&host=www.rt.com&uri=/news/sci-tech/club-k-missile-systems/&via=1.1 8.254.9.143:80 (Footprint 4.8/FPMCP)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
New York Times blows Russian container-hidden missile threat out of proportion
Published: 27 April, 2010, 18:26
Edited: 09 May, 2010, 08:15
TAGS: Military, Russia, SciTech
An article in the New York Times has stirred up a scare reminiscent of “Reds under the bed” with a story on Club-K missile systems, which can be hidden inside standard shipping containers.
Referring to a promotional CG-video recently presented by the manufacturer of Club-K missiles at an arms expo, the newspaper described it as a deadly Russian ultimate weapon for a small-scale conflict. Four cruise missiles hidden in a standard shipping container can be covertly delivered anywhere by land or sea and be ready to fire in a matter of minutes.
The system, which gives “any merchant vessel the capability to wipe out an aircraft carrier,” is certain to be bought by Iran and Venezuela and end up in the hands of terrorists, goes on the apocalyptic scenario in the US newspaper. The article, however, does not explain how the terrorists would hijack a satellite needed to guide the missiles.
There is nothing revolutionary or unique about Club-K, says Viktor Mizin, a military analyst from the Moscow State University of International Relations.
“Many countries can export systems like that, including Iran, China, the United States, France and Germany. Russia has its chunk of the market, and that is it. But it was successful in its PR campaign, I guess,” he told RT.
Meanwhile the Morinformsistema-Agat company, which produces the Club-K system and other missile systems, said the allegations of their involvement in terrorism “look very much like hysteria.”
“The Club-K System is designated first of all for installation on the ships called up for military service in the case of threat. The professionals understand perfectly well that it is impossible to use such a system from any container ship or truck,” the statement by the company says.
The company added that strict arms exports regulations in Russia guarantee that such a sophisticated weapon can only be sold to a responsible buyer.
Read also: US prepares non-nuclear "Doomsday" weapon
27.04.2010, 16:36
Soviet lunar reflector still shining brightA laser ranging experiment has found the long-lost rover Lunokhod-1 which landed on the Moon back in 1970. The signal of its retroreflector has turned out to be unexpectedly bright. |
29.04.2010, 11:57
2 comments
Russia to boost sat monitoring of ArcticRussia’s space agency is working on a satellite constellation which will be used for close monitoring of the Arctic. The first one will be ready for launch three years after the government gives it the green light. |
I agree that this threat is nothing new. The media has just discovered it. But, hijack a satelllite? What does the author mean? Am I hijacking a satellite when I use the GPS in my cellular telephone too? The author should elaborate more on what he means when he says one would need to hijack a satellite in order to have this missile hit its target. I can only assume that he means that the GPS guidance would be off if the GPS satellite signals were scrambled, but those signals are not scrambled right now, nor are they likely to be scrambled ten minutes from now. They weren't scrambled after the Pentagon was attacked on 11 September 2001. So, please elaborate dear author.
For this to be operational on a vessel you would have to have 1) No other container on top of it. 2) No other container on the end it will open on as a 40ft container is 2.5m high and it has to swing to fire. 3) A ships planner to coordinate all this. It is just scare mongering.
Unless the satellite requirements are special enough such that use would be very restricted, the system looks dangerous. Who will buy it has yet to be seen, but this sort of a missile system might be as dangerous in the hands of some proxy as US AA weapons were in the hands of the Mujahideen in Afghanistan during the 80s. Technology is often destabilizing, and this new weapon system may be yet another example of that. The US military is large and well funded, but it is also complacent and obsessed with defeating primitive foes.