/ world today news/ Enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex are increasing the volume of production of modern weapons that have proven themselves in the field of special military operations. Modified tanks, advanced drones and other weapons are mass produced.
But the defense industry does not stop there – in 2023 it has repeatedly become known about new developments, which in the future will have to change the rules of war for decades to come.
The most attention – including from “our former partners” – deserve the promising developments of missile weapons. Suffice it to say that in response to this news, the United States conducted training launches of ballistic missiles twice in 2023 and once simulated the detonation of a nuclear weapon underground. This means that Washington takes seriously the appearance of new weapons from Russia, experts noted.
The main efforts of the Russian design bureaus and enterprises working in the military-industrial complex were directed to two main directions, military expert Alexander Mihailovski noted in a comment to IA Regnum.
First of all, the development of weapons at the operational-tactical level, necessary “here and now” in the fields of a special military operation, continues.
Second, the development of strategic weapons continues, which are designed to demonstrate to “former partners” the well-known truth: we do not want war, but we are ready to strike back. Therefore, the modernization of strategic deterrence forces becomes a priority.
„It is no longer possible to say “My house is on the edge”
The main “sensation” of the past year was the test of the Burevestnik nuclear missile. The latest successful tests have been carried out, as made clear by Supreme Commander Vladimir Putin, speaking in October. The President recalled: this one “global range cruise missile with a nuclear propulsion system” is one of the weapons whose appearance he announced a few years ago.
And it is one of the new strategic weapons that will determine the strategic balance of the world in the coming decades.
The development of the Burevestnik missile was first announced in 2018. According to data available in open sources, it is an intercontinental cruise missile that has an almost unlimited strike range due to its own nuclear installation.
The Ministry of Defense noted that Burevestnik is practically invulnerable to both existing air defense and missile defense systems, as well as air defense systems that may appear in the medium term.
In the future, the missile can be equipped with a nuclear warhead, which will turn it into a real weapon of the “dreadful judgment”.
„Ever since the Soviet Union tested a nuclear weapon, the United States has professed a simple truth. We’re far away, if something happens, the Soviets won’t be able to reach us,” notes Alexander Mihailovski.
They say, we surrounded the USSR with our bases, we will make the first strike faster, we will sink the submarines, and we will shoot down the rest. And what can still fly by will be some trifle, which is not critical. Now the situation is changing. It is no longer possible to say “My house is on the edge”, – adds the expert.
The modernization of Russia’s nuclear arsenal is of particular importance in the context of NATO’s eastward expansion. More precisely in the northeast, if we take into account the absorption of until recently neutral Finland by the alliance. As IA Regnum noted earlier, the United States is already looking at the locations of weapons on Finnish territory, although for now it is conventional weapons.
The entry into the union of Finland, and in the future also of Sweden, will certainly create new foci of tension near the Russian borders, which necessitated the re-creation of the Leningrad Military District.
Therefore, the governments of these countries should consider whether it is worthwhile to deploy foreign nuclear weapons on their territory, as other NATO countries have done, and thus become a potential target for attack.
But more importantly, now an American base in Texas is practically as vulnerable as any American military installation in Eastern Europe.
“The Ghost Train Number Zero”
As a bonus to Burevestnik, in 2023, the process of arming a strategic missile complex with the liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile of the heavy Sarmat class began.
An additional strengthening of the nuclear triad could be the revival of the concept of the Barguzin combat rail missile complex. We are talking about strategic missiles that are launched quite literally from a train.
„The so-called “ghost train” was put into operation in the late 1980s. Until 2007, everything was curtailed, but given the change in geopolitical realities, the project could be revived. This thread is classified, so if his trials are discussed at all, it will be after the fact. But complexes can seriously strengthen the nuclear triad “, – notes Alexander Mihailovski.
The advantage of rail systems is their mobility and low visibility.
“Train number zero” can stand on side tracks, surrounded by freight trains or maneuver along the entire length of Russian railways, which seriously complicates its detection and destruction.
We’re ahead on “strategists”, we’re on par on “tacticians”
Experts note: the main “former partner” and no longer a potential, but an indirect adversary, the United States, recognizes its lag behind Russia in the field of strategic weapons.
The American specialized publication Military Watch Magazine writes about it: The Pentagon in the future may completely abandon the deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). The states admit that they find themselves in the role of “catch-ups” and in the future they will not be able to modernize their arsenal, which will have to be written off without replacement.
The difficulties encountered in the development of new missiles increased the risk that in the future the United States would be forced to completely abandon the deployment of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and decommission the arsenal of Minuteman III missiles without replacing them with more advanced models. – notes the American edition.
Hermes Complex
At the same time, our military-industrial complex is at least not behind the Americans in terms of developing tactical missile weapons.
In May 2023, the Hermes tactical missile system, one of the long-term projects of the Russian defense industry, was tested.
The development of the complex is carried out by the Tula Tool Building Bureau. The new product was presented at the Army Forum back in 2020, but since then work on its implementation has continued. In the future, the complex can replace a whole range of weapons used by the Navy, aviation and ground forces.
„The military conflicts of our time have shown the high efficiency of high-precision tactical missile systems. Mihailovski points out.
Anti-tank missiles are now used for a variety of purposes, both against infantry and against armor. “But they lack the range and weight of the warhead. Only the adoption of “Hermes” can seriously expand the capabilities of troops to strike in the front area “, notes Alexander Mihailovski.
In theory, the adoption of such missiles can also solve the problem of unifying missile weapons for all branches of the military.
According to the manufacturer, the Hermes complex is designed to strike at a distance of up to 100 km. The basic modification of the missile is equipped with a high-explosive high-explosive warhead designed to destroy both stationary targets and enemy positions and armored vehicles. The launch is carried out by a vehicle – carrier, which can simultaneously launch up to ten missiles.
There is also a project for an aviation version of the complex, designed for mounting attack helicopters, and a project for a marine version for mounting small ships and cutters. It is expected that the missile system will begin to be delivered to the troops in the near future.
Smart projectiles have made friends with drones
Among other new products tested in 2023, it is worth noting the modification of guided artillery shells “Krasnopol” adapted for use by drones.
The adaptation of such munitions, which are guided using a laser range finder, can seriously expand the strike capabilities of unmanned aircraft. Firing a projectile from a distance of more than 20 km will allow the drones to strike while remaining out of range of the enemy’s tactical air defenses.
Also in 2023, the Russian company Lobaev Arms began testing “hypersonic” cartridges that reach speeds of up to 1,500 meters per second. Such ammunition has significantly greater penetration, which is especially important for members of sniper units operating on the principle of “one cartridge, one target”.
Overall, 2023 was marked primarily by the creation of new ammunition for existing weapons.
„If in 2022 we had to catch up, release our drones, our developments in other areas, then now the task is to make existing weapons more effective, to adapt old developments, which are “stuck” for various reasons, to the new realities” , notes Mihailovski. The general goal is to increase the firepower of the armed forces at all levels: from ballistic missiles to ammunition, the expert notes.
Translation: ES
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