Russian Space Forces: Always on high alert
On October 4, 1957, the USSR laid the foundation for the era of space exploration. On this day, the Soviet Union launched the first man-made Earth satellite. The launch from Baikonur cosmodrome was organized and managed by specialists of military units of Space Forces. Nowadays, the prime task of the Space Forces of the Russian Federation is to maintain constant readiness to the use of missile attack warning systems, control outer space, launch and control the spacecraft of the Russian orbital group. Servicemen constantly master new models of weapons and military equipment of the Space Forces. The list of unconditional priorities also includes the implementation of the schedule of launches of military and dual-purpose spacecraft and intercontinental ballistic missile launches.
Su-35S: Super manoeuvrable fighter aircraft
The Sukhoi Su-35 is the designation for two separate, heavily-upgraded derivatives of the Su-27 air-defence fighter. They are single-seat, twin-engine, highly-maneuverable aircraft, designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau.
The first variant was designed during the 1980s as an upgrade of the Su-27, and was initially known as the Su-27M. This derivative incorporated canards and a multi-function radar that transformed the aircraft into a multi-role aircraft, and was structurally reinforced to support its heavier weight. The first prototype made its maiden flight in June 1988. As the aircraft was not mass produced due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, Sukhoi re-designated the aircraft as Su-35 to attract export orders.
Monster Sarmat missile ready for trials
Russia may conduct a test of the prototype of the new intercontinental ballistic missile known as Sarmat in October 2017.
The test will be held to check the work of the powdered launch accelerator, which pushes the missile out of the silo and controls the behaviour of the missile afterwards. The Sarmat ICBM will fall within the range ground.
The tests of the new Russian ICBM Sarmat, which is expected to replace the Voevoda missile, were postponed several times before. Previously, the test was supposed to take place in March of 2017, but the plans changed.
Missile launchers of the new ICBM are protected to the maximum. To destroy one launcher, one would need to inflict no less than seven high-precision nuclear strikes. The Sarmat missile can be equipped with 10-15 warheads, and its range makes up to 11,000 kilometres.
The RS-28 Sarmat missile comes as a successor to the R36M2 Voevoda missile – the heaviest ballistic intercontinental missiles in the world that NATO refers to as Satan.
Su-57: Russia’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft
In the near future, the Russian army is expected to receive first fifth-generation fighter aircraft Su-57 (formerly known as T-50).
According to experts’ estimates, the aircraft has a number of unique features in its design. The mass of composite materials makes up 25% of the weight of the empty aircraft.
The Su-57 can “see” remote targets that other aircraft can not detect. It goes about air, land, and sea targets. The radar of the Su-57 equipped with a sophisticated active phased array, provides the aircraft with a long range of detection, multi-channel tracking of targets and a possibility to use guided missile weapons to destroy them.
Russia’s fifth-generation fighter can destroy the enemy in the rear hemisphere, and the aircraft does not need to turn for the purpose thanks to the reverse start mode. The ejectable seat of the Su-57 is capable of rescuing the pilot at any altitude, even from the ground. In the future, the seat will be able to activate the ejection function on its own, the pilot will not have to make a decision to save his life – his seat will do it for him.
