The arms race is back on...

[Wing Nut]

For those of you too young to remember the Cold War well, I don't think this will have as much sginificance as to us who do.  This is pretty scary.



Mystery over new Russian weapon
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MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- Russia has designed a "revolutionary" weapon that would make the prospective U.S. missile defense useless, Russian news agencies reported, quoting a senior Defense Ministry official.

The official, who was not identified by name, said tests conducted during last month's military maneuvers would dramatically change the philosophy behind development of Russia's nuclear forces, the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies reported on Monday.

If deployed, the new weapon would take the value of any U.S. missile shield to "zero," the news agencies quoted the official as saying.

The official said the new weapon would be inexpensive, providing an "asymmetric answer" to U.S. missile defenses, which are proving extremely costly to develop.

Russia, meanwhile, also has continued research in prospective missile defenses and has an edge in some areas compared to other nations, the official said.

The statement reported Monday was in line with claims by President Vladimir Putin's that experiments performed during last month's maneuvers proved that Russia could soon build strategic weapons that could puncture any missile-defense system.

At the time, Col-Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, the first deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, explained that the military tested a "hypersonic flying vehicle" that was able to maneuver between space and the earth's atmosphere.

Military analysts said that the mysterious new weapons could be a maneuverable ballistic missile warhead or a hypersonic cruise missile.

While Putin said the development of such new weapons wasn't aimed against the United States, most observers viewed the move as Moscow's retaliation to the U.S. missile defense plans.

After years of vociferous protests, Russia reacted calmly when Washington withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 in order to develop of a nationwide missile shield. But U.S.-Russian relations have soured again lately, and Moscow has complained about Washington's plans to build new low-yield nuclear weapons.

[IcedFoxtrotter]

F*ck.

And people wonder why I don't like Russia......

[Craig.]

well if its true maybe the US will dump the shield and save themselves billions,  although its slightly worrying the russians would create a weapon for that purpose whether they intend to use it or not

[Woodlouse2002]

although its slightly worrying the russians would create a weapon for that purpose whether they intend to use it or not

Just like low-yield nuclear weapons?

[SilverFox441]

The BMD sheild was never meant to be used against a full scale strike from Russia (the old "Star Wars" system was meant that way), so in the end this will have no real effect unless the new techniques can be applied by rogue nations or terrorists.

The new weapon may, in fact, be a variation of the old fractional orbital bombardment system. That was outlawed by treaty...but we've seen what can happen to a treaty.

[Meinas]

when will the governments of the world drop the "my pee-pee is bigger than yours" garbage?  One reason why the Russian's economy was turned to poop, is because they went hard core into the arms race, spent way to much...

[Craig.]

Just like low-yield nuclear weapons?

Its not my place to go into that one:) too risky lol

[IcedFoxtrotter]

I'm not on a high horse pete, I am just restating the fact that I dont like Russia because even though the cold war is over, I stiil don't trust them by any strech of the imagination.

Along these same lines, who was that a week ago who was whining that we should go work with them on space transportation? It is reasons like this that coperation will never happen, we will simply never (in the near future anyway) feel safe around them and working with them.

[ozzy72]

Iced err read the thread on topics huh!
Xenophobia will not be tolerated around here!

Ozzy