Russia will quadruple its arsenal of strategic weapons in the next seven years 1005142

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Defence & Security News - Russia

 
 
Saturday, May 10, 2014 11:59 AM
 
Russia will quadruple its arsenal of strategic weapons in the next seven years.
Russia will quadruple its arsenal of long-range precision delivery platforms in the next seven years to strengthen the country's strategic deterrent, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Thursday, May 8, 2014. Igor Korotchenko, a leading Russian military expert, said that submarines, fighter jets and strategic bombers were all included as high-precision weapon platforms, and their total number would quadruple.
     
Russia will quadruple its arsenal of long-range precision delivery platforms in the next seven years to strengthen the country's strategic deterrent, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Thursday, May 8, 2014. Igor Korotchenko, a leading Russian military expert, said that submarines, fighter jets and strategic bombers were all included as high-precision weapon platforms, and their total number would quadruple.
Topol SS-25 launch unit intercontinental ballistic missile
     

According to Korotchenko, the weapons systems include both diesel- and nuclear-powered submarines, as well as a range of aircraft including the Su-35 Flanker fighter, Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber, Tu-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation fighter and the Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers.

On Thursday, President Putin as Russia’s commander-in-chief held a planned training exercise of the armed forces. The presidents of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries – Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan – observed the training process at the national defense control center.

Shoigu announced the plans while reporting on the results of the drills carried out earlier on Thursday by Russia's nuclear triad.

During the exercise, the Russian military test-launched a Topol (SS-25 Sickle) intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk launch complex in northwestern Russia.

Two Delta-class nuclear-powered strategic submarines from Russia’s Northern and Pacific Fleets also test fired ballistic missiles in the exercises.

And a Russian Tu-95 “Bear” strategic bomber launched six cruise missiles against ground targets.

Shoigu told Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the share of advanced missile systems in Russia’s arsenal will rise to 80 percent by 2016, and replace old models completely by 2021.