Russia’s hypersonic trump card edges closer to reality

[vivINDIAN]

By the end of this year, Moscow will test its newest ballistic missile, the RS-26 Rubezh (which means frontier in Russian) equipped with hypersonic manoeuvring nuclear units. As Colonel General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, said to Vladimir Putin, this system will significantly expand the ability of Russian strategic nuclear forces to overcome missile defence systems. The technical specifications of the new missile have not been disclosed. However, public recognition of the fact that it has “hypersonic manoeuvring nuclear units” indicates it is an ultimate weapon.

“Ballistic missiles have a certain trajectory and power supply capacity. It is rather difficult to reach beyond these parameters in the development of new models of this type,” says Vladimir Dvorkin, the former head of the 4th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defence (the institution that studies the effects of nuclear weapons). “So currently the only thing that can be upgraded is most likely the warhead of ballistic missiles.”

Back in 1997, then Chief of General Staff Yury Baluyevsky announced proudly that Russia had developed a hypersonic cruise vehicle (HCV). Its flight path is non-classical, meaning it doesn’t follow the classic parabola like a modern nuclear warhead, but can arbitrarily change directions. HCVs can enter outer space, and then re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. A conventional nuclear warhead enters the dense layers of the atmosphere at a speed of 5,000 metres per second. The speed of the HCV is twice as high. This makes it very hard to detect with radar missile defence systems. In addition, as military personnel note, the HCV can be retargeted throughout its entire flight, unlike conventional warheads.

In early 1997 engineers from the Raduga Design Bureau in Dubna (located just outside Moscow) displayed a new class of airborne vehicle — the Kh-90 hypersonic experimental cruise missile — at the International Aviation Aerospace Salon (MAKS) in Zhukovsky. In the West, it was called the AS-19 Koala.

This rocket was made to replace the Kh-55 strategic cruise missile that is carried by the Tu-160 bomber. Its flight range was 3,000 km. The missile could carry two warheads with individual guidance, each capable of hitting targets at a distance of 100 km from the point of separation. The carrier of the X-90 was to be a modernised version of the Tu-160M strategic bomber. However, according to official data, work on the missile was suspended in 1992.

There were also more exotic designs. For example, one of the missile design bureaus proposed placing several supersonic or hypersonic cruise missiles instead of a nuclear warhead in a heavy ballistic missile. The designers thought that with this weapon, the Soviet Union would have been able to engage U.S. aircraft carrier fleets anywhere in the world directly from Siberia. A ballistic missile would carry the warhead into the targeted area, and there the cruise missiles themselves would detect and strike the target. The idea was abandoned because of its exorbitant cost, and the Koala was left as the only tangible evidence of the scientists’ hypersonic research. All other development was kept top secret.

But after the United States stepped up its own work on hypersonic cruise vehicles, Moscow returned to its own hypersonic “trump cards,” including the RS-26 Rubezh “manoeuvring nuclear unit” ballistic missile.
SOURCE: INDRUS

 

[vostok]

As far as I know, nor existing neither projected missile defense will not be able to shoot down warheads of "Rubezh."

 

[IND151]

By the end of this year, Moscow will test its newest ballistic missile, theRS-26 Rubezh (which means frontier in Russian) equipped with hypersonic manoeuvring nuclear units. As Colonel General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, said to Vladimir Putin, this system will significantly expand the ability of Russian strategic nuclear forces to overcome missile defence systems. The technical specifications of the new missile have not been disclosed. However, public recognition of the fact that it has “hypersonic manoeuvring nuclear units” indicates it is an ultimate weapon.

“Ballistic missiles have a certain trajectory and power supply capacity. It is rather difficult to reach beyond these parameters in the development of new models of this type,” says Vladimir Dvorkin, the former head of the 4th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defence (the institution that studies the effects of nuclear weapons). “So currently the only thing that can be upgraded is most likely the warhead of ballistic missiles.”

