Russia?!

[SirMystiq]

Where the hell did they come from!?

Russia Developing New Nuclear Missile



MOSCOW (AP) - President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is developing a new form of nuclear missile unlike those held by other countries, news agencies reported.

Speaking at a meeting of the Armed Forces\' leadership, Putin reportedly said that Russia is researching and successfully testing new nuclear missile systems.

``I am sure that ... they will be put in service within the next few years and, what is more, they will be developments of the kind that other nuclear powers do not and will not have,\'\' Putin was quoted as saying by the ITAR-Tass news agency.

Putin reportedly said: ``International terrorism is one of the major threats for Russia. We understand as soon as we ignore such components of our defense as a nuclear and missile shield, other threats may occur.\'\'


No details were immediately available, but Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier this month that Russia expected to test-fire a mobile version of its Topol-M ballistic missile this year and that production of the new weapon could be commissioned in 2005.


News reports have also said Russia is believed to be developing a next-generation heavy nuclear missile that could carry up to 10 nuclear warheads weighing a total of 4.4 tons, compared with the Topol-M\'s 1.32-ton combat payload.


Topol-Ms have been deployed in silos since 1998. The missiles have a range of about 6,000 miles and reportedly can maneuver in ways that are difficult to detect.


Earlier this year, a senior Defense Ministry official was quoted as telling news agencies that Russia had developed a weapon that could make the United States\' proposed missile-defense system useless. Details were not given, but military analysts said the claimed new weapon could be a hypersonic cruise missile or maneuverable ballistic missile warheads.

Probably has a lot to do with the whole school terrorist incident.  Somehow I don\'t think making an uberly huge nuke will solve their problems though.

civil war coming, then Russia attacks.  Damn future guy was right....

[SirMystiq]

What future guy?
Nostradamus?

I don\'t think it\'s about terrorist at all. Why would they want a new nuke? I think it\'s more of a "we are still here suckas!" to the world.

Originally posted by THX
Probably has a lot to do with the whole school terrorist incident.  Somehow I don\'t think making an uberly huge nuke will solve their problems though.

I really don\'t think it has anything to do with that.

[GmanJoe]

I think it\'s a "new" type of nuke that won\'t turn deserts into sand. Just vaporizes the flesh.

[videoholic]

It\'s more than likely the same nukes they already have, but portable.  THis is all just a bunch of PR.

"Hey, look at us!!  We\'re powerful too!!!"  "Don\'t forget about us!!"

Originally posted by GmanJoe
I think it\'s a "new" type of nuke that won\'t turn deserts into sand. Just vaporizes the flesh.

A neutron bomb.

[GmanJoe]

Russia will employ their own version of terrorism : A Glass Mecca

[Titan]

I read a couple years ago that they were also developing a new MiG fighter. Not sure if that was true or not.

[Bobs_Hardware]

On the plus side, if they can afford to develop a new nuke, and even MiGs, it surely must mean that their economy is thriving and poverty is at an all time low!

edit:bah

These new nuclear warheads are in response to Bush developing a supposed missile defense system -- that barely works as is.  When one country openly spits in the face of another with new technology, do not expect the other country to sit idly by.  It was predicted Bush\'s new deterents would just lead to yet another arms race and that\'s exactly what it\'s going to do.  Now it\'s not a race of who can create the most, just a race of who can create the best.  Move - counter-move.  

The new Mig you are talking about Titan is some highly manueverable fighter that can basically stop and fly in all kinds of directions at varied speeds to not only make is incredibly manueverable, but can also dodge missiles at an incredible rate.  It would make the days of "hitting the breaks and they\'ll fly right by" a thing of the past.  This of course is the answer to our new stealth fighters -- the YF-22.  Supersonic speed, satellite guidance missile lock-on for super long range, its stealth capabilities -- all features answered to by this new highly manueverable MiG fighter.

The MiG 1.42 has not developed beyond a prototype.  In addition, this project was started in the 80\'s during the cold war when the YF-22 was started.  The 1.42 may never be deployed due to Russia cash shortage.

The fact remains that US technology is much more reliable than Russian technology.  I also disagree that the new nuclear weapons Russia is hinting at is a response to Bush\'s MSD.  The fact is, weapons programs take 10-20 years to become a reality.

This should not discourage the US from developing a MSD system.  I strongly disagree with anyone that thinks we should not take steps to protect this country from a nuclear attack.  It should also be pointed out that the US has offered to share our MSD technology with Russia when the project was resumed.

Ah, brings me back to the good ole days of mutual assured destruction.