23/5/2012 Arie Egozi - israeldefense.com

Russia announced that it has successfully launched a new ballistic missile with stealth capabilities

Does the ballistic missile that Russia launched actually possess "stealth" capabilities, as Moscow is claiming?

The long-range ballistic missile was successfully launched from the Plesetsk space base. Russia announced the success of the launch and added that the missile can evade detection by NATO’s radar systems. This statement is generating considerable doubts among experts, as rendering a ballistic missile invisible to radar systems is an exceedingly complicated matter, even bordering on the impossible.

Experts explain that just as Russia can presently detect the US F-35 stealth aircraft through the use of old low-frequency radars, a ballistic missile can be detected in the same way. There are many measures today that could detect the missile launch, which creates a brown “spot” at the launch site, as well as detect the missile while in flight. The methods are varied, say the experts, and are based on the combination of measures such as radars, an optic tracking layout and a layout that can detect the acoustic signature of the rapidly-flying missile.

However, the experts say Russia may have developed a method to produce missile parts from special substances that are also painted in colors that prevent the reflection of some of the radar radiation directed towards the missile. Another possibility is that the missile is equipped with electronic countermeasure systems that jam the detection systems, and even give them numerous false targets.

Russia’s Defense Ministry is disappointed by the lack of progress in talks with Azerbaijan over extending the lease of the missile defense radar station

MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti)

Russia’s Defense Ministry is disappointed by the lack of progress in talks with Azerbaijan over extending the lease of the missile defense radar station in Azeri town of Gabala, a source in the ministry said on Thursday.

“The Russian military is disappointed by the non-constructive approach from the Azerbaijani side concerning the talks on extending the lease of the Gabala missile radar,” the source said, adding that Moscow would likely leave Gabala if the talks did not move ahead.

Russia has been negotiated with Azerbaijan to extend the lease of the Soviet-era radar, which it has operated under a 2002 agreement due to expire on December 24 this year.

The Russian Kommersant business daily reported in late February that Azerbaijan had demanded Russia pay $300 million instead of the previously agreed $7 million for the lease, which Russia is seeking to extend until 2025.

The source in the Russian Defense Ministry also said that size of the price increase was unreasonable, since the radar needed a full renovation and the sum Baku was demanding for the lease was comparable to the cost of constructing a new radar.

In 2007 Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested sharing Gabal radar station with the United States, instead of deploying the NATO missile defense shield in Czech Republic.

In early April, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that Yerevan was ready to provide a site on its territory for construction of a new Russian radar station if Moscow failed to agree on extending the Gabala with Azerbaijan.

On Wednesday Russia placed its new Voronezh-M long-range missile warning radar on duty in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, marking a major increase in its missile early warning system capability.

The new Voronezh-M station can detect ballistic targets up to 6000 kilometers and cover an arc from India to the United States.

Moscow has been concerned by U.S. plans to expand missile the defense shield in Europe, and announced in early May that it could introduce its massive Don-2NP radar system near Moscow as part of an agreement with NATO on a European missile defense plan to counter medium and long-range missiles.

The Don-2 radar, known to U.S. arms control negotiators in the 1980's as the "pyramid" and to NATO as Pill Box, was put into operation around 1989, and was the centerpiece of the USSR's anti-missile defense system. The 100-meter square, 45 meter high phased-array radar, with 360 degree coverage, could detect small objects in space, and was linked to interceptor missiles.

CHISINAU, 23 mai - RIA Novosti

La Moldavie pourrait devenir un partenaire indirect de la mise en place du bouclier antimissile américain en Roumanie et bénéficier des données des radars dans ce pays voisin, a estimé mercredi le ministre moldave de la Défense Vitalie Marinuta.

"Je pense que le bouclier pourrait aussi couvrir le territoire de la Moldavie, tout dépendra de notre implication dans la coopération avec l'Otan", a déclaré M.Marinuta sur les ondes de la Radio Europe Libre/Radio Liberté.

Et de rappeler que la Moldavie n'était que partenaire de l'Otan et ne menait pas de coopération active avec l'Alliance, "l'idée n'étant pas soutenue par la population".

"Cela ressort entre autres des derniers sondages d'opinion. Nous devons mener un énergique travail d'explication, en parlant à la population de l'Otan, de ses objectifs et des critères de la sécurité européenne selon l'Alliance. La population est encore sous l'emprise de vieux stéréotypes concernant ce bloc", a indiqué le ministre.

