Two Russian ICBMs misfire in war games

[ullu]

russia's aging military and now aging missiles fail to do what thy are suppose to-hit the target.


Two Russian ICBMs misfire in war games overseen by Putin

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publ...ter_1335.shtml

MOSCOW: Technical faults prevented two Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles from being fired Tuesday during training exercises in the Barents Sea observed by President Vladimir Putin, news agencies reported.

The missiles' launch was blocked by satellite following an unspecified fault during massive war games stages by Russia's Northern Fleet and oter branches of the military, the Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies quoted military sources as saying.

Meanwhile the Gazeta.ru Internet news site reported that a test intercontinental ballistic missile misfired during a launch from a nuclear submarine as the Russian president watched on from the deck of another submarine.

It was not immediately clear if the conflicting, unconfirmed reports were referring to the same incident.

The Gazeta.ru report said the ICBM exploded shortly after takeoff. It did not mention any casualties and the navy press office refused to confirm the report.

The Russian navy's press office refused to comment on the reports.

If confirmed, the mishap threatens to embarrass Putin less than a month before the March 14 presidential election, which he is overwhelmingly expected to win.

In another public relations move aimed at boosting his tough-guy image, Putin set sail Tuesday in the Arctic seas on board a nuclear submarine after spending the night with the craft's crew.

He went off into the Barents Sea -- where the Kursk nuclear submarine sank in August 2000 and killed 118 seamen just months into Putin's first term as president -- Monday evening to oversee what have been advertised as some of the largest war games staged by Russia in recent years.

News reports said they included six submarines carrying nuclear weapons. Tu-95 strategic bombers were due to test fire cruise missiles Tuesday over the Kola Peninsula on the northwestern edge of Russia near the Finnish border.

ITAR-TASS reported that the games -- which were expected to last several weeks -- would involve some 5,000 servicemen.

[Panzer]

Russia can't even keep its own defense systems running.

God help the countries that are buying military systems from them.

[Winter]

Heads will roll for that...

[The Watcher]

Whats wrong with Russia? Its military might is fading away too soon, well it started happening after its departure from the Afghanistan. Thank God these missiles weren't launched in a real war tipped with nukes, then you can only imagine the chaos.

[WebMaster]

Latest on this issue:

Russian missile test aborts again
By: Associated Press

Moscow — A Russian ballistic missile self-destructed moments after taking off from a submarine Wednesday, the second failed test launch in two days of manoeuvres meant to display the country's military might.

President Vladimir Putin did not mention the failure, but said Russia would soon get new strategic weapons that would protect the country for years to come. He also said the Moscow might develop a missile-defence system.

He did not offer specifics about the new weapons — presumably a new generation of missiles — but said they will be “capable of hitting targets continents away with hypersonic speed, high precision and the ability of wide manoeuvre.�

The massive exercises — described as the largest in more than 20 years — come less than a month before a presidential election that Mr. Putin is expected to win. They are broadly seen as part of campaign efforts aimed at playing up Mr. Putin's image as a leader determined to restore Russia's military power and global clout.

But two launch failures in as many days were an embarrassment for the President and further tarnish the image of the Russian military, which has been plagued by chronic funding shortages, low morale and frequent crashes and accidents.

The missile launched from the Karelia on Wednesday veered from its flight path less than two minutes after take-off, triggering its self-destruct system, Russian Navy spokesman Captain Igor Dygalo told Associated Press.

No one was hurt, he said in a telephone interview.

That came a day after a missile failed to launch from another submarine, the Novomoskovsk. Russian officials and media had conflicting statements about the reason for the failure. The naval chief, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, ended up saying Tuesday that the navy had never planned a real launch and successfully conducted what he described as an imitation “electronic� one.

Many Russian newspapers assailed what they described as a clumsy cover-up of Tuesday's failed launch, saying that Admiral Kuroyedov's statement resembled official lies about the August, 2000, sinking of the nuclear submarine Kursk in the Barents Sea, which killed all 118 aboard.

“Apparently they decided not to smear President Vladimir Putin's participation in the exercise with negative information,� the Kommersant newspaper said.

Mr. Putin had gone to the Barents Sea on board the giant Arkhangelsk Monday to observe manoeuvres set to involve numerous missile launches and flights of strategic bombers.

Mr. Putin, who donned naval officer's garb complete with white scarf and gloves for his two-day submarine cruise, changed into the green uniform of an officer of the Strategic Missile Forces on his visit Wednesday to the Plesetsk launch pad in northern Russia.

In Plesetsk, Mr. Putin watched the successful launch of the Molniya-M booster rocket, which carried a Kosmos military satellite into orbit. Via video hookup, he also watched the trouble-free liftoff of an RS-18 ballistic missile from the Baikonur cosmodrome, which Russia leases from the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan.

Russian state-run television channels, which are lavishly covering the daily activities of Mr. Putin, ran footage of him watching the launches and congratulating officers in Plesetsk but said nothing about the failed launches.

Russian television stations broadcast Putin's statements Wednesday, in which he said he had informed U.S. President George W. Bush about Russia's latest military achievements, and added that the Russian military would provide more information to its U.S. counterparts.

Mr. Putin also said that Russia would continue research work in defences against ballistic missiles and might build a missile shield in the future, the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies reported.


(Sad stuff from Russian military.)

Other related news on this:

koTV

guardian

AJC

reuters

With that the training/war games end

[gf0012-aust]

Originally Posted by Winter

Heads will roll for that...

More to the point - the "big kahuna" Putin, was present when it dudded.

There would have been a few demotions pending I think..

[Red aRRow]

"big kahuna" Putin

ol ol