On September 29, 2006 Russian strategic bombers conducted four test launches of cruise missiles at the Pem-boy test range (also known as Khalmer-Yu, after a former settlement there) near Vorkuta. The launches were part of a large-scale exercise of the strategic aviation. The exercise was reported to take place from 26 to 30 September 2006 and involve more than 50 bombers of the Tu-160, Tu-95MS, and Tu-22M3 type.
Two groups of strategic bombers were reported to take part in today's launches, both of them included Tu-160 and Tu-95MS aircraft based in Engels. The first group was reported to leave the base at 4:00 MSK, the second one - at 7:00 MSK.
General Khvorov, the Commander of the 37th Air Army, was quoted as saying that two of the four cruise missiles hit their targets and the other two "successfully reached the target trajectories". It is not clear if this means that missiles in these two launches failed to reach their intended targets.
UPDATE 09/30/06: NORAD Intercepts Russian Aircraft.
UPDATE 10/24/06: The VPK newspaper reports that only three cruise missiles were launched during the exercise.
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Pavel, I think the message is clear; Russia is now serious about readiness of their strategic air forces. But the question is can Russian forces survive with their age old Tu fleets? Should they not modernize their Tu aircrafts? It is clear that entire long-range aircrafts will be in tact even after 2015. It is time to have new Tu aircrafts at least 5 a year. Well, what type of cruise missiles launched?
Now, I just read a media report that qouted Lt. Gen. Igor Khvorov as saying the excercise involved 70 bombers and 18 cruise missile launches.
And ABC news is reporting that F-15's were scrambled to intercept 2 Russian bombers that were buzzing the Alaskan border, thursday.
No reports on 18 cruise missiles in the Russian media. They quote Khvorov as mentioning only four. The rest might be Kh-22 (if I remember correctly) launched from Tu-22M3 bombers (which would account for some of the 70 bombers as well).
What’s the purpose of training launches of Kh-22. As far I understand they are anti-carrier group aeroballistic missiles. A quite old mission and a quite old weapon, considering that Kh-15 are better smaller and faster.
The KH-15 is also a nuclear stand-off missile.
And heck, if they're still practising bombing runs against North America, why not practise killing carriers too?
May be they were (in fact they can be) used in a SEAD role. Anyway, it’s surprising that there are still in active stockpile liquid fuelled kh-22.
Well, maybe I'm wrong about Kh-22 (although I don't think it's a anti-ship missile). Kh-15 would be a possibility.
Interestingly, refurnished kh-22 may be in the Russian inventory!! It looks a little bit strange, but as far as the open media indicates, may be a weapon of choice for Backfires, in spite of the liquid fuel “out of the fuselage” characteristic of that rocket. This should made its carriage risky but… who knows?
Are there some russian strategic bombers with nuclear weapons on high alert, or how much time would Russia need to get them in the air in a serious situation?
And does Russia also have nuclear bombs for its strategic bombers like the american B-62 or B-83 bombs, espeacially for bunker busting like the B-62/11?
Martin
Apparently a pair of Russian bombers also overflew Icelandic airspace during the same excercise, without being noticed.
Glad to see a bi-polar or even tri-polar world coming back. It keeps everybody on their respective toes even though we are all now capitalists.
Ozzy:
We do seem to live in a "bi-polar" world. Couldn’t resist!
Frank Shuler
USA
Frank ... thats a good one, it seems we all need some reality - I am an American ... but the Russians need to feel that the US/NATO/EU is a Socio-economic and Security Partner ... not a probable enemy under the worst case scenario and I think we are provoking stategic actions from them out of our `go it alone policy in the world ... militarily, etc.' I know this site concentrates on discussion of strategic weapons, but politics always ensues ... so I think the addition of modernized TOPOL, TOPOL-M and the BULAVA systems are a great step for Russia along with the full modernization of its Nuclear Triad. It can only bring more stability to Eurasia and the World.
Ozzy:
While it seems somewhat surreal at times, the average American is no more interested in Russian nuclear weapons’ development than we are of the French. The Cold War is indeed over; something, I think, is sometimes better understood in America than Russia. The Kremlin will build a collection of modern weapons and systems to support their national defense, as it should do. Russia and America will be allies on some issues and adversaries on others; this is the new world order.
Frank Shuler
USA