Russia building anti-satellite weapons

AP
Thursday, 5 March 2009

Russia is working on anti-satellite weapons to match technologies
developed by other nations and will speed up modernization of its
nuclear forces, a deputy defense minister was quoted as saying today.

The statement by Gen. Valentin Popovkin signaled the government’s
intention to pursue its ambitious plans to strengthen the military
despite the money crunch caused by a worsening financial crisis. He
said the military will procure enough new missiles to deploy near
Poland if the US goes ahead with its European missile defense plans.

Popovkin said Russia continues to oppose a space arms race but will
respond to moves made by other countries, according to Russian news
reports.

"We can’t sit back and quietly watch others doing that; such work is
being conducted in Russia," Popovkin was quoted as saying.

Russia already has some "basic, key elements" of such weapons, he said
without elaboration.

Popovkin, who previously was the chief of Russian military Space
Forces, reportedly made the statement at a news conference in response
to a question about US and Chinese tests of anti-satellite weapons.

In February 2008, a US Navy ship launched a missile that hit a dying
spy satellite. The test boosted the credibility of missile defense
advocates. In 2007, China destroyed one of its own defunct satellites
with a ballistic missile.

The Kremlin has criticized US plans for space-based weapons, saying
they could trigger a new arms race. Russia and China have pushed for an
international agreement banning space weapons, but their proposals have
been rejected by the United States.

As part of missile defense plans developed by the previous US
administration, the Pentagon worked on missiles, ground lasers and
other technology to shoot down satellites.

George W. Bush’s administration plan to locate missile defense sites in
Poland and the Czech Republic put it at odds with Russia, which opposed
the move as a threat to its security.

President Barack Obama has signaled that he might forgo an anti-missile
system in Eastern Europe if Russia helps end a standoff over Iran’s
nuclear ambitions.

The Kremlin has welcomed Washington’s moves to improve ties, but
Russian officials continue to emphasize the need for modernization of
Russian military arsenals.

Popovkin said the military this year will procure several dozen new
short-range Iskander missiles. Russia has threatened to send such
missiles to its westernmost Kaliningrad region if the U.S. locates
missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, but media
reports said the military now only has a few such missiles.

Popovkin said the government budgeted 1.5 trillion rubles ($42 billion)
for weapons purchases this year. He said a quarter of that sum will be
spent on strategic nuclear forces.

The military will use the money to put more than 10 new
intercontinental ballistic missiles on line by year’s end, Popovkin
said ‘ a much faster pace of deployment than in previous years.

"We are giving priority to strategic nuclear weapons in order to be
able to inflict irreparable damage to anyone who would attack us,"
Popovkin was quoted as saying.

Popovkin said the military also intends to complete tests of the Bulava
intercontinental ballistic missile and put it into service by the
year’s end. Russian leaders have boasted of its capability to penetrate
missile defenses and described it as a key part of the military’s
future nuclear arsenal.

But the Bulava, intended for Russia’s nuclear submarines, has failed in
five of its 10 test launches.

"Any weapon may fail during tests," Popovkin was quoted as saying. "We
were forced to increase the number of tests because of a series of
failures. We have checked the entire production chain and found a
number of flaws."

Popovkin said the Russian air force will receive about 50 new planes
and 50 military helicopters this year. The figure is significantly
higher than the total number of combat aircraft commissioned by the
military since the 1991 Soviet collapse. He also said a next-generation
fighter jet is set to make its maiden flight in August.

Popovkin said the military will also focus on obtaining high-precision
weapons and will procure new ships to protect Russia’s interests in the
Arctic, where several nations have conflicting claims on the ocean
shelf believed to contain rich energy resources.

He also said the military will beef up its forces in the south in
response to Russia’s war with Georgia last August.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress