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U.S. Analyzes New Russian Warhead
U.S. officials have confirmed that Russia has tested a new missile warhead designed to defeat missile defenses by changing its course, the Washington Times reported (see GSN, Nov. 3). U.S. satellites and other intelligence monitors tracked a Nov. 1 test, in which the warhead was launched on a Topol-M missile from a complex near Volgograd. While existing ballistic warheads remain on a constant flight path after reaching space, the experimental warhead appears capable of switching course and range, U.S. officials told the Times. Russian officials told press outlets there that the new warhead was produced in response to the installation of U.S. missile interceptors in Alaska and California. Added maneuverability could defeat U.S. systems that calculate the flight path and impact point of a warhead in guiding missile interceptors toward their targets. While he did not discuss the Russian test, U.S. Missile Defense Agency spokesman Rick Lehner noted that U.S. missile defenses are focused on nations such as North Korea rather than Russia. Moscow worries, though, that U.S. interceptors could be placed on the East Coast or in Europe in order to defeat Russian missiles, the Times reported (Bill Gertz, Washington Times, Nov. 21). Meanwhile, Russia announced yesterday that it would test its mobile RS-12M Topol ICBM on Nov. 29. “The purpose of the launch is to confirm the reliability of missiles of this type and to extend their service life,” Col. Alexander Vovk, spokesman for the Russian Strategic Missile Troops, told ITAR-Tass. A fifth Missile Troops regiment is expected to enter service with the silo-based Topol-M missile late next month, Vovk said. The Teykovskaya missile division is to receive Topol-M missiles on mobile launchers next year (ITAR-Tass, Nov. 21).
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