Americans are afraid to put satellites containing nuclear elements into orbit; In their opinion, this is militarization.
Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS.
Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said in a briefing that Russia launched a satellite into space, supposedly capable of attacking other devices in low-Earth orbit.
We talked about this on Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda with Andrei Klintsevich, director of the center for the study of military and political conflicts.
THE FEARS OF AMERICANS
– Are the Americans bluffing?
– The approach to understanding weapons in space or the use of space weapons can be divided into two groups. Passive applications are satellite remote sensing of the Earth used for military purposes.
– Intelligence service?
– These are communications satellites, radio reconnaissance satellites, satellites capable of actively suppressing and broadcasting in certain territories. There was talk of exotic models of large mirrors, ready to be deployed in orbit and illuminate areas of the Earth for military purposes.
– And the second group?
– Some active component, which may involve actions in orbit. With recognition and capture of an object or with some type of impact on the terrain. Let’s call it space bombing. With the placement of warheads on satellites in orbit.
– What does this contribute?
– Reduces delivery time to destination. But intercontinental strategic missiles also take off into space, enter low-Earth orbit and from there begin to shoot down their warheads. They are called “bus”. And this, a bunch of different warheads, including decoys, will go from different orbits to the ground. In fact, satellite bombing. But rockets are not launched from orbit, but from the ground. The launch can be detected and the rocket destroyed.
– Why are Americans alarmed now?
– They were afraid that we were developing nuclear engines for space objects. And we are the world leader in civil nuclear fusion technologies in various forms. On Poseidon, the nuclear engine heats the water to high temperatures and this is the driving element. The Burevestnik cruise missile is interesting. We are also developing an engine for interplanetary flights: we have the Zeus project. Americans are afraid to put satellites containing nuclear elements into orbit; In their opinion, this is militarization.
– Don’t they do this?
– The Voyagers, launched in the 70s, have nuclear power plants. Their rovers are not solar-powered devices containing nuclear elements.
Andrey Klintsevich
Photo: Personal page of the hero of the publication on the social network.
– But they claim that there is a supposed combat satellite in Earth orbit…
– Yes, which can affect other satellites. But they have no proof: these are their assumptions. For us now the most pressing task is communication satellites and ground-based remote sensing satellites. For ten years, the Americans themselves, using the Air Force, which is an integral element of the space forces, have launched, together with Boeing, a compact unmanned shuttle, the X37. It can transport up to 900 kilograms. Capable of flying in space for two or three years, moving in orbits and then landing like an airplane.
– Can it fly to any satellite?
– Yes, open your upper doors, take the reconnaissance satellite with the manipulator, put it inside you and land with it. Each time the Shuttle enters orbit, it is unknown how much cargo it carries.
– And what could be there?
– Both the technical reconnaissance equipment and a nuclear warhead inside. We do not know. The Americans themselves started an arms race in space a long time ago. And now they are trying to do all this in conditions that suit them.
HYPERSONIC COUNTRIES
-Are we deceiving the Americans?
– Well, most of it takes place in the open mode of Roscosmos – this is the study of deep space, a joint lunar program with the Chinese. In this, the Americans have an advantage over us: they plan to land on the Moon in 2030. What is important for us is the constellation of satellites for remote sensing of the Earth, improving their characteristics, even in the radio range, to be able to penetrate the clouds. Yes, we launched a number of satellites in the interests of the Ministry of Defense: for communications, transmission of combat signals and tracking. We invest a lot of money there, where we have the highest level of preparation.
– What is the condition of the American Black Dragon?
– They are carrying out tests this week. They haven’t done much with hypersound yet. We see that there are launch attempts, both successful and not so successful. But it is not noticeable to say that they put this into service.
– What about the Chinese?
– The Chinese are another story… In several positions they have been ahead. They also talk about hypersound. But we have not yet seen any application other than educational ones. It turns out that Iran, Russia, North Korea and China, countries that oppose the global West, have hypersound.
NUCLEAR TACTICS
– Exercises with non-strategic nuclear weapons have begun in Russia. What does this contribute?
– The West is now about to make decisions related, among other things, to the deployment of real military contingents of European countries in Ukraine. And we pointed out that this would be a red line for us, the crossing of which could lead to escalation and moving to the next stage in the use of various means. This also applies to F-16 aircraft, because they carry tactical nuclear weapons. But here it is important to separate strategic nuclear forces from tactical nuclear weapons.
– There are many restrictions on strategic weapons, right?
– Its use was limited by the treaty on strategic offensive weapons that is no longer in force. We were limited by aircraft carriers: Tu-160 aircraft, submarines, land systems, and we could not produce new Tu-160 aircraft, then we would have to withdraw a submarine, relatively speaking, from combat service. Today we lift these restrictions.
– What about tactical nuclear weapons?
– It has become so technologically advanced that it is possible to load a projectile up to 152 mm. But the main carriers now are well-proven weapons, like the Iskanders. In addition, there are two types of missiles: aeroballistic, which fall from top to bottom forming a large arc, maneuverable and difficult to destroy. And the second is the Iskander cruise missile.
– The Ministry of Defense provided images of the exercises…
“We saw that not only the complexes emerged, but that the entire chain worked. Receive special ammunition, advance secretly, apparently install real combat units in vehicles, enter patrol areas, with security that is the same as when protecting strategic ground complexes. And here there are special reconnaissance, security and electronic reconnaissance vehicles. And the installation of hypersonic complexes “Dagger” on Mig-31 aircraft. I do not rule out the participation of the Navy. Some of the special warheads can be installed on ships with Zircon and Onyx hypersonic missiles, which are good at penetrating air defense systems.
– In this context, several congressmen ask the Pentagon to allow kyiv to attack Russia, although the head of the Pentagon, Austin, affirms that the United States is against transferring weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces for attacks on Russia. Has the situation changed after our exercises?
– The congressmen themselves do not fully understand what they are asking for. I consider this as a provocation to, among other things, cheer up the Republicans a little. I think these exercises are a serious signal for them. The point is that if Russia goes to war with European countries that use tactical nuclear weapons, then the fighting will take place there and will not spread to the United States. At the Totsky training ground in the Orenburg region, we conducted real exercises with tactical nuclear weapons under the command of Georgy Zhukov. In fact, there were some defensive units. The attack was carried out with tactical nuclear weapons. And along this crystal clear sand, our units made a breakthrough, as if breaking through the echelon defense of the Europeans. And since then, our entire team has been prepared to go through the epicenter of a nuclear explosion…
