cruise missile like the Kh-101. It cannot go supersonic, but has range an order of magnitude greater than any other weapons, which is practically unlimited. The missile can furthermore operate at ultra-low altitudes, is stealthy and highly maneuverable. It makes it quite invulnerable to existing and future anti-air and anti-missile systems. The missile underwent tests in 2017, passed them, and its power source reached the required power which ensures the necessary thrust.

According to V. Putin, it permits the development of an entirely new class of offensive weapons capable of striking targets anywhere on the planet while remaining invulnerable to defensive systems. These missiles may be carried by strategic bombers and submarines, and may be equipped with conventional or nuclear warheads.

It is believed the missile is powered by a nuclear ramjet motor, which were being developed since the 1960s, in part to propel future aircraft, but the development was curtailed due to low reliability and high risk of contamination. It’s apparent that if Russian engineers managed to overcome the pollution problem, in the future they may be used on long-range strike drones which Russian Aerospace Forces currently lack.

Poseidon (Status-6) unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV)

Russia’s president stated the country developed UUVs with a unique combination of speed, maneuverability, and range. He likely was referring to a UUV known as Status-6 but which, after a poll on MOD site, was dubbed Poseidon. That Russia has been working on such weapons has been known for a long time, including thanks to a specially prepared “leak” to the media in 2015. According to the CIA, it was a way of publicly warning the US about a likely response to ABM deployment.

The basic characteristics of this system are as follows: diameter 1.6m, length 24m, weight about 40 tons, range 10,000km, maximum speed 100-186km/h, depth of operation up to 1km. The UUV follows in the footsteps of the T-15 torpedo developed in the 1940s-1950s to deliver thermonuclear warheads to US shores in the absence of reliable missile carriers. Unlike the T-15, Poseidon is a multirole submersible system, capable of engaging a wide range of targets such as carrier battle groups, naval bases, and coast infrastructure. One of its main missions would be the delivery of a nuclear munition to enemy shores to strike important commercial targets and to inflict unacceptable costs to the enemy by creating large radioactive fallout zones, tsunamis, and other nuclear explosion effects. The UUV can also carry torpedoes, missiles, and mines to attack various surface, land, and underwater targets.  It could launch missiles using a so-called Multiple All Up Round Canister, MAC.

According to its designers, the UUV ought to unload a capsule with a cluster of cruise missiles and quickly depart to avoid falling victim to return fire. The capsule can be set up on the sea bottom and remain there for a long time, until activation. There are reports this technology was used as part of the Skif project on submarine Sarov. The UUVs would be controlled from special “command vessels”  using the standard means of  communicating with underwater vehicles, the ZEUS transmitter. The UUV would likely have a sonar for orientation purposes, a modern navigation system, and other high-tech equipment depending on the mission. utin stated that the multi-year test cycle for the nuclear power unit was finished in December 2017.

This unit has very small dimensions and an extremely high power density. It is a hundred times smaller than a submarine reactor, has greater power, and it is able to reach full power 200 times faster. Experts believe the UUV may be equipped with a nuclear reactor using the AMB-8 liquid metal heat carrier, with a power of 8-10 MW to ensure its unique speed and range. Though its top speed would likely be used only rarely. To ensure acoustic camouflage and make it appear to be a cargo vessel, its cruising speed would be 35-50  km/h with a detection range of 2-3km, and its top speed of over 180 km/h would be used only to evade attack or to deliver a nuclear munition. In any event, the UUV is invulnerable to contemporary underwater weapons. The fastest (and likely best) USN torpedo, the Mark 54 with a speed of 74km/h still can’t catch up to Poseidon or to reach its operating depth. One could use underwater nuclear mines to destroy UUVs of this sort. Such weapons (for example, UUM-125A) were developed in the US, including in the 1980s, but were closed due to their extreme cost and pollution.

Future carriers of Poseidon will be Belgorod and Khabarovsk nuclear subs, each of which could carry up to six such UUVs. Poseidon could conduct both combat and reconnaissance operations without coming into direct contact with the enemy, making them the first 5th generation submarines. Experts believe that the average cost of such a UUV would be between $30-40 million.

Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched missile system

The public also heard of the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missile. This weapon, according to experts, is based on the Iskander ballistic missile, and represents the first successful adaptation of a ballistic missile for airborne carry.

It is known that Kinzhal’s top speed is in the neighborhood of Mach 10, or over 12,000 km/h, its combat range is about 2000 km, while flight trajectory carries it to altitudes of 50-80km above the Earth’s surface.

At the moment Kinzhal’s carrier is the MiG-31 all-weather interceptor fighter, in the future that role could also be undertaken by the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter.

The high speed fighter’s flight characteristics allow the missile to be delivered to its launch point within minutes. According to experts, Kinzhal launch procedure is as follows: ascend to the stratosphere, then launch the missile into near-orbital heights where it can reach hypersonic speed before descending onto its target while continuing to gain speed. Aerodynamic control surfaces allow the missile to maneuver throughout its trajectory and thus evade air- and missile-defense zones. It is the ability to maneuver at hypersonic speeds that gives the missile its invulnerability which increases its likelihood of striking the target. In order to intercept the Kinzhal, the Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile would have to reach the speed of Mach 15, and at the moment there is no such missile in US arsenal. The best the PAC-3 can do is Mach 4.5. Kinzhal can strike not only stationary but also mobile targets, such as warships.

The missile is also difficult to detect. It approaches its target at an angle of 90 degrees, above the cone covered by the AN/SPY-1 radar of the naval Aegis air defense system. Thus the missile could operate in a US radar blind zone.

