“Listen to us, now!”. A clear warning to the United States by Vladimir Putin made from Moscow this 1st March, Russia is creating the latest weapons in response to the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM). “The United States did not meet Russia halfway on the issue”, President Vladimir Putin said in his State of the Nation Address.
"Listen to us, now!" A clear warning from President Vladimir Putin to the United States (Picture source: TASS)
After a first part of his speech about the economic and social challenges to be solved, Vladimir Putin devoted nearly half of his two-hour speech to Russian deputies and senators to discuss the new military capabilities of Russia. His speech, live on television, was interspersed with videos broadcast on two giant screens unveiling these new weapons, mixing 3D shots and real images, without skimping on the explosions.
"We are talking about the latest Russian strategic weapons created in response to the unilateral US withdrawal from the ABM and practical deployment of the missile shield both on the US territory and outside its national borders," he said.
The United States raised the issue of withdrawing from ABM Treaty in 2000. "Russia was categorically against. We believe the Soviet-US ABM Treaty of 1972 was the cornerstone of international security. It stipulated that each country could deploy only one missile shield on its territory," Putin said. "All our proposals were rejected. We said we shall have to upgrade modern attack complex to ensure our own security," the president said. "We began to design a new generation of missiles. In particular, the Defense Ministry jointly with space industry enterprises is holding an active stage of test trials of a heavy ICBM. We called it Sarmat," Putin said.
He also announced the design of a "small super powerful nuclear power plant which is accommodated inside a cruise missile hull" and "ensures ten-fold longer range than other missiles." "Low-flying and low-signature cruise missile with a nuclear re-entry vehicle and practically unlimited range and unpredictable trajectory and ability to bypass interception is invulnerable for all existing and prospective air and missile defense weapons," Putin said.
The latest Russian cruise missile with a nuclear engine was successfully launched from a Russian central range in late 2017. "During the flight the power plant reached the assigned capacity and provided the necessary thrust. The launch and ground tests open a way for the creation of a fundamentally new type of weapon - a strategic nuclear missile equipped with a nuclear power plant," Putin said.
Russia also created unmanned underwater craft capable of operating at super depths with an unlimited range. "I can say that Russia has designed unmanned underwater craft capable of operating at major depths. I would say very big depths and an intercontinental range and a speed, which surpasses those of the submarines and modern torpedoes and all surface warships several-fold," Putin said.
The unmanned craft have low noise, high maneuverability and are practically invulnerable for the adversary. "There are no weapons in the world at present which can counter them," the president said. The craft can be equipped with conventional and nuclear munitions. They will destroy a wide range of targets, including aircraft carriers, coastal fortifications and infrastructure. Putin said a several-year test cycle of the innovative nuclear power plant for the unmanned craft had been completed in December 2017.
The hypersonic Kinzhal missiles have been on duty in the Southern Military District since December 1, 2017. Its unique characteristics deliver the missile to the target area in several minutes. "The development of precision hypersonic air missile complex was a major stage of arms development," Putin said.
Putin also announced the creation and constant upgrade of effective domestic systems to break through missile shields. "Russia has designed systems which are modest in price but effective in overcoming missile defense. All our ICBM are equipped with them," he said.
Russia has also launched serial production of a new Avangard missile with gliding winged reentry vehicle. "Russian industrial enterprises launched the serial production of the system which is a new Russian strategic weapon. We called it Avangard," Putin said. The missile can laterally maneuver for several thousand kilometers, as well as in altitude. "It makes it completely invulnerable for any air and missile shield," the president said.
"The use of new composite materials resolved the problem of a long-controlled flight of the gliding winged vehicle in nearly plasma conditions. It approaches the target like a meteorite or a fireball. The temperature rises to 1600-2000 degrees Centigrade. The winged vehicle is nevertheless reliably controlled," Putin said.
