Article

2004-03-30 Russia

Ukraine officials: Hundreds of Soviet-era antimissiles missing

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Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2004-03-30 12:39:27 AM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 ...I got sidetracked last night when i posted this, so I forgot to add the following - Saddam's most numerous SAM was the SA-2. On top of that, there were reports right before the war that his weapons guys had managed to figure out how to use the SA-2 in a surface to surface role. Wondering if there's a connection...

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2004-03-30 10:02:13 AM|| 2004-03-30 10:02:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 I think the use of SA-2s in an SSM role would involve launching and assuming it would hit the ground someplace.

Posted by Fred 2004-03-30 11:24:40 AM|| 2004-03-30 11:24:40 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Assuming this story is true, I'd guess that the missiles were sold to Syria or some other ex-Soviet client which already had the launchers.

Posted by 11A5S 2004-03-30 12:43:13 PM|| 2004-03-30 12:43:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 I believe the Iraquis were just making use of the SA-2's first stage and straping on a bigger warhead and making a sort of poor man's extended range FROG.

Posted by Shipman 2004-03-30 2:03:24 PM|| 2004-03-30 2:03:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 The Russians first deployed the SA-2 in 1953, so it's actually a 50+ year-old missile. There have been a number of upgrades, but it's still pretty much a dumb flying telephone pole. It's also HEAVY, and requires extensive support to use as an anti-aircraft missile. As for using it as a long-range artillery round, you'd have to use a different warhead, and the maximum range is about 30 miles. I'd suggest the better explanation is that they were stolen, broken down for parts and metals (as the article points out, there's a lot of gold, silver, and other precious metals used in the guidance electronics), and the rest sold as scrap.

Posted by Old Patriot 2004-03-30 4:56:39 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2004-03-30 4:56:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 [Troll droppings deleted]

Posted by Apfelbaum TROLL 2004-03-31 12:04:10 AM|| 2004-03-31 12:04:10 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]

Posted by Vladimir Eizenstein TROLL 2004-03-31 12:04:10 AM|| [www.juno.net] 2004-03-31 12:04:10 AM|| Front Page Top

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