Most information about this missile is currently classified, though it is known it could carry conventional or nuclear payloads. Even though its range is only 2,000km, experts believe it will be equipped with a nuclear propulsion system that would make it a nuclear weapon. It is not known to what extent designers were able to resolve the skin heating problem. Ensuring heat insulation was usually accomplished using ceramic plating (US and Russian space shuttles, X-51A Waverider). But the Kinzhal appears smooth. Specialists therefore believe that Kinzhal was made possible thanks to development of new materials for the missile’s skin, structure, and thermal isolation.

The first Kinzhals entered limited-scale service in December 2017, and they are already available to combat units in the Southern Military District, where the doctrine for their use is being developed.

Avangard gliding vehicle

The development of a future ICBM with a brand-new payload type in the form of a gliding vehicle was the real technological breakthrough. The testing of Avangard has been successfully concluded. According to available information, Avangard can reach the top speed of Mach 20 and is one of the possible payload options for Sarmat.

The warhead can fly in dense layers of the atmosphere over intercontinental distances, while performing evasive dog-legs both horizontally (up to several thousand kilometers) and vertically. Specialists assess that the Avangard has not only an aerodynamic control system but also a propulsion system to be able to perform such maneuvers.

In spite of flying in a plasma cloud, the warhead can receive signals from its command center. It used to be an impossible task, since plasma blocks radio waves. Another challenge that was successfully overcome was the problem of heat insulation. It cannot be ruled out that the Avangard uses new generation high-temperature ceramic composites that use silicon carbide, capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 2,000 C. By mid-March it was announced that the first Avangard carriers would become the UR-100N UTTKh (SS-19 Stiletto) ICBMs that will most likely become part of the RS-24 Yars strategic missile system. About 30 of these missiles were delivered from Ukraine in the early ‘00s to cover natural gas debts. After the Soviet break-up, they were stored un-fueled. Once Sarmat is adopted, it too will carry Avangard warheads. The Russian MOD already signed a contract for serial delivery of Avangards, and they will enter line service in the near future.

Peresvet combat laser system

Among the weapon systems “utilizing novel physics principles” was a combat laser system. According to Vladimir Putin, it also began to enter service starting in 2017 and, after a vote on the MOD website, was named Peresvet. Even though it is already entering service, relatively little is known about it. It is most likely an air defense system against drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. It is possible that it’s intended to defeat the new US ABM systems and US hypersonic weapons under development. Specialists believe the laser system could be used against land targets, and that it is “charged” by miniature nuclear power cells. What is not known is its effective range, and whether it could be used to disable the adversary’s satellites.

One should note that no US or NATO official expressed doubts concerning the existence of these Russian inventions, only “disappointment” over how the information as presented. Indeed, these weapons were already known in varying degrees to the expert community, but having them presented by the Supreme Commander naturally made a greater splash. Within several hours after the presentation, leading world media reacted with restraint, though it was evident this was an utter surprise to them. In the end, it was announced that Pentagon has long known about Russian weapons developments, the US has a proper answer to such “superweapons”, and Putin’s speech was intended for the domestic audience on the eve of elections. This amounted to an indirect admission that the attempt to gain a unilateral strategic advantage by deploying ABM systems around Russia failed, and hundreds of billions of US taxpayer dollars were spent for naught. Nevertheless, Pentagon immediately demanded huge additional expenditures in order to “catch up to the Russians”, which can’t help but excite the US Military-Industrial Complex which supports Trump and whose political influence will only increase.

In any event, despite Russia’s development hypersonic nuclear weapons, the global strategic balance remains stable. Both sides retain a guaranteed ability to destroy each other. They will rethink and refine their nuclear strategies, in part because the reaction time has shrunk, due to hypersonic delivery vehicles, from 20-30 minutes to a far shorter interval. Which increases the likelihood of launching retaliatory strikes before the nuclear attack warnings are confirmed.

The new delivery vehicles are not covered by START-3 which regulates the number of warheads, ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers possessed by US and Russia. Hypersonic missiles and autonomous nuclear torpedoes are outside the treaty, so unless START-3 is not updated in the near future, it will become irrelevant. Which means that we will soon see both sides behind the negotiating table, which means the strategic balance will be preserved and the world will be made safer.

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Terence Silvestre Jr.

The true,

Jesus

Do you want Putin to deliver a nuclear ultimatum? These weapons are entering production and will not be available in great numbers until a few years from now, yes I wish Putin was more assertive, however, I do not have the intelligence data he has. I see Putin having an iron hand dressed in a velvet glove.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Ok, it contains a lot of logic your comment and can explain very well the Putin’s position, my friend.

jerry hamilton

Well said.

By the way. I told my girlfriend I was messaging Jesus.
She dumped me.

Jesus

Your girlfriend is kind of fragile.

jerry hamilton

Not really, she just thinks I am looney tunes.

Tudor Miron

Lol.

Sinbad2

When I first read your post I thought you said you were massaging Jesus, and thought I understand why she dumped you :)

jerry hamilton

Shhh. Actually I don’t have a girlfriend but it seemed like a funny thing to write.

BMWA1

I suspect the odds against Russia are a bit greater than most realize.

Sinbad2

You are probably right, although the Russian military is more advanced and better trained than the American military, the American military is huge, and they will just throw men and machines at the Russians, because the US does not care about casualties.
During WWII, the US just through men and aircraft at Germany, the Germans literally ran out of bullets shooting down American planes. But the US did not care, because there are always more unemployed men to replace the dead, and losing planes was good for the US economy.

Promitheas Apollonious

they may not care about casualties, but when their carriers start been destroyed along with their cities I am sure they will pay attention.

