SOURCE:
http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/09/19/russian-iskander-m-missile-system-credible-deterrent.html
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUEoAKFNDYQ ]
In part the answer lies in its actual combat abilities. It is a medium-range missile system which uses a combination of maneuvering, and therefore difficult to intercept, ballistic missiles capable of carrying a variety of conventional and nuclear warheads. It is extremely accurate, with a circular error probable of under 10 meters, which makes it useful against heavily protected, small targets that would require a direct hit in order to be destroyed.
The Iskander-M therefore should be viewed as a Russian response to the US INF violations. In addition to the 9М723 ballistic missile with a range of 500km, each launch vehicle can also fire the 9M728 cruise missiles whose actual capabilities have never been revealed, though the missile has been tested out to at least 200km. Considering that the size of these missiles is comparable to the Kalibr sea-launched weapons whose range exceeds 2,000km, there is a definite possibility that the Iskander-M could be equipped with weapons of similar range unless the US begins to display more of an interest in re-establishing a mutually acceptable security framework for Europe.
The most modern weapons in the world produced by Russia were on display at the international military exposition «Army 2016», which took place on September 6-11, 2016 outside Moscow.
80 delegations across the world attended the event. More than 1,000 Russian manufacturers, researchers and members of the military universities were among the participants. «Real battle» simulations were presented to the foreign delegations by various branches of the Russian military. The Iskander-M tactical missile system - the most effective and deadly nonstrategic ballistic missile in existence, attracted particular attention.
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtyzdp-bfX0 ]
http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/09/19/russian-iskander-m-missile-system-credible-deterrent.html
Russian Iskander-M Missile System: Credible Deterrent
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUEoAKFNDYQ ]
Published on May 1, 2016
A video about a missile system that is feared by US Military. The Iskander-M has no shortage of admirers. They include the Islamic State and other Islamist entities in Syria, Poland, Turkey, NATO as a whole, and of course the United States. Seemingly no other Russian weapon system is as likely to steal a headline as soon as it makes an appearance somewhere on the global chess board.
To what does it owe its worldwide fan base?
In part the answer lies in its actual combat abilities. It is a medium-range missile system which uses a combination of maneuvering, and therefore difficult to intercept, ballistic missiles capable of carrying a variety of conventional and nuclear warheads. It is extremely accurate, with a circular error probable of under 10 meters, which makes it useful against heavily protected, small targets that would require a direct hit in order to be destroyed.
Its officially acknowledged range of 500km makes it a weapon of far more than tactical importance, as it can destroy sites far behind enemy front lines and hold in check enemy value targets such as key infrastructure, high-level command posts, and logistical nodes. The entire system is based on highly mobile wheeled platforms which are suitable for aerial transport by heavy airlifters. Iskander-M deployment to Syria demonstrated Russia’s ability to send these powerful warfighting and conventional deterrent weapons to almost any friendly part of the globe on a moment’s notice.
As of April 2016, the Russian military had six complete Iskander-M brigades in service, with each brigade possessing 12 launch vehicles. Since each vehicle carries two ready-to-launch missiles, with reloads carried by the brigade’s resupply vehicles, each brigade is capable of a simultaneous 24-missile volley that would be sufficient to saturate any tactical anti-ballistic missile system currently in service or development. In effect, a single Iskander-M brigade is equivalent to 3 Buyan-M missile corvettes, in terms of firepower, though the land-based launchers can be rapidly reloaded whereas the corvettes would have to return to base for replenishment.
The other reason for Iskander-M’s popularity is its political dimension. By the late 1980s, the Soviet military was using two sub-strategic ballistic missile systems, the 120km-range Tochka, and the 450km-range Oka. Even though Oka’s range was below the 500km threshold of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty, the Gorbachev government in effect made the US a present by pledging to eliminate the Okas along with longer-range missiles. Even though it left the Soviet military without a modern operational-range missile system, evidently Gorbachev and others hoped that such weapons would be unnecessary in the era of the “New World Order.”
The other reason for Iskander-M’s popularity is its political dimension. By the late 1980s, the Soviet military was using two sub-strategic ballistic missile systems, the 120km-range Tochka, and the 450km-range Oka. Even though Oka’s range was below the 500km threshold of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty, the Gorbachev government in effect made the US a present by pledging to eliminate the Okas along with longer-range missiles. Even though it left the Soviet military without a modern operational-range missile system, evidently Gorbachev and others hoped that such weapons would be unnecessary in the era of the “New World Order.”
They turned out to be wrong.
The Iskander-M was developed and deployed in order to fill that gap once it became clear that NATO’s intentions toward the post-Cold War Russia were far from benign.
The Iskander-M was developed and deployed in order to fill that gap once it became clear that NATO’s intentions toward the post-Cold War Russia were far from benign.
NATO, and especially the US, has undertaken several initiatives to render the INF Treaty obsolete. They include the deployment of intermediate-range air-launched cruise missiles such as the JASSM carried by tactical aircraft, whose existence clearly violates the spirit of the INF Treaty. The US Army has since deployed large numbers of ATACMS ballistic missiles whose officially acknowledged range is 300km, though the missile’s actual potential is unknown, and the LPRF program is supposed to yield an even-longer ranged missile for the US military. Cruise missile carrying US naval ships, including the rather well-known USS Donald Cook, regularly approach Russian coasts. But the most direct US violation of the INF Treaty is the placement of land-based anti-ballistic systems in Eastern Europe. These systems use the naval Mk41 launchers which are perfectly capable of using the entire range of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Therefore the deployment of these ABM systems also means a US breakout from the INF Treaty.
