The composition of SRF is often wrongly include all nuclear strike means, including strategic bombers and submarines. In reality, the leadership of the strategic missile forces responsible for mine installation and mobile systems, but they account for over 60% of the total number of warheads and carriers the Russian nuclear triad (land, sea and air components).

Since 1990 has significantly decreased the personnel of the strategic missile forces and an Arsenal of ICBMs. This situation is due to the agreements with the United States on mutual phased reduction of offensive weapons. Currently, the strategic missile forces consist of three missile armies and 12 missile divisions. According to specialized publications, in early 2016 the strategic missile forces had 296 complexes five different types and 890 nuclear warheads.

The fruits of modernization

In 2010, Russia launched a program of modernization of nuclear forces. Defense Ministry to replace Soviet missiles more accurate, functional and easy to operate. Replaced mine complex "Governor" with a missile R-36M "Satan" with 2019-2020 will start coming fifth-generation complex "Sarmat". The new complex will be equipped with high-precision ICBM hypersonic warhead, known as the product, u-71, which should be able to overcome any missile defense.

Since 2009 the strategic missile forces supplied ballistic missile RS-24 "YARS", which will replace the PC-18 and PC-20, installed on the mobile complexes "Topol-M". The highlight of "Yarsa" in separable head portion, which complicates the reflection of attack of the interceptor missiles. In addition, lightweight version of the RS-24 will be installed at the railway complex "Barguzin", which is under development.

Until the end of 2016 the strategic missile forces will receive about 100 new samples of military and special equipment, including missiles, launchers, mobile command posts. This is almost two times more than in 2015. In particular, on combat duty to intercede four regiments with 23 missiles "YARS". This year, the designers had conducted over 100 command and staff, tactic and special exercises and successfully launched several Intercontinental ballistic missiles in the process of checking their performance.

The modernization of nuclear forces is Russia's huge importance, given not only the end timing of the operation of Soviet missiles. For 15 years the United States form a global missile defense system and continue to test missiles. The Pentagon updates its percussive Arsenal. According to media reports, only to develop a new silo-based ICBMs will cost $85 billion, half as much of the military budget.

December 15, 2016, the strategic missile forces commander Colonel General Sergei Karakayev said that the troops are capable of performing any task. According to him, the advantage of the strategic missile forces is ensured by the arrangement of complexes in the territory of the Russian Federation and variety of used launchers. Karakayev noted that to date, the parity was established between the stationary and mobile complexes.

"It must be emphasized that in 2017 in the framework of the teachings of the strategic missile forces will be to develop new areas of combat patrols. With the latest pontoon-bridge Park is not only launcher, but also a missile regiment pgrk can boost almost any water barrier in the European part...

The solution to this problem will allow the missile forces continue to develop new areas of combat patrols," said Colonel-General.

It is no secret that Russia and the United States carefully monitor (mostly through satellites and radar stations) all launches of ICBMs and the movement of missile systems. The statement of the commander of the strategic missile forces on new areas means that NATO and the United States will be more difficult to determine the routes of the Russian "Topol". Also the West are puzzled by the upcoming appearance of "Barguzin", which will be virtually indistinguishable from conventional locomotive.

Another trump card of Moscow — the operational-tactical complex "Iskander" designed primarily for the destruction of missile defense facilities and air defense. In addition, missiles can be equipped with nuclear warheads, and cruise missile R-500, according to the Pentagon, capable of hitting targets at ranges of over 2 thousand kilometers.

PRO — is not an obstacle for the strategic missile forces

"This level of strategic forces land-based any one state, no. The United States, for example, there are mobile systems, they only have one silo. The highest level of achievements in missile weapons — a complex, which can conduct launches at any time from any point. We have missile troops — the system is more perfect, than the strategic offensive forces of the United States," said RT's head of the Department of operational art of the Military Academy RVSN them. Peter the Great, doctor of military Sciences by Vyacheslav Kruglov.

In his opinion, in this regard Russia has no need to develop costly missile defense system. "We find asymmetric ways to nullify the effect of creating and applying ABOUT of the enemy. You can be sure that in the next decade for missile defense of the United States of America and the European missile defense system will not be able to resist our strategic nuclear forces will not be able to disrupt the execution of their combat tasks," — said Kruglov.

Member of the Council on foreign and defense policy, major-General in retirement Pavel Zolotarev in an interview with RT agreed that Russia — the world's most powerful ground-based nuclear forces. Besides the U.S., the land complexes are in service in China, India and Pakistan. The UK and France, there are only sea and air strategic forces.

Zolotarev believes that the us missile defense system does not threaten nuclear potential of Russia:

"The fact that today created by the Americans, including the prospects for the deployment in Europe of Missile troops of strategic purpose and, in General, the nuclear potential of Russia does not threaten. And that is on the territory of the United States, few interceptors, I think, even with one missile "YARS" if it starts, they can't do it".

He recalled that Russia has no missile defense system and instead has a system of warning of missile attack, consisting of two trains. "First of all, this information is needed to the President for decision-making and missile troops, because only they are able to act in the so-called retaliatory strike, that is the time to produce their launches until the fall of warheads of the enemy. No component of the strategic nuclear forces is not able to".

Alex Nakvasin, Vladimir Smirnov

Source: https://russian.rt.com/russia/article/342294-rvsn-rakety

Tags: Russia , armed forces , missile defense