Tudor Miron

Major miscalculation here. “US doesn’t care about casualties”(c) In fact this is the main weakness of US military – very low casualties tolearance.

Regarding WWII – just look at simple numbers: How many people US lostin that war? How many german soldiers did US kill in this war? Now compare it to CCCP.

#'~A*Q@Xm(>NRmm]w?dU4v!=^%

Not because they care about casualties per se, but about the bad news. What’s more, the US army is a cowardly one, only dares to take on much weaker opponents, hence the lower causalties – fits the agenda quite nicely.

The Israeli army, despite its reputation, is exactly the same. Last time it tried to take on a real opponent, Hezbollah in 2006, it got whipped & begged for a ceasefire.

Tudor Miron

Agree.

#'~A*Q@Xm(>NRmm]w?dU4v!=^%

When will he make that iron hand be felt? For now the US & Israel are making fun of his self-perceived power broker status.

Jesus

Israel and US are delusional, you deal with delusional characters within parameters they can relate to. If you took a bat and beat them to shreds, their delusion will not dissipate until they are dead.

#'~A*Q@Xm(>NRmm]w?dU4v!=^%

Delusional characters that are psychopaths. Who will bat them till they are dead? Nobody, just their own stupidity and incompetences.

Jesus

They have given themselves enough rope to hang themselves with the petrodollar, US and Israel are addicted to the petrodollar the same way a junkie is addicted to heroin.
Cut off the drugs and they will eventually overdose economically and politically.

Barba_Papa

These weapons are not meant so Putin can bully, threaten and cajole other countries, that’s what conventional weapons are for. They are meant to readdress the strategic balance between Russia and the US, which for a long time was turned into an imbalance due to the US obsession with ABM systems and placing those around Russia. Now that they can be nullified we’re back to good old MAD. The way it should have been.

There is of course another reason for Putin’s reticence, these weapon systems still need to be deployed. He’s got the gear, now it has to be put into service.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Very easy to grasp, the objectivity of your comment, my friend,
and I agree with you on it.

paul ( original )

One lesson to be drawn from this is that the fall of the Soviet Union
made no difference at all. Here we are twenty five years on and its
still the same situation as before with the world hanging on a MAD
thread. If one thinks a little deeper then it’s hard to avoid the
conclusion the all the noble words about defending freedom and
preventing the spread of Communism was so much horse manure, The
confrontation is just as it was despite the fall of Communism. For me
this is no surprise .

Barba_Papa

If you check throughout history you will find that countries have remarkably consistent foreign policies. Different political leadership might introduce some changes, but overall they stay the same. Czarist Russia, the USSR, modern day Russia, they all wanted and still want access to the seas, a ring of buffer states along its borders to prevent an invasion, and for Russia to be taken serious as a great power. Similarly the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran hasn’t changed that much from that of the days of the Shah. The Shah wanted Iran to be the Middle East main power broker just as much. And if anything Iran dominated the region even more back then because it did so with the approval of both the US and Israel. If anything the fall of the Shah allowed the Saudis to take over that role, which is why they freak out so much about Iran, as they don’t relish relinquishing what they gained.

So yeah, you’re right, noble words mean nothing, as they exist solely to convince the average citizen to support wars/foreign policy. Because a single sob story and appeal nobility will inspire a million times more then cold hard strategic long term interests.

paul ( original )

You put this very well and I hope many will benefit from reading your
post.

Barba_Papa

Thanks, you honor me greatly.

AssetBK

There is a possibility that Mr. Putin doesn’t care if mr. Terence Silvestre Jr. knows if he believes mr. Putin or not. Chances are mr. Terence Silvestre Jr. was not a main addressee of the message.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Please do not take it as personal mr. AssetBK :)
I only shared my personal opinion about Putin’s somewhat cowardly way of behaving in front of the constant insults of its enemies, all that even having weapons superior to theirs.
Something illogical to my humble and personal judgment, right or wrong one, does not matter after all, it’s just an opinion.
Then what do you think if you calm down a bit and better start sharing your own vision about the subject commented here, my dear friend mr. AssetBK :)

jerry hamilton

I am a Brit and I support AssetBK

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Okey, okey my friends,
we are all free to express what we like most here,
regardless of the quality both in content as in objectivity.
So go ahead and express yourself without any fear, my dears friends.

Sinbad2

The important thing is who wins, and based on facts rather than your value system, Russia is winning.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Please enlighten us with those facts that make my beloved Russia winner in all this mess, please do not delay in presenting us these facts if they really exist, my dear friend.

#'~A*Q@Xm(>NRmm]w?dU4v!=^%

Whilst I agree with your view that Putin is not behaving assertively enough, I do believe that Russia’s involvement was a strategically sound decision that has helped all but defeat ISIS, and made the Empire-in-decline all but irrelevant in Syria. The Empire controls 1/3rd of Syria but as failed in its regime change objective thanks to Russia, Iran & Hezbollah.

Promitheas Apollonious

when you stop getting your education from holyshit and stop thinking that who ever is realistic and see factual, instead of branding who ever call it as is, as russian supporter, then you may also stop living in denial of fact. Try and think before speaking even though I know it be very hard for a person of a 2 second thinking span to actually achieve that, but you lose nothing if you try.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Many written words and nothing said in reality.
Could you breathe deeply and write again one more time but with more calm and good sense to be able to understand you better, my dearest friend?

Promitheas Apollonious

describing your self I see. We are not friends or enemies you are just irrelevant, so do not flatter your self. And to understand me you must have the capacity to do so that obviously you dont.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Okay, my friend, if expressing yourself in that vulgar and hollow way makes you feel good about yourself, go ahead. In the meantime I’ll be in agreement with whatever that makes you feel good, no matter how silly it be,
So keep writing until you get tired, my dearest friend.
Because there is nothing that makes a madman feel better, that everyone gives him reason even knowing that he is crazy.