Back in 1997, then Chief of General Staff Yury Baluyevsky announced proudly that Russia had developed a hypersonic cruise vehicle (HCV). Its flight path is non-classical, meaning it doesn’t follow the classic parabola like a modern nuclear warhead, but can arbitrarily change directions. HCVs can enter outer space, and then re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. A conventional nuclear warhead enters the dense layers of the atmosphere at a speed of 5,000 metres per second. The speed of the HCV is twice as high. This makes it very hard to detect with radar missile defence systems. In addition, as military personnel note, the HCV can be retargeted throughout its entire flight, unlike conventional warheads.

In early 1997 engineers from the Raduga Design Bureau in Dubna (located just outside Moscow) displayed a new class of airborne vehicle — the Kh-90 hypersonic experimental cruise missile — at the International Aviation Aerospace Salon (MAKS) in Zhukovsky. In the West, it was called the AS-19 Koala.

This rocket was made to replace the Kh-55 strategic cruise missile that is carried by the Tu-160 bomber. Its flight range was 3,000 km. The missile could carry two warheads with individual guidance, each capable of hitting targets at a distance of 100 km from the point of separation. The carrier of the X-90 was to be a modernised version of the Tu-160M strategic bomber. However, according to official data, work on the missile was suspended in 1992.

There were also more exotic designs. For example, one of the missile design bureaus proposed placing several supersonic or hypersonic cruise missiles instead of a nuclear warhead in a heavy ballistic missile. The designers thought that with this weapon, the Soviet Union would have been able to engage U.S. aircraft carrier fleets anywhere in the world directly from Siberia. A ballistic missile would carry the warhead into the targeted area, and there the cruise missiles themselves would detect and strike the target. The idea was abandoned because of its exorbitant cost, and the Koala was left as the only tangible evidence of the scientists’ hypersonic research. All other development was kept top secret.

But after the United States stepped up its own work on hypersonic cruise vehicles, Moscow returned to its own hypersonic “trump cards,” including the RS-26 Rubezh “manoeuvring nuclear unit” ballistic missile.
SOURCE: INDRUS

Thanks for Info

 

[vostok]

IRKUTSK, October 23. (Itar-Tass) – Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin announced that Russia initiated tests of a new hypersonic weapon.
“I can say that field tests are being conducted: they’re classified both in Russia and in the United States,” he said, noting that Russian technology does not lag behind the American.
Reviewing the Russian military-industrial complex, Rogozin said, that Russia is a relative leader when it comes to nuclear technology. Component construction is a problem spot, he admitted, noting that Russia will recover this industrial sector in the next few years.
ITAR-TASS : Russia begins testing of hypersonic weapons

 

[Oldman1]

As far as I know, nor existing neither projected missile defense will not be able to shoot down warheads of "Rubezh."

Lets keep it that way.

 

[vostok]

Lets keep it that way.

These warheads will be able to maneuver by course and height. This is the next level. Now the U.S. will have to design a missile defense system from scratch.

 

[Oldman1]

These warheads will be able to maneuver by course and height. This is the next level. Now the U.S. will have to design a missile defense system from scratch.

Right...then the Russians don't need to complain about our system anymore. We cannot chase after these moving warheads.

 

[vostok]

Right...then the Russians don't need to complain about our system anymore. We cannot chase after these moving warheads.

You can do what you want and put any defense - but in the United States. What the heck are you trying to install missile defense at the borders of Russia?

 

[flamer84]

You can do what you want and put any defense - but in the United States. What the heck are you trying to install missile defense at the borders of Russia?

Get lost troll,who the frack cars about Russia's borders,those are independent states we are talking about,they can house any military hardware they want regardless of Russias wishes.You're a nobody who doesn't have a say in other countries policies.
Oldman1 is right,if Russias missiles are so sooper dooper powerful i see no reason for all this moaning.

