Commentary - - Iskander

This is coolbert:

From a comment to the blog:

"175 miles?"

"It's 400km range for Iskander-M (Russian forces model)."

"Only the export ('monkey model') Iskander-E has only 280km range."

"The accuracy of Iskander-M was reportedly below 10m CEP. You can not only hit the bridge or building with it - you can choose WHERE to hit it!"

"That missile isn't just a successor of Scud (Frog was very short range, the Smerch MRL covers that range now). It's a new breed of weapon, an alternative to air attacks for air forces that don't expect to be able to penetrate enemy airspace reliably."

Several things here in response to the comment and to clarify:

* 280 km. is the range [175 miles] as stated in the Tribune article. That is for the "monkey- model". Traditionally, Soviet/Russian sophisticated weaponry has always been available in two versions. 1. The type for export, called the "monkey model", meaning less sophisticated, and 2. the version as used by the Soviets/Russians themselves. The latter incorporating more advanced features.

* The Iskander - M versions does have extended range, and MAYBE is in violation of the INF treaty? BUT - - is not deployed with a nuclear/chemical/biological [NBC] warhead? In that sense the Iskander - M is legal under INF?!

* The FROG and Scud were in their time rather primitive - - yes! The Scud was based upon captured German V-2 technology from World War Two [WW2]! And both - - were markedly less accurate than the modern Iskander, BUT, again, this was somewhat immaterial? The FROG and Scud were designed to carry almost exclusively a NBC warhead. Could carry a conventional warhead, but accuracy of the delivery system was a problem. Using especially a Scud in such a capacity [delivering a conventional warhead] did not make sense!

* FROG and Scud did offer the Soviet combat divisional and army commander and option to use his organic assets against targets that TODAY WOULD BE THE MISSION OF THE ISKANDER! In that regard the Iskander has taken over the mission of the FROG and Scud.

[the Soviets before the end of the Soviet Union did field two missiles/rockets that were replacements for FROG and Scud. This was Tochka and Oka The latter done away with by the INF treaty. The mission of the former now accomplished much better by the Iskander! The Tochka and Oka were merely transitional weapons systems that Iskander replaces in both instances!?]

* Once again, also, we see how MODERN IMPROVED WEAPONRY HAS MEANT THAT THE NEED IN MANY CASES FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS HAS BEEN DONE AWAY WITH. A combination of destructive power and delivery accuracy means that the absolute force of nukes is not needed to the degree it was once was. YOU CAN NOW ACCOMPLISH WITH IMPROVED CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS WHAT WAS ONCE ONLY POSSIBLE WITH ATOMIC WEAPONS!!

* Too, the Russians from the start have seemed to incorporate a lot of features to make the Iskander that much more of a viable and deadly weapons system. Mid-course targeting corrections, violent trajectory mid-flight movements to prevent tracking by enemy radars and air defense systems, the use of decoys, a variety of improved conventional warheads. EVEN HAS AN ON BOARD ELECTRO-OPTIC UNIT THAT ALLOWS FOR PRECISION TARGETING!! What is this? A television unit of some sort?! NOT clear.

And - - here - - from Suvorov on the "monkey model":

"each type of equipment which is produced is turned out in two variants - - the normal one and the "monkey-model'.

"The 'monkey-model' is a weapon which has been simplified in every conceivable way and which is intended for production in war time only." [or to be sold to foreign buyers!!]

"I have seen two variants of BMP-1 infantry combat vehicle - - one which is issued to the Soviet army and another with intended for the Soviet Union's Arab friends. I counted sixty-three simplifications which made the second 'monkey-model' different from the original version."

Those Iskander going to be deployed in Kaliningrad - - we can expect - - them to be certainly - - NOT the monkey-model!!

coolbert.