Freespirit

I am not,at this time, saying he is a TROLL, but his behaviour IS that of a TROLL, so don’t fall into his trap of arguing over nothing: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=179139

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Good point Freespirit,
Believe me that in the future I will try to apply as much as possible your wise advice to avoid falling into any trap and waste my time in such an unpleasant way.
Thanks again my friend for this so useful advice.

Promitheas Apollonious

yep the mentality of the `stupid`, that in order to prove to him you can kill him, must kill him first. The way the uk/usrael goes about head first soon, we all have prove of what the russians have or not.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Okey, you’re ok my friend.
if expressing yourself in that so vulgar and hollow way makes you feel good about yourself, go ahead.
Something more to say?
I’ll be waiting for your next comment my good friend.
I have all the time in the world to tend to a friend in distress.

Tudor Miron

Terrence, I might sounf harsh but that’s about difference in mentality of western and Russian civilisation.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

I admit that you touched a point that leaves a lot to think, my friend, and in that I will be in agreement with you taking into account this factor that you mention.

Tudor Miron

I’m a bit busy now (sorry) but if you’d like and if I find some time I can go in more detail.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Thanks my friend, i’ll be in touch.
It’s always a pleasure to exchange good reasoning with you.
Have a very good day.

Tudor Miron

Thanks Terrence.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

You’re welcome my friend.

#'~A*Q@Xm(>NRmm]w?dU4v!=^%

I agree. And Putin’s non-response, both to the Ziofascist entity’s attack and to the FUKUS attack, sends a message of weakness. The FUKUS powers wanted a face-saving bombing campaign, which they agreed with the Russians on, the Russians should have insisted on an equivalent ‘face-saving’ downing of missiles, and in the case of the Ziofascist entity’s attack Russia should also have taken corrective action.

The longer it postpones taking visible and tangible counter-measures, the bolder the Empire-in-decline and the Ziofascist entity will get and push for war with Iran.

Freespirit

I ,also, am cautious about Putin

Could it be that too many Oligarchs in Russia are Jews???

Terence Silvestre Jr.

Yes my friend,
and a very good question, certainly.

Jesus

Way to go Russia, you were able to develop 6 major weapon platforms on a defense budget of 45-60 billion a year, in a relatively short period of time, while the Pentagon has not been able to come up with any new reliable weapons for the last 20-25 years with budgets exceeding 450-600 billion.

US does not have any meaningful countermeasures against the Sarmat, Khinzhal, Status 6, Zircon, Avangard, nuclear propelled cruise missiles with unlimited range…..etc.
Meaningful engineering efforts vs fickle technology that does not produce anything meaningful.

BMWA1

I think there are special Ru military modernization funds above the normal budget (also T14s, various upgrade units for old equipment too), but still only small part of the Pentagram budget. If Russia has communication ability in high atmospheric plasma (sort of at the boundary of space per se) these are some very important developments in science, and may be related ultimately to the Russian space research (geophysics were also very strong in Russia). In fact, no accident that best rockets are Russian, there is probably feedback between the cosmonautical program and the aero-SPACE forces.

Freespirit

Did Israel use at least one tactical NUKE when it bombed Syria on Saturday the 28th of April : https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/04/30/israel-strikes-syria-with-tactical-nuke/?utm_source=May+1st++2018&utm_campaign=VT+Newsletter&utm_medium=email

Now, what Russia, Syria and Iran- another “Finger Wag” at those “misbehaving” Jewish children?

Jesus

I don’t think so, I have not able to access AMN pictures of the blast site, based on the video there are similar flashes earlier on, I am not even sure the weapon used was a GBU28, bunker busting penetrator.
What would be the purpose of using a neutron bomb to attack an arms depot or whatever other presumed installation?
Neutron bombs are intended to greatly minimize the damage of the nuclear blast and inflict damage through radiation.

Jesus

They can claim whatever they want, I do not see Israel using adjustable yield nuclear weapons when the uncertainty of where Russian personnel is stationed.
Yesterday’s story was a neutron bomb, today’s link is a low adjustable nuclear bomb…..they are guessing.
If Israel wants to play with nuclear weapons in the proximity of Russian personel and equipment,, Russia can crush Israel like a cockroach.

Freespirit

Of course, you don’t

Knifepony

The only way to know for sure is to use a geiger counter on site.

Rex drabble

No.they didnt.

Freespirit

Thanks for helping to prove they did

velociraptor

It is a little bit provocative to write such articles after what happenes in Syria. Also is provocative, whene there are no evidences, only women talks of Putin.
Last, but not least, russia is unable to produce such simply things like cars. also putin uses mercedes. a car prduced in defeated germany :-o .How could we trust, that they are able to produce invincible weapons? btw., invincible weapons were the wet dreams of Adof hitler. how ended, we know.
All haigh tech product of russia are dependent on western electronical industry. in cas of war, russia is not able to produce new weapons, and absolutely not better weapons.

TrumanSparks

I’m fairly certain that if they put their minds to it the Russians would be able to build the technological equivalents of a Ford Focus or a Chevy Malibu.

They have limited funds to direct towards whatever their priorities are. People (even the Russians, believe it or not) can build some pretty amazing stuff if they focus all of their research to specific areas.

We’d have a cure for cancer if pharm companies focused on it. Instead they focus on making stuff to re-grow hair and make guys dicks hard. Same concept.

velociraptor

Look, the 140 million people big Russia is able to produce much less non military products in good quality then th 55 million inhabitants big italy. There is no excuse for this.