 

[gambit]

These warheads will be able to maneuver by course and height. This is the next level. Now the U.S. will have to design a missile defense system from scratch.

When are you going to learn from history, the one that says the Soviets/Russians continually underestimated US? Are you that limited in your thinking? Do you really think that the only options for US are sending up physical interceptors? The Zumwalt's power generators are powerful enough to rail gun a projectile 100 km or enough to power energy weapons and we are already field testing a variety of them. You think that just because you say 'from scratch' that is going to somehow make US nervous?

Hey, buddy...We often start from scratch, from perspectives that no one, including Russians, thought of before.

 

[vostok]

When are you going to learn from history, the one that says the Soviets/Russians continually underestimated US? Are you that limited in your thinking? Do you really think that the only options for US are sending up physical interceptors? The Zumwalt's power generators are powerful enough to rail gun a projectile 100 km or enough to power energy weapons and we are already field testing a variety of them. You think that just because you say 'from scratch' that is going to somehow make US nervous?

Hey, buddy...We often start from scratch, from perspectives that no one, including Russians, thought of before.

Starting with "Sputnik" and Gagarin and ending with "Satan" our rocket technologies were superior. When was the last time you created a new ballistic missile? But we did not stop work on them while you are robbed and bombed the world.
Though - even knowing obviously you still do not recognize it.

 

[gambit]

Starting with "Sputnik" and Gagarin and ending with "Satan" our rocket technologies were superior.

Yeah...We went to the Moon. We got the Space Shuttle, the real thing, while the best the Soviets had was a sorry copy.

When was the last time you created a new ballistic missile?

We have no need to. We did not collapsed, remember?

 

[vostok]

Yeah...We went to the Moon. We got the Space Shuttle, the real thing, while the best the Soviets had was a sorry copy.

we had eight orbital stations. You have nothing beforу
cooperative ISS.
What do you think - why the Americans have now no ships to deliver cosmonauts into orbit ? Because your space industry is in a deep systemic crisis . And despite the billions spent - you may no longer back into space at all . After the collapse. And it will be - there was no empire that would not have collapsed.
What do you think - why half of U.S. missiles use Russian engines? Because they are much better that you can create.

We have no need to. We did not collapsed, remember?

You say that you did not create new ballistic missiles , because you have not had a collapse ? This is nonsense .
This is we after the collapse did not have to develop new missiles.
And you had to have 2 generations to change. And you have the missles from 70s and you have not even begun to develop a replacement.

 

[Hafizzz]

Go Russia Go !!!

God created Russia to keep USA in check.

 

[gambit]

we had eight orbital stations. You have nothing beforу
cooperative ISS.
What do you think - why the Americans have now no ships to deliver cosmonauts into orbit ? Because your space industry is in a deep systemic crisis . And despite the billions spent - you may no longer back into space at all . After the collapse. And it will be - there was no empire that would not have collapsed.
What do you think - why half of U.S. missiles use Russian engines? Because they are much better that you can create.

You say that you did not create new ballistic missiles , because you have not had a collapse ? This is nonsense .
This is we after the collapse did not have to develop new missiles.
And you had to have 2 generations to change. And you have the missles from 70s and you have not even begun to develop a replacement.

Kid...No one intelligent and mature take your arguments seriously. It is a juvenile mind to think that a country's technological might rests solely on weapons development. That was how the Soviets think and that was why the Soviet empire collapsed. Do you have a microwave oven? Of course you do. Did it came from your part of the world? Of course not. It came from US. You like the Internet where beautiful Russian girls can advertise themselves so they can leave that sorry part of the world? Of course you do like the Internet and it also came from US. I had a chance to drive an 1980s era Lada once when I was living in Florida. What a piece of sh1t was the Lada and I thought American pieces of sh1t were bad. The only worthwhile things from your part of the world are vodka and women.

So you go right on and boast about your sorry military, young man. Given what Russia have been through since the beginning of the communist era to now, that sorry military is all you got.