News on several topics from https://russiandefpolicy.wordpress.com/

Air Forces CINC, General-Colonel Aleksandr Zelin made a variety of remarks to the media this morning. It’s not clear where yet, but it might have been a press-conference at ITAR-TASS. It’s the season for such things with Air Forces Day and MAKS-2011 just ahead.

At any rate, Zelin had a lot of information on the status of different VVS programs and plans:

■Army aviation will expand by more than 1,000 helicopters by 2020. The number of army aviation bases will grow from 8 to 14 during that time. He mentioned reestablishing production of Mi-26 transports in a POL supply variant. Zelin doesn’t sound like he’s willing to surrender the VVS’ hold on army aviation.
■Zelin mentioned getting 8 or 6 new Su-34 this year. ITAR-TASS gave both numbers, but we’ve seen six elsewhere.
■The VVS CINC criticized work on the Su-35, saying it has a number of problems. PAK FA / T-50 is going on schedule, but he wouldn’t say when he expects it to enter the inventory.
■On UAVs, some drones will go to the Ground Troops per a Genshtab decision, but Zelin says operational-tactical unmanned aircraft will stay at air bases under the control of military district commanders.
■Without mentioning S-500 development, Zelin talked about new Morfey and Vityaz SAMs. Morfey is a short-range system mentioned before as part of S-500. Zelin described Vityaz in greater detail, calling it an improvement on the S-300 with greater capabilities and 16 missiles per launcher. See ITAR-TASS for this.
■Zelin said there will be four S-400 regiments by the end of 2011. He said the second one, the 210th Air Defense Regiment, went on combat duty with it last week, so two more are expected. The CINC said the manufacturer’s had problems with the system’s long-range missile, but there is an understanding on how to resolve them. The Air Forces, he says, still want Almaz-Antey to build another production plant. Interfaks posted on this.
■The next 6 Pantsir-S gun-missile air defense systems will go to the OSK VKO around Moscow. Zelin said the first 4 went to the 4th Air Forces and Air Defense Command at Novorossiysk.
■Another flight demonstration group will be formed using Yak-130 trainers.
■Zelin expects to get a new A-100 AWACS aircraft, based on the Il-476, by 2016. He says it will have both air and ground surveillance missions. The plan has Genshtab and financial support, according to Zelin.

Evolution of the S-300V family according Carlo Kopp

Known variants and subtypes include the:

S-300V1: early production configuration;
S-300V2: block upgrade with improved ABM acquisition capability using paired optical cable networked 9S19M2 High Screen radars instead of the 9S15M Bill Board;
S-300V3: block upgrade with extended engagement range missiles, with a claimed doubling of range performance against aerial targets;
S-300V4: “deep modernisation” with improvements over the S-300V3, providing “1.5 – 2.3 times the capability of earlier variants”, and intended for deployment with Russian Army units in 2011.
At this time virtually nothing of substance has been disclosed on the configuration of the S-300V4 block upgrade, with many sources simply claiming it to be “classified”.

The cited doubling of aerodynamic target engagement range would suggest the use of the kinematically improved 9M82M and 9M83M missiles, developed for the S-300VM, and possibly the much improved 9S32M Grill Screen engagement radar, also developed for the S-300VM. It remains to be seen what other portions of the S-300VM/VMK designs will migrate into the S-300V4. The term “deep modernisation” in Russian literature can often mean almost complete replacement of most of a legacy design. It is likely that the S-300V4 upgrade will be designated by NATO as an SA-23 system.

Link: http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-Giant-Gladiator.html

So, may be the S-300V4 includes some devices developed for the S-500 system in the same way the S-300PMU2 Favorit can be retrofitted with some S-400 sub-systems.

They seems to indicate that “the Son of Satan” is overkill for current and prospective offensive & defensive adversarial arsenals.
Anyway, we must think this rocket will last to the second half of the century and unexpected surprises should be taken into account.
Anyway, as the rocket will be liquid-fueled, it may be converted into a space launcher as RS-20 is now converted into the Dnepr rocket.
In the end, its development is highly desirable.

Detailed Analysis of J-20’s RCS by Carlo Kopp.

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-2011-03.html

Opinions?

Kirov follow on?

ST. PETERSBURG, June 30 (RIA Novosti)
Russia will finish in 2016 the construction of a new class destroyer, which will most likely be nuclear powered, commander of the Russian Navy Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said on Thursday.

“A prototype of an ocean-going class destroyer will be built in 2016 for the country’s Navy,” Vysotsky said at the 5th International Maritime Defense Show, IMDS-2011, in St. Petersburg.

The admiral added there was a 90 percent probability that the warship would be equipped with a nuclear-powered engine.

President of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation Roman Trotsenko said earlier on Thursday that his company would start designing a new-generation, nuclear-powered destroyer for the Russian Navy this fall.

He said the design phase will take up to two years.

Carlo Kopp on the S-500:

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-S-500-Triumfator-M.html

Cool draws. MARS looks as expected, and the S-500 launcher looks like a S-400 truck carrying 9M82-like missile canisters.

So, I was right! A S-500 interceptor looks like a further evolution of the 9M82M taken from the S-300VM system. This missile should be the one able to hit targets as far as 600 km and at more than 40 km heights.

May be later it will incorporate the 45T6 interceptor (That’s a Gazelle follow on) to get full ABM capability..

Well, without considering logistic and doctrinal issues, selecting a 80s tech Mirage-2K in place of a Su-27BM just for image reasons seems as a delusional pride, for me.

Anyway, familiarity with French systems as well as logistic supply chain issues are well funded arguments. Arguments based on “Western NATO-like country wanna be” thoughts are not rational.