Russa is not able (and was never able) to produce
– fine mechanics needing products
-microelectronics needing products
-mass production

China solved all these 3 fields. Mainly the know how of mass production. Therefore russia will have no chance in the future. Be able to produce only some rocjkets, military planes based on foreign microelectronics, and that also in few amounts, is loser strategy.

Russians are not stupid. But their corrupt economy blocks the development. Only the chosen ones can produce something. Who will stay in that counry and found new firm, when after build up comes somebody and takes over (ore finishes in concrete). Ha?

Look at aluminium industry. One maffian guy killed all concurrents and now the whole industry is in his hands. Of yourse, he hes good contacts to Putin. (his name you find in the google). Now the whole aluminium industry is extremly vulnerable. if he falls, the whole industry falls. Which can be, because due to sanctions on this special maffia guy they can not export aluminium in the usa and EU. this week should pay back 500 million USD loan. If will be not able, the whole russian industry will fall. So, this is the russian style. in tsarism, in communism, and .. now. monopoly in 1 hand. no concurrence competition, no development. Lott of people went poor due these fusion, merges in aluminium industry. The workers have low salaries. How lives this maffia guy, you can realise according to picture of his huge yacht. This yacht is of course not in russia, his money is of course not in russia.

I was young, when brezhnev stopped the development of electronical industry in whole socialist camp. The result you know. In this forum repeatedly put somebody a vidio with putin, who is discussing with some businessmen. and he is telling, the factory will run with or without them. And this was always and still is the big problem of russdia: the leader tells, who what will do in the economy. no freedom, no initiative.

And i turn back to your opinion: russins are not able to produce good cars, because they have no background industry (VW, Mecedes, …. gave 20-30 000 subproducers). the russian gigants are not able to outsorce the less effective works to other small and middle firms, because they do not exist! (this is the reason, why can the military industry produce only low amounts of weapons; because they must produce practically all parts of each weapon)
Russians can not produce good cars in large amount, because they do not know the know how of mass production. Mass production of sofisticated things. T-34 was the last thing what they mastered. Because for this they needed only to pour metal.

So it is.

Nobby Stiles

Tell you what z russians cant do well – entertainment and propaganda. You think the US has good weapons cos it has the biggest budget. But really what it spends the money on is empire. 139 military bases world wide, and 10 carrier groups. Plus huge profits for its defense industry. But if Russian weapons were no good, then the Israelis would fly F35s over Syria.

velociraptor

You try, but it is detectable, that you are not officer. You know nothibg about modern war.

IL has its clever strategy and be sura, one day will fly over syria f-35s independently upon russian s-x00 systems.

btw., for missiles used in s-300/s-400 the f-35 is invisible. the helping radar sytem can be blocked and the whole system is ruined.
for american f-22 no russian system is a challenger.

Nobby Stiles

I am not an officer. In that you are right. As i said, if the israelis were so sure it was safe, they would be flying missions over Syria, rather than firing them from over Lebanon or its coast. I will take your word that there is a “clever strategy” behind this. You are probably a very intelligent military strategist. Probably.

Terence Silvestre Jr.

And I think you’re not wrong in your comment, my friend.
Reason why to this day Russia has not expressed itself about the last Sunday mysterious bombardment from furtive Israeli planes, in full territory of its Syrian ally, and that russian silence does say a lot about, my friend.

velociraptor

Here are radar cross sections of different aircrafts

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/stealth-aircraft-rcs.htm

the system s-400 has minimum cross-section twice of F-35. from rear side. which is higher then from the front. F-22 will never recognize. Russians have one radar systme, which claim, is able to detect stealth aircrafts. But i highly dobt, wether they have. And if yes, sure will not replace in Syria. I know, that during NATO-exercises F-22s fly with arteficially enganced sross section and is problem to detect them. The imnportamt thing is what are the never communicated, secret aces in favour of F-22 or F-35.

the gliding bomb uses last weekend in syria is for destruction of most advanced enemy radars. i am sure, this was a very hard message for russia, that within hours can be eliminated the whole airbase and aa/ad system in syria.

what i wonder, is the giant optimism of sume people. they think, if syria takes some s-300, is saved. big mistake! s-300 is primaryly against airplanes. The V version contains already anti missile missiles. better is the antey system, with most modern missiles. the static s-300 unit is easily destroyable by ballistic missiles. this system is not good agains cruise missiles. for effective and sucessful syrian aa/ad is needed also awacs planes, interceptors, jamming systems, radar nets.
and functional Integrated Air Defense System with C4ISTAR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance).

this costs lot of money and time to train the personal. i am sure, that in the next 2 decades this is not possible for syria.

Sinbad2

There is no such thing as an S400 missile, the S400 is an air defense system that can use many different missiles.
And the hunter has no need to hide, it’s the prey that needs to hide.

velociraptor

i wrote in s-400 used missiles. they are different. common feater is one: problem with stealth planes.

Alex

Because you have tested it and you know for sure …. IMHO. You don’t know the capasity of f22 and you don’t know the S systems, all you can do is speculate, pretty sure f22 is half is not as good as advertised, if there is one thing americans are good in. it’s marketing and making commercial, lol.

velociraptor

yes, the nato tested this. we have also abilities, not only you :P

interesting, when one russian is vomiting on f-22, when tyou have no one 5th generation, combat ready, fully developed aircraft. the future pak is entry level, wset has 5th generation within fifth generation. you deeply underastimate yanks and very overestimate russian weapons.

Alex

f22 is a fully developed overblown BS, You deeply overestimate them.