Selon M.Marinuta, la Moldavie ne pourra adhérer à l'Otan pendant les deux ou trois ans à venir.

"Tout d'abord, la Constitution de notre pays ne nous permet pas de faire partie de blocs militaires, la Moldavie ayant le statut d'un pays neutre. Et ensuite, (…) moins de 10% des Moldaves y sont favorables", a résumé le ministre.

Les relations entre l'Otan et la Moldavie remontent à 1992, lorsque le pays est devenu membre du Conseil de coopération nord-atlantique (CCNA). Signé le 19 mai 2006, le Plan d'action individuel pour le Partenariat (IPAP) de la Moldavie définit la nature de sa coopération avec l'Otan.

An-30. Photo Gartenfreuden

WARSAW, May 23 (RIA Novosti)

At least nineteen people were injured, most of them seriously, when a Russian military Antonov An-30 aircraft crash-landed and caught fire at the Caslav military aerodrome in the Czech Republic on Wednesday , Czech information agency ChTK reported.

Previously, it was reported that six people were injured in the crash.

The aircraft had 23 people on board, including 14 Russians and nine Czechs, the agency said, quoting the Czech general staff's press secretary Jan Ruzicka.

The twin-engine turbopropaircraft, which was conducting an Open Skies surveillance flight, crashed after its nosewheel collapsed on landing, according to a Russian military source.

“The nosewheel collapsed on landing, putting the aircraft on its nose, after which it rolled off the runway and caught fire,” he said.

Yars ICBM launch. The new secret missile improves its design. RIA Novosti

23 May, 2012, RT.com

The Russian military have successfully launched a top secret advanced intercontinental ballistic missile. It is designed to counter the American antimissile shield currently being deployed in several regions.

­The new weapon is an advanced version of the Topol-M and Yars missiles, already deployed by the Russian Strategic Missile Forces. The experiment was boosted off from the Plesetsk launch site in north-western Russia’s Arkhangelsk region on Wednesday. It delivered its test block to the Kura target range in Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East.

The main purpose of the launch was to confirm feasibility of the design approaches incorporated into the missile, spokesman for the Forces Colonel Vadim Koval told journalists.

The successful test comes after a failed launch of the prototype on September 27, 2011. At the time the missile’s first-stage engine reportedly failed, which resulted in it dropping some 10 kilometers from the launch pad.

The medium-weight ICBM is “one of the military-technical measures, which Russia’s military-political leadership is taking in response to the deployment of a global antimissile defense system by the Americans,” says retired Col.-General Viktor Yesin.

The new missile may be ready for service “soon” and would boost Russia’s nuclear deterrence “in the uncertain situation”, the former head the Strategic Missile Forces’ General Staff told Interfax news agency.

According to military sources, the upgraded design behind the new weapon focused on its fuel formula. The solid propellant has been improved and allows for a faster boost, shortening the initial phase of the flight. During the boosting phase the missile is relatively slow and predictable, which makes it more vulnerable to anti-missiles.

Little detail about the new ICBM has been revealed. Unofficially dubbed Avangard, it is expected to have a MIRV-ed warhead with improved maneuvering and targeting capabilities of the vehicles. Some reports say that rather than having a traditional “bus” delivering each warhead to its target, designers chose to equip them with individual engines. This would allow active maneuvering on the descent phase.

Silo-based and mobile launcher-mounted versions of the missile are currently in development.

22/05/2012 Par la rédaction - francebtp.com

Les véhicules blindés Iveco LMV ont défilé sur la Place Rouge de Moscou lors de la parade militaire célébrant les 67 ans de la victoire russe sur l’Allemagne. C’était la première fois que des véhicules étrangers étaient ainsi mis à l'honneur sur la fameuse place moscovite.

La participation des véhicules légers multi-applications (LMV) du constructeur Iveco est le fruit de l'accord signé au mois de juin dernier par Iveco Defence Vehicles pour le développement d'une joint-venture industrielle en Russie avec Oboronservis. Cet accord entre la société italienne et l'entreprise contrôlée par le ministère de la défense russe doit permettre de localiser progressivement la production d'une version spéciale de LMV, développée spécifiquement pour ce marché russe. Actuellement, s'achève la production des 100 premiers véhicules, avec l'objectif de porter la production entre 300 et 500 véhicules par an.

Russia's Strategic Missile Forces test-fired a new prototype ballistic missile from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome

MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti)

Russia's Strategic Missile Forces test-fired a new prototype ballistic missile from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk Region on Wednesday, Defense Ministry spokesman Vadim Koval said, but did not name the new weapon.

