Article

2023-10-26 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

[GilbertDoctorow] A couple of days ago, Russian evening news showed a brief video of Vladimir Putin arriving at the southern military command center in Rostov on Don for a meeting with Valery Gerasimov, Head of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces. We were shown their handshakes at the start and their handshakes at the conclusion of the meeting as Putin was on his way to his aircraft, but nothing was said about the reason for the visit.

This evening we found out about the likely topic of the talks two days ago. Breaking news on Russian television gave some sketchy details of the tests just carried out on the war readiness of the country’s nuclear triad for response to some incoming nuclear missile from an unnamed enemy. Gerasimov reported to Putin on the satisfactory results of the launch from the nuclear submarine Tula in the Barents Sea of a Sineva ballistic missile with 5,500 km range; the launch of a Yars ballistic missile with 12,000 km range from an underground shaft in Kamchatka; and the launch of a 5,500 km range cruise missile from a TU-95 “Bear” turboprop bomber-missile carrier (location unspecified). Considering the location of the missile launches and the radius of possible strikes, it does not take much imagination to conclude that the enemy being attacked was the U.S. of A. The actual tests consisted of one missile each; the capability being tested was for a massive retaliatory strike.

We may assume that the tests were Russia’s response to the announcement within the past week of American ‘pre-tests’ of nuclear weapons, which Moscow took to indicate that Washington intends to proceed with weapons testing in one way or another now that the treaty banning such tests has become dead letter. Or we may assume that the Russian missile firings were a warning to the United States against escalation in the Middle East by attacking Iran.

On the subject of Iran, Russian state television yesterday told us about the visit to Teheran of Foreign Minister Lavrov, who arrived from meetings in Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim and had talks with the Iranians

...golly — the old Axis of Evil whose mention garnered President George W. Bush so much mockery, back in the day....

and representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan over resolution of their conflict. Lavrov told a reporter inter alia that talks with Teheran over conclusion of a Strategic Partnership agreement are 90% complete.

Posted by Griter Slash1619 2023-10-26 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top

#1 Curious - does anyone know the last time the US did this? I’m thinking possibly under Reagan (which would be 40-ish years ago). There is something to be said for ensuring your strategic weapons work as originally designed

Posted by Slenter Panda4300 2023-10-26 06:51|| 2023-10-26 06:51|| Front Page Top

#2 In reality, the AF and Navy do this every year or so. The AF takes 'end of life' Minutemans from ND or Montana to Vandenberg, and the Navy shoots from offshore. There's generally a NoTAS (Notice to Airmen / Sailors) issued.
The ocean floor around Kwaj has got to just about be covered with empties by now.

Posted by ed in texas 2023-10-26 12:20|| 2023-10-26 12:20|| Front Page Top

#3 #1 Curious - does anyone know the last time the US did this? I’m thinking possibly under Reagan (which would be 40-ish years ago). There is something to be said for ensuring your strategic weapons work as originally designed
Posted by: Slenter Panda4300 2023-10-26 06:51

SP4300,

Through the 80s, we used to do something called GLOBAL SHIELD - SAC would basically exercise every single bomber and missile unit. There was usually one ICBM live fire (warheads off, of course)and I know there were SRAM and ALCM live fires as well. This was only one or two aircraft, EVERYBODY else would hit simulated targets on the radar bomb ranges out west.

Drove the Russians nuts.

Mike

Posted by MikeKozlowski 2023-10-26 12:35|| 2023-10-26 12:35|| Front Page Top

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