Alex

Nobody says that you don’t have the capabilities bu i highly doubt that you are as good as you say you are.
What’s 5th generation anyway, i haven’t seen anything special about the f22, americans love to blow the stuff out of proportion, we are the best in the world, we have the best stuff in the worls, boom .. get macked in the face, IMHO, seen in many times, lol.

Alex

You also claimed that it were russians for sure whjo poisoned srkipals, turned out you were wrong , imho, like on many occasions before.

velociraptor

i wrote, that the poison was produced in russia. and i am man (not like you) and i stay behind these words.

Alex

Of course not like me, lol, you wrote that this has 100% Russia’s signature on it, like that polonium poisoning, where the radiation glow could have been seen from space, you claimed to be certain that russians were behind it, after skripal, i’m pretty sure that it were the brits who have poisoned litvenenko.

velociraptor

yes. in how is possible to find, this is secret. sorry, go to military chemistry, study it and after yeqrs you will know such things ;)

Alex

Yeah, right right… lol…

velociraptor

you are tipical stupid russian. big mouth, noisy, drunker. simply: idiot.

TRUTHORELSE

LOL. A pissed off troll who is losing debate and resorts to insults. Hahahahaha!

Alex

Oh and you are TYPICAL eastern-european toilet cleaning economic prostitute that likes to take pride in others nations achivements and behave like those are his.

TRUTHORELSE

LMAO.

TRUTHORELSE

Velociraptor is clearly a troll, cannot you see it? It is a waste of time to debate him. He should be ignored

Alex

I know lol, but it is still funny to corner them :D

Tony

More whistling in the dark to make you feel brave….your country is crumbling under a mountain of debt, and has a dysfunctional government staffed by embarrassingly ignorant loud mouth clowns.capable only of huffing and puffing.
If all was well, you wouldn’t be acting like lunatics on the international stage

neil barron

The lunatics are the former chief of azzzes Islamo Nazi barrac crack head hussein insane odumbo flap eared astard and fellow travlers sucking up to his camel flea bag dung.

Sinbad2

You forgot yourself.

Tudor Miron

Funny thing, it’s (US) not even his country. It’s his master yes, but himself his ex soviet.

Ronald

It is probably his (vilociraptor’s ) best post because he backs it with logic rather than his usual anti-Putin ranting.

Tudor Miron

Honestly, I didn’t read that post :) I’ve seen enough and blocked that creature.

purplelibraryguy

Yeah, I don’t see any stuff that re-grows hair worth a damn though. Bloody pharma.

velociraptor

use minoxidil. the only thing, what can help for men. little.

Sinbad2

Also Russia is a fairly small market, and you could bet your bottom dollar the US would stop exports of Russian cars.

Manuel Flores Escobar

So Why USA fear Russia?…if Russia cannot produce a car?…

velociraptor

USA fears Russia? :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Sinbad2

A dog only barks out of fear, and the US barks an awful lot.

Jacek Wolski

A dog only barks out of fear?! You haven’t met my pit bull then. It would tear you a new arsehole.

Tudor Miron

Your pit bull barks? Good pit bulls attack in silence. Something is wrong with both of you.

Jacek Wolski

I never said my pit bull barks ?

Tudor Miron

Fair enough.

velociraptor

i dont think so. usa without any word allocated troops in syria.

Daniel Miller

What dose a civil sector have to do with a military one? That is like comparing apples and oranges. Also yes they do fear Russian and a military retaliation. Why do you think they did not dear to attack Russia in their last strike?

velociraptor

What dose a civil sector have to do with a military one?

the stronger economy wins.

Daniel Miller

Correct and a strong econemy is something the US dose not posses its bleeding money like crazy and has massive debt they only thing witch makes their econemy stable is the petroleum trade version of the dollar i.e petrodollar. Russia has time on its side since its econemy is growing at a stable rait and also its reliance on oil is dropping (its already droped to 36% last year) and the industrial and agracultural sectors are growing as well and the trade between them and china is set too hit 100 billion this year .

Manuel Flores Escobar

DDDDD from Dumb ( VelociDumb?)…USA will never fight vs Russia..well in fact USA couldnt attack North Korea!

jerry hamilton

My first Multi-meter was a Russian copy of an EVO 8.
Not an exact copy because it was better. Far more stable.

Jesus

You are a very deceived person ….Automotive production is a significant industry in Russia, directly employing around 600,000 people or 1% of the country’s total workforce. Russia produced 1,303,989 vehicles in 2016, ranking 16th among car-producing nations in 2016, and accounting for 1.4% of the worldwide production.[

Hitler had invincible weapons, such as V1, Me262, Tiger2, the timing of the war was wrong, subsequently these weapons never reached production full scale and they were deployed in insignificant numbers to make an impact on the course of the war.

The high tech components on these weapons are Russian, “ high tech” US can’t even produce rockets that can be sent in space reliably, their nuclear power technology is minuscule compared to the Russians, and “high tech” DARPA cannot produce anything practical that can be used as a superior weapon.

Tony

Russia produces plenty of cars and Putin is about to receive a new domestic limo….

velociraptor

Russia is not producing plenty of cars. All factories are in western/japanese hands.
The new limo … planned by germans, porsche engine, copy of cadillac.

so, what now???

Alex

Now the world is going to end .. imho.. cars were never a focus in Russia.

velociraptor

and therefore you lost the cold war.

car production means huge background industry, huge R&D sector. this all is absent in russia. russia is not able to produce not only cars, but thousands of important machines. i read in V4 materials about hungarian subway story. they have russian trains. let them modernize in russia. every day one of them collaps, each day must remove at least one reparated, modernized wagoon. lot of problems with not closing doors. no air-condition (supe modernization!!!). you were not able to modernize your own subway machines…

but there is no normal russian radio, TV, cd-player, no good roads … etc., etc. you are a pirate country, develope only some weapons and then begin wars for stealing new technologies. this made already tsars in the 19th century.