"The training round landed in the western region of the Kamchatka peninsula, hitting its target" he said.

The launch took place at 10.15 a.m. from a mobile launcher, he said.

"The new intercontinental ballistic missile is intended to strengthen the capabilities of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, including its capabilities for overcoming anti-missile defenses," he said.

"The missile was built with maximum use of existing components with new elements and technologies developed during the production of fifth-generation missile systems, in order to shorten its development time," he said.

May 22, 2012: STRATEGY PAGE

The Russian answer to the American F-22, the T-50 (or PAK-FA), has been delayed two years. It will now, barring more delays, be ready for mass production in 2019. This is according to India, which is collaborating with Russia in the development of this Russian designed fighter. The delay worries India because they are picking up half the $6 billion dollar development cost. A two year delay means rising costs, and the Russians have not announced any budget changes yet. Moreover, the $6 billion only covers work on the basic aircraft. All the avionics will be extra, and India is unclear of how much extra. India has had serious (and expensive) problems with Russian development cost projections before. Undeterred, India planned to buy 250 (now reduced to 200) of the new T-50s, for about $100 million each. An increasing number of Indians now see the T-50 possibly following the same cost trajectory as the F-22.

The T-50 prototype first flew two years ago. Russians and Indians have been doing a lot of tinkering since then. While the T-50 is the stealthiest aircraft the Russians have, it is not nearly as stealthy as the F-22, or even the F-35 or B-2. The Russians are apparently going to emphasize maneuverability instead of stealth. India wants more stealth, and would prefer a two-seat aircraft. There are also problems perfecting the engines for the T-50, and the defensive electronics. This puts the T-50 at a big disadvantage against the F-22 or F-35, which try to detect enemy aircraft at long distance, without being spotted, and then fire a radar guided missile (like AMRAAM). These problems are apparently the main reason for the two year delay.

The Russians want to sell their "Fifth Generation Fighter" (the T-50, which they admit is not true 5th Gen) to China, India and other foreign customers. With the Indian participation, Russia now has the billions of dollars it will take to carry out the T-50 development program. India is not just contributing cash, but also technology and manufacturing capability.

The T-50 is a 34 ton fighter that is more maneuverable than the 33 ton, Su-27, has much better electronics and is stealthy. It can cruise at above the speed of sound. It also costs at least fifty percent more than the Su-27. That would be some $60 million (for a barebones model, at least 50 percent more with all the options), about what a top-of-the-line F-16 costs. The Su-27 was originally developed to match the F-15, which is larger than the single engine F-16.

Russia is promising a fighter with a life of 6,000 flight hours, and engines good for 4,000 hours. Russia promises world-class avionics, plus a very pilot-friendly cockpit. The use of many thrusters and fly-by-wire will produce an aircraft even more maneuverable than earlier Su-30s (which have been extremely agile).

The T-50 is not meant to be a direct rival for the F-22, because the Russian aircraft is not as stealthy. But if the maneuverability and advanced electronics live up to the promises, the aircraft would be more than a match for every fighter out there except the F-22. If such a T-50 was sold for well under $100 million each, there would be a lot of buyers. For the moment, the T-50 and the Chinese J-20 are the only potential competitors for the F-22 in development. Like the F-22, development expenses are increasing, and it looks like the T-50 will cost at least $120 million each (including a share of the development cost), but only if 500 or more are manufactured. Russia hopes to build as many as a thousand. Only 187 F-22s were built because of the high cost. American developers are now seeking to apply their stealth, and other, technologies, to the development of combat UAVs. Thus by the time the T-50 enters service, in 7-10 years, it may already be made obsolete by cheaper, unmanned, stealthy fighters.

Ansat helicopter

MOSCOW, May 22 (RIA Novosti)

The Russian Air Force will take delivery of at least thirty Ansat trainer helicopters by 2020, the service's spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said on Tuesday.

"The Sokol aerodrome at the Syzransky Flight Training School will get six Ansat- U helicopters this year, and over 30 by 2020," Drik said.

The base is already converting to the type and starting instructor training, he said.

The Ansat, produced by Kazan Helicopters, is designed as a utility and training helicopter to replace the ageing Mil Mi-2.

The U-variant is a dedicated trainer with full dual avionics and controls and seats for six students, who can take turns at flying with the instructor.