The Iskander-M therefore should be viewed as a Russian response to the US INF violations. In addition to the 9М723 ballistic missile with a range of 500km, each launch vehicle can also fire the 9M728 cruise missiles whose actual capabilities have never been revealed, though the missile has been tested out to at least 200km. Considering that the size of these missiles is comparable to the Kalibr sea-launched weapons whose range exceeds 2,000km, there is a definite possibility that the Iskander-M could be equipped with weapons of similar range unless the US begins to display more of an interest in re-establishing a mutually acceptable security framework for Europe.
The most modern weapons in the world produced by Russia were on display at the international military exposition «Army 2016», which took place on September 6-11, 2016 outside Moscow.
80 delegations across the world attended the event. More than 1,000 Russian manufacturers, researchers and members of the military universities were among the participants. «Real battle» simulations were presented to the foreign delegations by various branches of the Russian military. The Iskander-M tactical missile system - the most effective and deadly nonstrategic ballistic missile in existence, attracted particular attention.
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtyzdp-bfX0 ]
The Iskander-M is a mobile short-range ballistic missile system designed to be used in theater level conflicts with an official range of up to 500 km (minimum-50 km) to comply with the limits of the INF Treaty. Highly mobile and stealth, it can hardly be detected even with the help of space reconnaissance assets. The accuracy, range and ability to penetrate defenses allow it to function as an alternative to precision bombing for air forces that cannot expect to launch bombing or cruise missile fire missions reliably in the face of superior enemy fighters and air defenses.
Deadly to stationary infrastructure along a broad front of conflict, it is intended to engage small and area targets (both moving and stationary), such as hostile critical infrastructure facilities, fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery pieces), air and antimissile defense weapons, command posts and communications nodes, troops in concentration areas and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft at airfields. Jets operating from forward bases will immediately come under threat of attack, or at least immobilization.
The Iskander-M weighs 4615 kg. It is system is equipped with two solid-propellant single-stage guided missiles, which use stealth technology. Each missile in the launch carrier vehicle can be independently targeted in a matter of seconds.
The missile cruises at hypersonic speed of 2100–2600 m/s (Mach 6–7). The high velocity of the missile allows it to penetrate antimissile defenses. Flight altitude is up to 6–50 km. Interval between launches: less than a minute. The missile can maneuver at different altitudes and trajectories and can turn at up to 20 to 30 G to evade anti-ballistic missiles. It is controlled in all phases of the flight with gas-dynamic and aerodynamic control surfaces. Targets can be located not only by satellite and aircraft but also by a conventional intelligence center, by an artillery observer or from aerial photos scanned into a computer.
The missiles can be re-targeted during flight in the case of engaging mobile targets, making it possible to engage mobile targets (including ships). The optically guided warhead can also be controlled by encrypted radio transmission, including such as those from AWACS or UAV. The electro-optical guidance system provides a self-homing capability. The missile's on-board computer receives images of the target, then locks onto it with its sight and descends towards it at supersonic speed. The circular error probable (CEP) is 5–7 meters.
The Iskander was designed to evade missile defenses. .In flight, the missile follows an alterable trajectory with rapid acceleration, performing evasive maneuvers in the terminal phase of flight and releasing decoys to spoof interceptor missiles to overcome the enemy's missile defense systems.
Following a relatively flat trajectory, the missile never leaves the atmosphere as it. False targets and small jammers separate from the rocket upon approaching the target. Iskander-M carries a complex of electronic warfare jamming devices, both passive and active, for the suppression of the enemy's radar. As such, the missile is extremely difficult to intercept with current missile defense technologies.
The Iskander has several conventional warhead options weighing between 480 and 700 kg, depending on type. These include a high explosives (HE) variant, sub-munition dispenser variant, fuel-air explosive variant, a HE penetrator variant or a nuclear payload (50 thousand tons of TNT to make it a truly versatile weapon.
The system can be transported by any means of transport, including cargo aircraft. It can operate in temperatures ranging from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius (-58 to +122 F) - practically everywhere in the world.
New missiles are being developed for the system.
Aleksander Dragovalovsky, deputy commander of Russia's missile forces, said «This system, the Iskander-M, has a great potential for modernization, which is happening in terms of armaments and missiles in particular. That is, the standard array of missiles is growing and new missiles are being developed».
According to the assessment of the National Interest, the Iskander missile system is one of 5 Russian most formidable weapons NATO should fear.
NATO members, such as Romania and Poland, which deploy Aegis Ashore missile defense systems on their soil, become targets for the Iskander-M. The Russia’s response to the bloc’s increased military presence and intensified activities near Russian borders may include deploying Iskander missiles in the border areas to counter the potential threat, for instance in the Kaliningrad region. Practically undetectable on the ground, extremely accurate, flying at hypersonic speeds and possessing missile defense capabilities, the Iskander-M performs the role of efficient deterrence to make any potential aggressor think twice before crossing the red line.