Alex

Nobody lost anything, the idiots wanted to get rich, so they abolished the system, you love to accredit yourselves with “winning”the cold war, IMHO. Actually, a pirate country is US, MOST of it’s stuff is either bought or stolen.
Plenty of good roads, lol, you have been immersing yourself into the westrn BS.

velociraptor

i was officer in that time, i know lot of about real things in that time.

Sinbad2

An officer, in the Salvation Army?

Alex

of course and i was a president, no matter what they told you, it could have been fixed, Russia was in a much worse state in 1998 than SU in 1989.

velociraptor

i see, tudor mirin, the car sticker master likes you :D nice group. :DD you should not waste your time here. call in swedeish troyka misha, the bear. she ir for you, not talking with intelligent people.

Alex

Sure and then we’ll come to visit you with the bear, if we’ll get the bear drunk you might be able to pass you for a female bear.

purplelibraryguy

My god! You’re right! Putin driving a Mercedes has to mean Russia has no technology! But wait, the US has lots of German and Japanese cars, and Detroit, once the kingdom of the invincible “big three” US automakers, is now the “rust belt”. I’d say your thesis doesn’t make the US look all that great.

velociraptor

all right, americans use lot of foreign cars, bbut are also worldwide producers of theirs. not like russia. also italy is better then russia. also ramania is better then russia.

purplelibraryguy

Russia is indeed not known for cars. But there is a technology Russia has always been known for. Hint: It’s the technology that caused the Americans to have to go cap in hand to Russia for rides to the International Space Station after they ran out of shuttles.
Do you suppose being good at spacecraft could have any applications to the development of rocket weapons? Gosh.

velociraptor

I wrote several times, without car industry there is a lackof other abilities of industry. I saw this in 70ties, 80ties, 90ties and also now. So russia will be not a superpower.

and it is big shame, that one superpower is not able to produce own car for the government. Also the future car for putin was designed by germans and wiull have porshe engine. so hopeless!

but you can tell me russian superchips, medicaments, phones, or other important thing, whis are top 1 in the world :P

russians were able to copy and remake something in military industry. rockets belong also in the military field.

but they are not the best in this way. only cheapest.

Sinbad2

Car industry isn’t high tech, on price China beats all.
Switzerland doesn’t make cars either.
A Porsche engine, that is a six cylinder boxer motor is the second best engine design in the world. Number 1 is a 12 cylinder boxer motor, some Ferrari’s use them.
If you had ever driven a Porsche, you would understand why their 911 type vehicles have the best resale in the world.
There are a few supercar makers, but only Porsche and Mercedes can be used as daily drivers.

velociraptor

Yes, it is not high tech. And if you are not able to produce cars, you are not able to produce anything. russia can only dream about high tech. china learned. look at the 10 largest computers in the world. how man of them are chinese and how many of them use chinese processors! btw. china will eat you aussies. :DDDDDD

Switzerland mes another fine mechanic product. Russia nothing. Switzerland has famous pharma industry with lot of original medicaments. russia nothing. moreover, switzerland is little country. you should be ashamed, that the superpover russian emoire comared with little country. :P

slayern2

“only cheapest.”

That’s your mother, monkey. Go bother her with your Incomprehensive monkey screams… pity her abortion failed so miserably.

Sinbad2

I once heard an American rocket scientist say that Russia is 20 years ahead of the USA in rocketry.

Sinbad2

No, American money buys companies/technology from other companies.
Germany still designs the engine management of all GM cars.
The US never progressed beyond the carburetor.
The only part of the GM empire that is profitable, is China.

velociraptor

busllshit

Ronald

Do you remember in 2008 Obama would only bail out GM if Wagner its CEO resigned, as he lost 82 billion in the previous 8 years.

Luutzen

Ofcourse, mutually automated destruction is the perfect vehicle to peace treaties and arms control.

Explore space instead. The Kennedy plans.

Sinbad2

Kennedy only got interested in space because Russia was already there.
I can still remember Sputnik crossing the night sky in Melbourne many years ago.

outer_rl

Producing those weapons is a sensible precaution in case of Trumpian aggression.

Christopher Horton

Russia’s new weapons systems may make the risk that the US billionaire class will bet all their marbles on a nuclear first strike, but this hardly reduces the risk of nuclear war with Russia by miscalculation, and as this article points out, the ever shorter response times increase the risk of nuclear war by accident. Our rulers are still playing “nuclear chicken” with Russia and China, or could gamble on Russia staying out of a nuclear war with China, North Korea or Iran.

What is clear is that our rulers are determined to survive a nuclear war should it happen and are spending huge sums on their luxury fortress survival bunkers.(1) The Federal Government has built huge underground shelters for the “most important” government workers.(2) And sales of backyard shelters to the merely wealthy and well-to-do are booming.(3) Russia is seriously preparing to save as many of their people as possible, with shelters for millions under their cities(4) and annual drills involving 40 to 60 million people and mass evacuations of their cities! (5)(6)

But we see no sign that our rulers have made any serious preparations or provisions to help the rest of the American people survive!

If following disasters in New Orleans, Miami and Puerto Rico, there were any lingering illusions that the government had a survival plan for us, or even cared, the fiasco in Hawai’i on Jan. 13 2018 should have dispelled them.(7) That morning the emergency warning system broadcast a false alert of a “ballistic missile threat inbound”. Panic and chaos ensued, with hundreds of thousands milling in the streets trying to find loved ones or figure out what to do. It took authorities over half an hour to get the message out that it was a false alert. In case you missed it, this is sobering reading!

