Russia must develop new missile types in next two years states defence minister
Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu on 5 February said the country must develop new types of missile systems in the next two years, after Washington and Moscow both withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) agreement.
The United States has repeatedly accused Russia of violating the INF agreement and on 1 February President Donald Trump said Washington was starting the process of withdrawing from the treaty in six months.
In a tit-for-tat move on 2 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was also leaving the treaty and beginning to work on new types of weapons that would breach the Cold War-era agreement.
Many analysts say abandoning the 1987 treaty could effectively signal the start of a new arms race.
At a meeting with officials on 5 February, Shoigu said Russia should develop two new missile systems in the next two years.
‘During 2019-2020 we have to develop a land-based version of the seaborne Kalibr system equipped with a long-range cruise missile which showed good results in Syria,’ Shoigu told defence officials. ‘Over the same period we will also have to create a land-based missile system with a long-range hypersonic missile.'
The defence minister said the plans had been approved by Putin.
The INF agreement forbids ground-launched, short- and intermediate-range missiles, but not those launched from the air or sea. Defence experts say converting seaborne and air-launched missile systems for ground use will be advantageous for Russia since producing such missiles will be cheaper and quicker.
‘The use of seaborne and air-launched missiles will allow us to significantly reduce the time needed to produce the new missiles as well as financing for them,’ Shoigu said. He also tasked defence officials with extending the maximum range of ground-based missiles ‘that are being developed today.’
Defence experts say because ground-based intermediate-range missiles are cheaper, Russia could theoretically place more of them within range of European targets. Speaking to Shoigu on 2 February, Putin said Russia would not put any such missile ‘in Europe or other regions of the world’ unless the United States did so first.
The INF treaty was signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The last nuclear arms control treaty between Washington and Moscow - the NEW START treaty - expires in 2021.
Most analysts expect it will not be extended.
More from Defence Notes
-
Top-level commitments but no meat in UK Defence Industrial Strategy’s Statement of Intent
The initial document focused more on creating the right partnerships and inspiring investment in defence than on any details of how future UK Armed Forces would be armed.
-
UK begins process on new industrial strategy
The first stage of developing a new UK Defence Industrial Strategy has highlighted failings in current structures with solutions expected to be proposed in next year’s full strategy.
-
Romanians put pro-Russian candidate into presidential runoff even as the government spends west
Romania joined NATO more than two decades ago and the country is vital to the alliance’s geographic reach and its ability to supply Ukraine with weapons.
-
What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
-
RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
-
Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.