MOSCOW (AP) - Russia has successfully tested a hypersonic anti-Star Wars weapon capable of penetrating any prospective missile shield, a senior general said Thursday.
The prototype weapon proved it could maneuver so quickly as to make "any missile defense useless," Col.-Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, the first deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, told a news conference.
He said that the prototype of a new hypersonic vehicle had proved its ability to maneuver while in orbit, thereby making it able to to dodge an enemy's missile shield.
"The flying vehicle changed both the altitude and direction of its flight," Baluyevsky said. "During the experiment conducted yesterday, we proved that it's possible to develop weapons that would make any missile defense useless."
Baluyevsky's comment followed a statement by President Vladimir Putin, who said Wednesday after attending rocket launches from the Plesetsk launch pad in northern Russia that experiments conducted during the military maneuvers had proven that Russia could build new strategic weapons that would be unrivaled in the world.
Putin said that the development of new weapons was not directed against the United States, and Baluyevsky reaffirmed the statement, saying that the experiment shouldn't be seen as Russia's response to U.S. missile defense plans.
"The experiment conducted by us must not be interpreted as a warning to the Americans not to build their missile defense because we designed this thing," Baluyevsky told The Associated Press.
He said that Russia has no intention of immediately deploying new weapons based on the experimental vehicle. "We have demonstrated our capability, but we have no intention of building this craft tomorrow," he said.
Baluyevsky said that Russia had informed the United States about its intention to conduct the experiment and added that U.S. officials issued not objections.
He said that the new vehicle had "ceased to exist" after the experiment - presumably burning up in the atmosphere.
Baluyevsky refused to comment on what kind of engine the vehicle had, how long its flight lasted and how exactly it maneuvered. He said that it had been designed by several Russian companies, but refused to name them.
As part of the massive military maneuvers described as the largest in more than two decades, the military launched a Molniya-M booster rocket with a Kosmos military satellite from the northern Plesetsk launch pad and two ballistic missiles - a Topol from Plesetsk and an RS-18 from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Baluyevsky refused to say which of the rockets had carried the vehicle into the orbit
Ummm how exactly are they going to be able to afford any of this?
[conspiracy theorist]because they've been lying about their true funds for years!![/conspiracy theorist]
Member of the Unremarkables Just because you're god, it doesn't mean you can treat people that way : - My girlfriend Evil Brit Conspiracy - Insignificant guy
Russian Ambassador: The Soviet Union will be happy to offer Amnestiy to your wayward vessel
American Ambassador: Soviet Union? I thought you guys broke up.
Russian Ambassador: Yes, that's what we wanted you to think! (Evil Laughter).
[Presses Button, sign flips to 'USSR'
The Berlin Wall suddenly shots back up
Parades all over the former union reveal tanks and infantry.
Lenon smashes his way out of his tomb]
'Must.. Crush.. Capitalism!'
from who? if another country could afford to fund a space program, wouldn't you think they'd be doing one on their own rather than giving the money to russia?
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
PS - was this before or after the boomer botched the SLBM test?
"Of course, what would really happen is that in Game 7, with the Red Sox winning 20-0 in the 9th inning, with two outs and two strikes on the last Cubs batter, a previously unseen meteor would strike the earth, instantly and forever wiping out all life on the planet, and forever denying the Red Sox a World Series victory..."
Burak Gazan wrote:Um, arent ALL RV's hypersonic targets anyways?
Modern ones are, early ICBM RV's had to come in subsonic because of the heat shielding technology of the time. As for this thing, maneuverable reentry vehicles have existed for al long time, but building them so they can do so means they weigh far more, which means a missile can either carry fewer warheads or ones of radically reduced yield.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
Sea Skimmer wrote:Modern ones are, early ICBM RV's had to come in subsonic because of the heat shielding technology of the time. As for this thing, maneuverable reentry vehicles have existed for al long time, but building them so they can do so means they weigh far more, which means a missile can either carry fewer warheads or ones of radically reduced yield.
Or you can spend $$$ and replace your entire rocket force with brand spankin' new ones
*Points and laughs at silly dick waving russians* Dodge THIS, morons.
"The Cosmos is expanding every second everyday, but their minds are slowly shrinking as they close their eyes and pray." - MC Hawking "It's like a kids game. A morbid, blood-soaked Tetris game..." - Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs)
What's so impressive about it being able to maneuver in orbit while going hypersonic? The missile is still much bigger than an ABM. If they're armed with the same maneuvering technology, the ABM will always win with its smaller warhead and size. And no missile can out-maneuver a laser. What am I missing? And don't most of the Star Wars defenses hit missiles in the boost phase, before any of this orbital maneuvering is going on?
"Remember, being materialistic means never having to acknowledge your feelings"-Brent Sienna, PVP
"In the unlikely event of losing Pascal's Wager, I intend to saunter in to Judgement Day with a bookshelf full of grievances, a flaming sword of my own devising, and a serious attitude problem."- Rick Moen
*sigh* those damn Russians. They can't accept that they're not a superpower anymore...
The M2HB: The Greatest Machinegun Ever Made.
HAB: Crew-Served Weapons Specialist
"Making fun of born-again Christians is like hunting dairy cows with a high powered rifle and scope." --P.J. O'Rourke
"A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." --J.S. Mill
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"
- A.B. Original, Report to the Mist
"I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
- George Carlin
Gandalf wrote:*Plays the old Soviet national anthem.*
Yes, I have that on my computer.
"Soy'ooz neroosh'imi resp'ooblik svob'odnikh..."
The M2HB: The Greatest Machinegun Ever Made.
HAB: Crew-Served Weapons Specialist
"Making fun of born-again Christians is like hunting dairy cows with a high powered rifle and scope." --P.J. O'Rourke
"A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." --J.S. Mill
Gandalf wrote:*Plays the old Soviet national anthem.*
Yes, I have that on my computer.
"Soy'ooz neroosh'imi resp'ooblik svob'odnikh..."
Forgot to mention I have no idea what they're saying.
Though if all goes well I'll be doing Russian at uni next year.
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"
- A.B. Original, Report to the Mist
"I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
- George Carlin
I hope somebody remembered to tell the Russians in the 90s that they lost the Cold War.
Anyway, coming off how hilariously the Ruskies fucked up the ballistic missile launches that Putin was at, (the missiles failed to launch, then the same general who told the press in the early days of the Kursk crisis that everything was okay came out and said it was supposed to be a "virtual launch", I.E nothing was actually supposed to happen. ) the best chance for this being deployed anywhere is in Iran or some other third world country they can unload the technology off at for a tidy profit.
) the best chance for this being deployed anywhere is in Iran or some other third world country they can unload the technology off at for a tidy profit.