Ok, so how is Club-K so differnt from any other missile that can be boxed up that it is considered more dangerous?
Defence experts are warning of a new danger of ballistic weapons proliferation after a Russian company started marketing a cruise missile that can be launched from a shipping container.
It is feared that the covert Club-K missile attack system could prove “game-changing” in fighting wars with small countries, which would gain a remote capacity to mount multiple missiles on boats, trucks or railways.
Iran and Venezuela have already shown an interest in the Club-K Container Missile System which could allow them to carry out pre-emptive strikes from behind an enemy’s missile defences.
Defence experts say the system is designed to be concealed as a standard 40ft shipping container that cannot be identified until it is activated.
Priced at an estimated £10 million, each container is fitted with four cruise anti-ship or land attack missiles. The system represents an affordable “strategic level weapon”.
Some experts believe that if Iraq had the Club-K system in 2003 it would have made it impossible for America to invade with any container ship in the Gulf a potential threat.
Club-K is being marketed at the Defence Services Asia exhibition in Malaysia this week.
Novator, the manufacturer, is an advanced missile specialist that would not have marketed the system without Moscow’s approval. It has released an emotive marketing film complete with dramatic background music.
It shows Club-K containers stowed on ships, trucks and trains as a neighbouring country prepares to invade with American style military equipment.
The enemy force is wiped out by the cruise missile counter attack.
Russia has already prompted concern in Washington by selling Iran the sophisticated S-300 anti-aircraft missile system that would make targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities very difficult.
“This Club-K is game changing with the ability to wipe out an aircraft carrier 200 miles away. The threat is immense in that no one can tell how far deployed your missiles could be,” said Robert Hewson, editor of Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons, who first reported on the Club-K developments.
“What alerted me to this was that the Russians were advertising it at specific international defence event and they have marketed it very squarely at anyone under threat of action from the US.”
Reuben Johnson, a Pentagon defence consultant, said the system would be a “real maritime fear for anyone with a waterfront”.
“This is ballistic missile proliferation on a scale we have not seen before because now you cannot readily identify what’s being used as a launcher because it’s very carefully disguised.
“Someone could sail off your shore looking innocuous then the next minute big explosions are going off at your military installations.”
By: Winged_Trident - 5th May 2010 at 16:49
More on the same is here….with high quality videos.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1565180&postcount=485
The Krivak class concept shown have almost 28 Klub missiles installed. 😎
By: Prior Lancey - 29th April 2010 at 21:43
Plus he claims Russia has sold S-300 to Iran. Thats just an urban legend, and the fact that this guy obviously doesnt know it doesnt add to his credentials either IMHO..
The head of the Russian state arms exporting agency Rosobronexport also doesn’t realise that it’s an urban legend. He is under the impression that it is a firm contract to which Russia is committed.
By: Arabella-Cox - 29th April 2010 at 20:17
Without wishing to seem overcritical Prior how many times have you confused a ballistic missile with a cruise missile?. Not the easiest slip to make is it?.
Plus he claims Russia has sold S-300 to Iran. Thats just an urban legend, and the fact that this guy obviously doesnt know it doesnt add to his credentials either IMHO..
The idea of a crussie in a box though is pretty nice. I’d sure like one my self…
By: Prior Lancey - 29th April 2010 at 10:21
Without wishing to seem overcritical Prior how many times have you confused a ballistic missile with a cruise missile?. Not the easiest slip to make is it?.
Never, I hope. But the point of a slip of the tongue as that you mean to say X, and think you said X, but your mouth said Y!
Recently I expounded of the topic of the MiG-29 avionics suite to a couple of aviation journalists. When I finished, one asked “Don’t you mean the MiG-29?” Apparently I’d been saying “MiG-27”.
By: Jonesy - 29th April 2010 at 09:54
Without wishing to seem overcritical Prior how many times have you confused a ballistic missile with a cruise missile?. Not the easiest slip to make is it?.
Love the way that the targetting is just handed off by satellite in the video…typical of these sorts of things. Thats the hard bit….the enabler for the whole system…..but its a difficult question so lets just gloss over that a bit!!!!.
By: Prior Lancey - 29th April 2010 at 09:25
Quite frighteningly that quote is not from the author of the article, but attributed to this Reuben Johnson fellow, a Pentagon defence consultant according to the article.
Pretty worrying if the experts can’t get it right. 😮
“This Reuben Johnson fellow” is a Russian-speaking Western defence journalist with a good track record, and who seems to have good access to Russian industry. I don’t know if he also works as a consultant.
I suspect that his reference to ballistic missiles was simply a slip of the tongue. I’ve done a number of press interviews, and have always found them stressful, so I wonder how many slips of the tongue I’ve produced in my time.
By: djcross - 28th April 2010 at 17:03
For those who have not seen the video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xupOQSvnas
By: Lawndart - 28th April 2010 at 16:59
Quite frighteningly that quote is not from the author of the article, but attributed to this Reuben Johnson fellow, a Pentagon defence consultant according to the article.
Pretty worrying if the experts can’t get it right. 😮
By: kev 99 - 26th April 2010 at 14:06
What kev said. BTW, Club has absolutely nothing to do with ballistic missiles, it’s a family of cruise missiles.
Yes the reporter clearly doesn’t know the difference.
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th April 2010 at 14:03
What kev said. BTW, Club has absolutely nothing to do with ballistic missiles, it’s a family of cruise missiles.
By: kev 99 - 26th April 2010 at 13:40
I don’t think it’s that there’s anything in the missile itself, more the fact that it’s a significant weapon system made to look like a shipping container, are there any other companies out there that are marketing cruise missile systems that can be mounted covertly on merchant ships, trains and lorries?
Sign In
April 26, 2010 at 1:20 pm