The Ansat-U can also be configured with varying levels of control difficulty for training, and has an electronic engine management system to allow pilots to practice coping with engine failures.

Centauro B1 (photo Oto Melara)

23.05.2012 Par Frédéric Lert (FOB)

Selon des propos rapportés par l’agence de presse russe RIA Novosti, la Russie testerait le véhicule de combat à roues italien Centauro d’Oto Melara. Les deux véhicules déjà présents en Russie seraient rejoints dans les semaines à venir par deux autres, offrant aux Russes la possibilité de tester les différentes versions de ce blindé à roues 8×8 (reconnaissance, combat anti-char ou véhicule de combat d’infanterie). Les essais devraient durer toute l’année, avec en ligne de mire l’achat possible d’un petit lot de véhicules ou même d’une licence de fabrication, le nom de Kamaz étant cité dans ce dernier cas de figure pour une fabrication ou un assemblage local.

Il est vrai que cette annonce intervient quelques mois après la signature d’un accord industriel italo-russe et l’achat par Moscou, en décembre dernier, de 60 véhicules de reconnaissance blindé Lynx du même constructeur Iveco. Ces véhicules seront livrés en kit et assemblés directement en Russie. Il est vrai également que les Russes ont clairement annoncé la couleur, et la vente de navires de la classe Mistral l’a spectaculairement prouvé : ils n’auront dorénavant aucun scrupule à acheter à l’étranger les matériels ne pouvant pas être fournis par leur industrie nationale. Mais le Centauro entre-t-il vraiment dans cette catégorie ?

Non si l’on ne considère simplement la conception et la fabrication de véhicules blindés à roues. La série des BTR montre à l’envie que la Russie maitrise depuis longtemps cette technologie, le pays ayant même joué un rôle de pionnier en la matière. Mais la donne a changé ces dernières années, avec la protection contre les IED prenant une part déterminante dans la conception des matériels. Un domaine dans lequel la Russie manque clairement d’expérience et pour lequel l’achat de Centauro pourrait peut-être s’avérer utile. Dans ces affaires de vente d’un nombre limité de véhicules, le risque est grand pour le fournisseur d’ouvrir la boite de Pandore en basculant involontairement dans le transfert de technologie non autorisé. Autrement dit en prêtant le flanc au piratage technologique. Un problème que les Russes connaissent d’ailleurs très bien pour en avoir souvent été les victimes, après avoir vu les Chinois copier des gammes entières de leurs productions militaires au cours des décennies passées…

Mil Mi-28NE Havoc (Night Hunter)

MOSCOW, May 17 (RIA Novosti)

The Mil Mi-28NE Havoc (Night Hunter) attack helicopter and 49 other military exhibits will be displayed by 14 Russian organizations at the 5th International Helicopter Industry Exhibition (HeliRussia 2012) in Moscow, the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation reported.

The exhibition will be held on May 17-19 at the Crocus Expo exhibition center in the Russian capital’s northwest. Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry is its organizer.

Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, the Rostvertol and Kamov helicopter manufacturers and the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and other organizations will display products at the exposition.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin will attend the exhibition’s opening.

The event will also be attended by over 100 representatives from 56 countries, including Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Turkmenistan, France and others.

Overall, 147 Russian organizations and 53 foreign companies from 17 countries will participate in the exhibition.

Su-25 attack aircraft

VORONEZH, May 17 (RIA Novosti)

The Russian Air Force will start receiving new ground attack aircraft based on the Sukhoi Su-25SM Frogfoot combat jets by 2020, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said on Thursday.

“This new type of a ground attack aircraft has been included in the state arms procurement program,” Zelin, who is an aide to the defense minister, told a news conference in Voronezh (central Russia). “It will be put in service with the Air Force by 2020.”

The new aircraft will be capable of carrying of a wide range of tactical weaponry and advanced radar and navigation equipment.

It will feature elements of stealth technology and will be able to land on short runways.

The new combat jet will eventually replace the modernized Su-25SM attack aircraft now entering service.

Russia will continue to upgrade its outdated to the Su-25SM version, which has a significantly better survivability and combat effectiveness than earlier versions.

The Russian Air Force currently has over 30 Su-25SM planes in service and plans to modernize about 80 Su-25s by 2020.

Meanwhile, the Russian military has abandoned plans to develop a light attack plane based on Yak-130 combat trainer.

Zelin said the prototype, dubbed Yak-131, had not met the requirements for enhansed protection of pilots.