Therefore, NATO has to rely on nuclear forces to counterbalance NATO's overwhelming military superiority. We bring to your attention five nuclear weapons systems that pose a threat.
Russia is investing heavily in modernizing its nuclear forces, both strategic and tactical. We bring to your attention five Russian nuclear weapons systems. Among them are not only the usual nuclear weapons, but also systems with a nuclear component. If we talk about the military power of Moscow, then it is they who pose the real threat to the West.
Modern Russia is not the Soviet Union. If the USSR adhered to the obligation not to use nuclear weapons first, then Russia in November 1993 renounced it. In fact, Moscow has secured the right to use its nuclear arsenal in any conflict within the framework of the doctrine with the paradoxical name of "de-escalation."
This is due to the fact that if the Soviet military were confident in their ability to defeat any enemy in a war using conventional means, now the Russian army is a complete mess. Some of its units and subdivisions are well equipped and trained, but most of Russia's non-nuclear armed forces are composed of poorly trained conscripts who use outdated Soviet-era weapons.
Therefore, Russia has to rely on its nuclear forces to counterbalance NATO's overwhelming military superiority. It is investing heavily in modernizing its nuclear forces, both strategic and tactical.
We bring to your attention five Russian nuclear weapons systems. Moreover, we are talking not only about the usual nuclear weapons themselves, but also about systems with a nuclear component. All of them pose a threat to the United States of America.
Project 955 Borey ballistic missile submarines
Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) are the most enduring component of a nuclear deterrent. The Soviet Union had a whole fleet of SSBNs, represented by Delta class submarines (collective designation of four types of Soviet strategic nuclear submarines: Murena, Murena-M, Kalmar and Dolphin - approx. Per.) And Project 941 " Shark". The new Project 955 Borey strategic missile submarine has replaced these boats.
The new submarine is much smaller than the huge submarine of Project 941 "Shark" (Typhoon in NATO classification), however, it is still larger than the American SSBNs of the "Ohio" class. The project that formed the basis of "Borey" was conceived in the last years of the existence of the Soviet Union. SSBN "Borey" has good characteristics and can carry on board 16 ballistic missiles of submarines "Bulava". This quiet boat has excellent hydrodynamics.
To date, three such boats have been built, and three more are under construction. Some of them are improved, and, according to some reports, are capable of carrying 20 missiles on board. Russia hopes to build 10 Borey submarines. However, there are doubts that such construction will be within her means.
SLBM "Bulava"
Project Borei submarines would be useless without their nuclear weapons. These submarines are equipped with the new RSM-56 Bulava solid-propellant ballistic missiles. It was with great difficulty that the Russians created this rocket. A considerable number of such missiles exploded during testing, and there were other problems related to the quality of the control system. It seems that most of these problems have been resolved, but only time can confirm this.
On paper, the Bulava appears to be a very powerful weapon. The 37-ton missile has a range of 11 thousand kilometers and can carry 10 warheads with a capacity of 150 kilotons each. But usually missiles are equipped with only six warheads.
Attack submarine of project 855 "Ash"
Project Yasen submarines are a new generation of Russian missile submarines. The first boat was laid down in 1993, but due to a lack of funds, the construction was completed only in September 2011. The first boat of the Yasen project, named Severodvinsk (pictured), makes a deep impression. So deep that the head of the American submarine program ordered a model for his office.
“We will face a strong potential adversary. Just look at Severodvinsk, the Russian version of a nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine. This ship made such an impression on me that I asked the people from Karderok to build its layout based on data from open sources, - the program manager said at the end of 2014 at the submariners' symposium in Falls Church submarines from the Directorate of Marine Systems Development Rear Admiral Dave Johnson (Dave Johnson). "The submarine fleet of the rest of the world never stands in one place, but is constantly evolving."
Russia is building improved versions of Project 855 boats, which take into account the mistakes and shortcomings made since 1993. However, the Yasen submarines do not carry strategic nuclear weapons on board. Their weapons are nuclear-powered cruise missiles.
Russian arsenal of operational-tactical nuclear weapons
Russia's arsenal of operational-tactical nuclear weapons is smaller than what the Soviet Union once had. Russia is believed to have at least 2,000 deployed operational-tactical nuclear weapons. But if we take into account the non-deployed weapons, then it has up to five thousand such warheads. It is believed that the Soviet Union had between 15,000 and 25,000 operational-tactical nuclear weapons in service.
Russia is using these weapons to compensate for the relative weakness of its conventional forces. But now it is not completely clear how many such weapons it has in service. It should be noted that operational-tactical nuclear weapons are not subject to the START treaties.
Russia can deliver such weapons to the target in different ways. One of the delivery vehicles is the 9K720 Iskander short-range ballistic missile (pictured). These weapons can be deployed in places such as the Kaliningrad region on the Baltic coast, for example, to strike at US missile defense targets in Poland.
ICBM PC-24 "Yars"
In recent years, Russia has continued the process of modernizing its ground-based strategic nuclear deterrent forces. The PC-24 Yars, known in NATO as the SS-27 Mod 2, is Russia's newest ICBM. Its multiple warhead can carry up to four warheads of individual guidance. The missile can be launched either from the silo or from a mobile launcher based on a wheeled vehicle.
Russia is also developing the Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, which is supposed to penetrate the enemy's anti-missile defense systems. Almost nothing is known about this missile, except that it will run on liquid fuel and will be able to carry 15 warheads. It is believed that the "Sarmat" will replace the Cold War-era missile R-36M (Satan in NATO classification).
Dave Majumdar has been covering military issues since 2004. He is currently writing for the U. S. Naval Institute, Aviation Week, The Daily Beast and others. He has previously covered national security issues for Flight International, Defense News and C4ISR Journal. Majumdar has done strategic research at the University of Calgary and is currently studying naval history.
