Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (right) visits the Voronezh-DM a radar warning system station in Kaliningrad November, 2011 (AFP/Ria-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev)
Business Insider: Russia has lost its ability to detect incoming nuclear missiles from space
Russia just lost its early-warning system for detecting ballistic missiles because of delays in the launch of its new "Tundra" advanced early-warning system.
According to Russia's Kommersant newspaper, the system was due to replace ageing satellites launched as part of the Oko programme that had already exceeded their expected life span of five to seven years. The system had been beset by technical problems, and in January this year the last two satellites, which were operational for only a few hours each day, finally went offline.
Update: Russian Nuclear Missile Detection Capability Limited by Satellite Launch Delays -- Moscow Times
WNU Editor: Someone in the defense ministry screwed up .... and big time. Apparently the first satellite launch with Russia's new early warning system will be in July .... that is if there are no technical difficulties. I guess Russia will now have to depend on its on-ground radar systems to detect incoming missiles .... but until that first early warning satellite system is launched .... be nervous ..... be very nervous.
6 comments:
Someone call Mathias Rust please.
Re Photo: A cell phone and a dial phone on the same desktop. An apt description of Russia?
I'm pretty sure they will be ok.
James,
Looks more like a cordless than a cell phone.
Hardline military coms are generally based on deeply buried and hardened wires and Fiber,
Cell phones are too easy to track, spoof, remote activate, monitor and jam,
Plus they can take photo's of embarassing stuff, so in many secure places, they are banned.
My phone at home is an old 40 year black rotary Bell phone. The phone in my home office is .... well .... top of the line. Russia is the same thing .... a few years ago I went to see a friend at the FO .... old phones were still there .... but so were some impressive modern phones.
As to the above photo .... I do know that the Russian defense department has a marriage of old and new tech .... maybe this is just one of those examples. As to cell phones .... I know they are prohibited on military installations .... so Jay .... you are right.
Jay,
One day if I can remember and remember the specifics I'll tell you a story about russian military land lines, Christmas, and vodka, no Franzia WNU so calm down.
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