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Industry delivered first satellites for the EKS early-warning system

According to the deputy minister of defense, the industry has delivered the first two satellites of the new-generation early-warning system known as EKS. The first launch of a new satellite is expected to take place in November-December 2015, very much as announced this summer.

The EKS system has been in the works for quite a while - the first report that mentioned the system appeared in 2007. The complete system is said to include 10 satellites, which are expected to be deployed by the end of 2018. However, given the history of delays, it is safe to assume that the deployment will take longer. The satellites have been referred to as Tundra.

At the moment, Russia has no functioning early-warning satellites in orbit. The last two satellites stopped working some time in the fall of 2014.

[Early warning] [Space] [October 9, 2015] []

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On May 25, 2017 at 09:33:41 MSK (06:33:41 UTC), the Air and Space Forces successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b launcher from the launch pad No. 4 of the launch complex No. 43 of the Plesetsk site. Press reports quote official statement...
[Launch of the second satellite of the EKS early-warning system] [May 25, 2017 1:44 PM] [#]

Comments

+ Russia began construction of the Voronezh-M early-warning radar in Vorkuta:
http://spetsstroy.ru/press/news/detail.php?ID=37633

[Alexander Stukalin ] [October 14, 2015] [#]

Pavel,
What is the detection gap between orbital early warning systems and ground based EW radar? I would assume it depends on the time it takes for missiles to break the horizon, which at ~6000 miles might only be a minute at most?

[Jon Grams ] [October 19, 2015] [#]

I did this kind of an estimate in my old paper.

[Pavel Podvig ] [October 19, 2015] [#]

Thanks Pavel, that's very informative; I had no idea the Russian early warning system was at such a disadvantage. If anything, it would seem satellites are far more critical to Russia than to the U.S. Russia would have to have a highly reflexive (almost automated)launch-on-warning system just to prevent a decapitation first strike by the U.S. if it's only detection system was ground-based radar...

[Jon Grams ] [October 25, 2015] [#]

What do you think the US would do if Russia installed S400 (or even the most minimal capability ABM system for that matter) systems in Canada, Mexico and Cuba to "protect" those countries from North Korean ICBM's? And if they then refused to guarantee that said ABM's would not be used against US ICBM's? And then further refused to cooperate on a joint ABM program has Russia has asked us multiple times to do in eastern Europe?

The answer to this question should be obvious.

[Jon Grams ] [November 24, 2015] [#]

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