When working folk hear this narrative they react with anger, that could easily turn to rage. And an angry outraged American population may be what it takes to get them to back off!

Perhaps it’s time to organize a “movement for survival”, to demand that the government move immediately to put a comprehensive and adequately funded Civil Defense program in place.
Following the Hawai’i fiasco, Rep Tulsi Gabbard (D, HI) introduced a bill (7) to require a much stronger emergency broadcast system with safeguards against false alarms, and a congressional inquiry into the preparedness of first responders for radiation, chemical and biological emergencies. This is far less than we would need to demand, but organizing to support it could be a first step and open the door to a conversation about the larger issues.

1) See: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/30/doomsday-prep-for-the-super-rich
2) See: https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2017/05/18/inside-the-u-s-governments-plans-to-survive-a-nuclear-war/?utm_term=.c19beab2b971
3) See: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-27/bomb-shelter-sales-are-booming-us-and-japan
4) See: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-26/why-russia-building-massive-underground-bomb-shelters
5) See: https://www.rt.com/news/361553-russia-civil-defense-drill/
6) See: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-03/40-million-russians-take-part-radiation-disaster-drill-days-after-us-general-warns-w
7) See: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-people-in-hawaii-reacted-to-a-false-ballistic-missile-alert-2018-1
8) See: https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/18-lawmakers-join-gabbard-s-bill-strengthen-civil-defense-preparedness-and

Bjarne Örn Hansen

There is very little that suggests that what Putin states here to be true. His complete inability to react to his adversaries, does not suggest that he has anything to come to the table with for any kind of treaty. Not one that ever will be seriously honored.

Sinbad2

The important thing is intelligent people understand, who cares what you think.

Tudor Miron

“His complete inability to react to his adversaries”(c) Now that’s a great example of “tunnel vision”. I understsnd that observing even short (25 years) periods of time is not your strong side but simply compare where Russia was in 90-s and where it is now.

Bjarne Örn Hansen

Developing “strategic” missiles in 2018 … weapons that can never be used, is not an advantage. If you want to maintain “power” balance, develop “tactical” weapons along with the skill and know how to deploy them. The blunder is Syria, is evidence of the contrary. A. It can’t respond to the west in any manner. B. If Syria is “guilty”, Russia should take care of “punishing” the culprits itself, not be policed by the west. A and B, does not prove Russia has advanced since the 90s … and is not a position of strength.

Tudor Miron

“The blunder is Syria, is evidence of the contrary. A. It can’t respond to the west in any manner. ” I doubt that you are really that ignorant and naive as your post suggests :) I suspect that this is an example of “delibirate ignorance”. I will say it again – compare Syrian map of 2014 and 2018.

Willing Conscience (The Truths

All these new weapons will be just as effective as deterrents to US aggression as the S-400 system was in Syria.

purplelibraryguy

I find myself wondering if one reason Putin made a splashy announcement of these systems was precisely to hand the American weapons contractors a big excuse to gobble even more US taxpayers’ money, undermining the American economy.

Sinbad2

No, it was to make the American generals realize that an attack on Russia would be suicide for the USA.
The US has been moving troops into invasion positions, and quite a few of the American generals and politicians are very stupid and believe their own BS.

Sinbad2

Field Marshall Montgomery said that the first rule of war, is don’t march on Moscow.
These new weapons are just to remind the Americans of the wisdom of Monty.

velociraptor

the first rule of war, is don’t march on Moscow

only fly

slayern2

Fly back to Hitlers anUS and rot there.

Brother Thomas

What a total waste, and a lunatic endeavour, to have reignited the nuclear arms race.

Rob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICl-99u6anc
Watch the Su-57’s maneuverability below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-31#/media/File:Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-31E_at_MAKS_2005.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pxtQhOFqAU
Wings of Russia. MiG-25 and MiG-31. Best In Class (Part 1 of 2)

Click on YouTube icon for better view.
Mig-25 speed: Mach 3.2 (3,920 km/hr), Service ceiling: 37,000 m
This is 1970 technology. The 2018 technology of Russia is classified and is so advance that no body can Imagen.
The US technology is 50 years backward than Russian technology.

Sadde

Yeah excellent last words ” and the world would be made safer”. Now I feel completely safe.

I am truly disappointed southfront!!!

Icarus Tanović

To velociraptor. If so brave you are, why didn’t you already ‘flied to Moscow?’ You can only fled from 1500 km away from Moscow.

Shahna

“In the end, it was announced that Pentagon has long known about Russian weapons developments, the US has a proper answer to such “superweapons””
……………and …………….
“Nevertheless, Pentagon immediately demanded huge additional expenditures in order to “catch up to the Russians””
—————-
If they have “long known” about these weapons and they have the proper answer to them – why are they asking for catch up money and why are they asking now?

Specifically, if they have “long known”about them I’d expect them to have asked for and got the required catch up money long ago and ….
If they already have the proper answer to them – they don’t need to catch up.

Translation: Just more American lies.

Shahna

“In any event, despite Russia’s development hypersonic nuclear weapons, the global strategic balance remains stable. Both sides retain a guaranteed ability to destroy each other. “
—————
How do you reach that conclusion?

If (as you do and you say the Americans do too) we assume that Putin’s description of his hypersonics is accurate and the Americans won’t be able shoot them down then the Russians will be in the position where they can shoot down American missiles but the Americans can’t shoot down theirs.

That means only the Russian side will have the guaranteed ability to destroy.
MAD is again off-balance; this time the Americans are playing catchup.