Thread: Mysterious Photo Sparks Theory - Russia Has Developed Air-Launched Satellite Killer

Mysterious Photo Sparks Theory - Russia Has Developed Air-Launched Satellite Killer



Russia seems to be recycling an old Soviet-era space program that uses the MiG-31 to deploy small payloads into orbit via an air-launched missile...

Mon, 10/01/2018 - 21:45
28 SHARES

On September 14th, 2018, an image of a MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor jet carrying a large missile sparked speculation that Russia has developed an air-launched anti-satellite weapon system, according to The Drive.
The launch system was photographed at Zhukovsky Airport, one of four international airports in Moscow, by aviation photographer ShipSash.




Zhukovsky is an experimental military base for Russian aerial weaponry, equivalent to Edwards Air Force Base in the US.
The airport has the second largest publically accessible runway in the world, measuring nearly 18,000-foot long.



According to The Drive, the MiG-31 has been reconfigured by its original manufacturer to carry hypersonic missiles known as the Kinzhal, and or can carry an anti-satellite weapon or space launch system:

"The Mikoyan OKB has been working on two versions of the MiG-31 known internally as 'article 06' and 'article 08.' Article 08 was supposedly the carrier of the already known Kinzhal missile, with article 06 being a new version of the interceptor, with a completely different purpose—like potentially carrying an anti-satellite weapon or space launch system. It would feature a new inertial navigation system, radar, electronic warfare suite, and the suspension points under the fuselage have been reworked with the expectation of the weight of the new rocket.
This would not be the first time the MiG-31 has been used in an anti-satellite project. More than 30 years ago, in January 1987, the MiG-31D ("article 07"), which was the carrier of the 79M6 anti-satellite missile, made its first flight. The aircraft and missiles were elements of the anti-satellite weapon 30P6 'Kontakt' system. The rocket was developed by KB Vympel. The project was largely a response to the United States' own direct ascent air-launched anti-satellite missile system, the ASM-135, that used a modified F-15 called the Celestial Eagle as a launch platform. The weapon was successfully tested in 1985."

The MiG-31D has had verticle "winglets" installed on the wingtips to increase stability when an anti-satellite missile is secured underneath the airframe.
Mikoyan OKB's idea behind the Mig-31D was to fly as high and fast as possible to get the heavy anti-satellite missile in position to fire.



Russia seems to be recycling an old Soviet-era space program that uses the MiG-31 to deploy small payloads into orbit via an air-launched missile, or what is more likely, use the kinetic force of the weapon to destroy enemy satellites in low Earth orbit:

"In 1997, MAPO MiG, leveraging their experience working on the MiG-31D, began the development of the MiG-31S. This aircraft was designed to launch rockets carrying small satellites into space. The rocket, named RN-S ("carrier rocket launched from aircraft"), with a capacity of up to 440lbs was planned to be launched from the aircraft flying at an altitude of about 51,000 at a speed of 1,865mph Mach 2.8. The rocket was developed by the Vimpel design bureau.
The first launch was scheduled for 1999-2000 but it never happened. In 2001 RSK MiG tried to re-launch the design of the MiG-31S aircraft as a civil project for launching small satellites with a mass of 220lbs or less. This project didn't evolve into an operational state either and there were other similar initiatives involving the MiG-31 that failed as well."

The ability for Russia to intercept American spy satellites in low-Earth orbit with flexibility and the surprise of a MiG-31 aerial launch platform would be very valuable in a wartime environment. Also, being able to quickly and unpredictably launch small spy satellites, especially to replace ones knocked out in battle, will be one of the most essential tools in the next war.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...tellite-killer

Russian TV Releases Footage Of S-300 Battery Being Offloaded In Syria



Dear Netanyahu...

Wed, 10/03/2018 - 16:46
48 SHARES

Christmas came early this year for Syria's Assad as Russia yesterday confirmed delivery of its feared S-300 surface-to-air missile system.
And on Wednesday Russian TV aired footage and provided photos of what are unmistakably the S-300 missiles being offloaded large cargo transport planes in Syria.



The nighttime footage shows the hardware being unloaded from the cargo door of the massive Antonov An-124 Ruslan, also called 'the Condor', which is known to be able to carry a payload of 120 tons.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had told Putin on Tuesday in a televised meeting, "The work was finished a day ago," and that the transfer includes 49 pieces of military hardware.

Ruptly ✔ @Ruptly

Video at the page link

#Russia delivers S-300 missile systems to #Syria
3:36 AM - Oct 3, 2018

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Video and official photos appear to show a launcher, radar, control vehicles, and missile tubes.



Russian advisers will now train Syrian personnel to operation the new weapons, which is expected to take up to a few months, with the likelihood that Russians will man the active systems in the meantime, set to go fully operational by October 20.



It's now confirmed that Moscow has fully followed through on its prior vow to move "swiftly and appropriately" in response to Israel's massive September 17 airstrikes on Syria which resulted in the accidental downing of a Russian reconnaissance plane with 15 people on board by Syrian defenses.
Meanwhile, though clearly too little too late, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it hopes the Russian Federation did not deliver the S-300 systems to Syria because if they did, it would be a “serious escalation”.
“I cannot confirm that that is accurate. I hope that they did not, that would be a serious escalation and concern,” Nauert said when asked about the administration’s reaction to reports Russia had sent S-300 systems to Syria. Apparently Nauert now has photographic proof, however.
* * *
The chief worrisome game changer for Netanyahu is that — as a Haaretz report noted previously — the range of the new defense system will give Damascus the ability to detect potentially hostile aircraft from point of origin inside Israel: "With Putin's S-300, Assad's army could even 'lock-on' IAF aircraft as they take off from bases within Israel." And as one Israeli defense analyst put it, "Israel should be worried."
Russia has further notified the world that it would help Syria blanket the coast and its sovereign territory with an "electronic umbrella" of new electronic countermeasures, which will allow the Syrians to “suppress satellite navigation, onboard radar systems and communications of warplanes attacking targets on Syrian territory.”
And Syria for its part has signaled to the Israelis that it's essentially gameover. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad recently said that "Israel, which has gotten used to carrying out attacks under various pretexts, will now have to weigh and rethink before attacking again." He told the Chinese news agency Xinhua: "The aggression against Syria is directed towards the forces that are fighting against terrorism in Syria. If Israel will try to attack we will defend our people as we did in the past."
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) over the summer confirmed that it had struck targets inside Syria over 200 times within just the last year alone. But it now appears those days are over.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...ffloaded-syria

Scary stuff. Big mistake forcing Trump to abandon his goal of a new and improved relationship with Russia. Shame Shame Shame on those responsible.