Russia: Moscow Insists It Is 'Close' To Possessing Unique Nuclear
Weapons
By Valentinas Mite

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced yesterday that Moscow
will soon have a unique new generation of nuclear weapons "not
possessed by any country in the world." The minister did not give any
technical details. Russian President Vladimir Putin first spoke of the
new generation of nuclear weaponry in November but also provided no
details.


Prague, 14 February 2005 -- Defense Minister Ivanov said Russia will
soon put into service new nuclear missile systems unlike those held by
any other country in the world.

The announcement was made at the Munich Security Conference: "We
already see, we have every reason to believe, it will be a unique
[nuclear weapons] system, not possessed by any country in the world."

Ivanov refused to say in what respect the new weaponry would be unique.
The minister only said the new system would not be aimed against any
individual country but would guarantee Russia's security against
"absolutely any threat that exists or could arise in the future."

In November, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about a new
generation of nuclear weaponry, but military analysts can only guess at
what kind of weapons the Russian leaders have in mind

Doug Richardson, an editor of "Jane's Missiles and Rockets" magazine,
told RFE/RL that it is unclear what Ivanov exactly means.

"There are several possibilities. One is maybe he's referring to the
new 'Bulava' submarine-launched ballistic missile, but right now
that's only at [the] very beginning of its development program,"
Richardson said. "And he also might be referring to the fact that
Russians have flight tested a powered reentry vehicle for a ballistic
missile."

When a ballistic missile reenters the atmosphere the warhead is no
longer subject to guidance. At that point it's just like an artillery
round. But a powered reentry vehicle with an air-breathing engine could
take over and adjust the warhead's trajectory to help it avoid
air-defense systems, making it maneuverable.

Russian independent defense analyst Pavel Felgenhauer told RFE/RL in
November that the new Russian missiles would have maneuverable
warheads. He said Russian officials are probably talking about the
research leftovers of the Soviet effort in 1980s to build what was
known at that time as an "asymmetric response" to U.S. President Ronald
Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as "Star Wars."

"There are different...ways of making strategic intercontinental
nuclear warheads less susceptible to antiballistic missile defenses,"
Felgenhauer said. He added that it might be true that Russia was so far
the only country to develop such technology. However, he said the
United States has not felt the need to develop maneuverable warheads as
no other country was building a modern missile-defense system.

Although what Ivanov said could put Russia nearer to a
military-superpower status, Richardson said he doubts contemporary
Russia's capabilities to build advanced nuclear weaponry:

"My immediate response is, 'Who is paying for them?'" Richardson
said. "Because the Russian defense budget, which is just being released
-- I'm going by memory here -- I think it allows them to buy, in the
course of the next year, six ballistic missiles. Back in the days of
the Cold War they used to buy 50 a year of each model of ballistic
missiles. Now, they can only afford a handful of one model."

Richardson said that Russia has no money for such a large
ballistic-missile-deployment program or for the necessary scientific
research.

However, Russia prides itself on being the sole inheritor of the vast
nuclear arsenal that gave the Soviet Union its superpower status and
basic military parity with the United States.

Richardson said he also doubts that Russia is utilizing scientific and
technological research leftover from the Soviet era.

"If it's so, it's something we obviously don't know about,"
Richardson said. "Most of the programs from the Soviet era simply died
due to a lack of funding."

Richardson said Russia is behind the United States in many fields, also
in producing new supersonic jet fighters and other more conventional
military equipment.

Washington does not appear overly concerned by Russia's most recent
claims. Several months ago, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said
that the United States "does not perceive Russia's nuclear
modernization activities as threatening" and added that what Russia is
doing is consistent with treaties between the United States and Russia.


Analysts have also pointed out that Russia does not need more or better
ballistic missiles as the United States is no longer an enemy of
Moscow's and such missiles will not solve the problems of fighting
terrorism or separatism.