relative security of mankind in recent decades ensured nuclear parity between the countries that own most of the nuclear weapons in the world and their means of delivery to the target.Currently, the two states United states of America and the Russian Federation.At the heart of the delicate balance - the two main "pillars".American heavy media "Trident-2" is opposed to the latest Russian missile "Topol-M".For this simplified scheme hides a much more complex picture.
average citizen rarely interested in military equipment.In her appearance is difficult to judge how well protected the borders of the state.Many in the memory of Stalin's magnificent military parades during which citizens demonstrating the inviolability of the Soviet defense.Huge five-turret tanks, giant bombers TB and other impressive samples were not very helpful at the front began shortly war.Perhaps complex "Topol-M", which produces pictures so impressed, too outdated?
Judging by the reaction of military experts from the countries that consider Russia a potential enemy, it is not.Only in practice, it would be better to make sure it does not.Objective data on the latest rocket little.We can only see what is available.It seems that a lot of information.We know what it looks like mobile launcher "Topol-M", which published the photos in due time all the world's leading media.Main specifications and do not constitute a state secret, on the contrary, they can be a warning to those who may plotting an attack on our country.
bit of history.Start atomic race
Americans built the atomic bomb before anyone else in the world and did not hesitate to apply it immediately, in August 1945, twice.At that time, the US Air Force had not only the most powerful weapon in the world, but also aircraft, capable of carrying it.It was flying "Superfortress" - strategic bomber B-29, the weight of payload which reached nine tons.On unattainable for air defense of any country in the altitude of 12 thousand meters at a speed of 600 km / h the air giant could bring a terrible burden to the goal, distant nearly three and a half thousand kilometers.The way the B-29 crew could not worry about their safety.The plane was well protected and equipped with all the latest achievements of science and technology: radar, powerful quick-firing gun barrage with telemetry control (in case someone still closer), and even the equivalent of a trip computer, generating the necessary calculations.So, in peace and comfort, could punish any unruly country.But it quickly ended.
quantity and quality
In the fifties, the Soviet leadership did not start betting on the long-range bombers and strategic intercontinental missiles, and as time has shown, the decision was correct.The remoteness of the American continent was no longer safe.During the Cuban missile crisis the United States surpassed the Soviet Union in the number of nuclear warheads, but to guarantee the life of its citizens in case of war with the Soviet Union, President Kennedy could not.According to experts it appeared that in the event of a global conflict, America formally win, but the death toll could exceed half of the population.Based on these data, the president. JF Kennedy restrain militant fervor leave Cuba alone and go to other concessions.Everything that happened in the following decades in the strategic confrontation, the competition came down to not just the opportunity to strike a blow destructional, but while avoiding retaliation or minimize it.The question was put not only on the number of bombs and missiles, but also the possibility to intercept them.
After the Cold War
missile RT-2PM "Topol" was developed in the USSR in the eighties.The overall concept was the ability to overcome the impact of a potential enemy missile defense systems is mainly due to the factor of surprise.It can be run from various points at which a combat patrol, this mobile system.Unlike stationary launchers, which often place of deployment for the Americans was not secret, "Poplar" is constantly in motion, and to calculate its possible trajectory quickly was not possible even with the high performance Pentagon computers.Stationary silo installations, incidentally, also carried a threat to the potential aggressor, because not all of them knew, besides their well-defended and built a lot.
dissolution of the Union, however, has led to the destruction of long-arrayed security system based on the inevitability of a retaliatory strike.The response to the new challenges was the adoption in 1997 by the Russian Army missile "Topol-M", the characteristics of which have improved significantly.
How complicate the task of the ABM
main change that was revolutionary in the whole world ballistic rocket, concerned the uncertainty and ambiguity of the rocket trajectory in its battle to date.The effect of all missile defense systems already established and only looking (at the stage of project development and debugging), based on the principle of pre-emption miscalculation.This means that if you start fixing the IDB in several indirect parameters, in particular on an electromagnetic pulse, heat trace or other objective data, run a complex mechanism interception.In the classical trajectory to calculate the position of the projectile, determine its speed and location of the launch, it is not difficult and can take steps to advance its destruction in any part of the flight.To detect the launch of "Topol-M" can be, in this between him and any other rocket not much difference.But then the situation is more complicated.
change the trajectory
The idea was to make it impossible even in case of a miscalculation coordinate warheads based preemption.To this should change and complicate the path along which the flight."Topol-M" is equipped with a gas-jet rudders and additional thrusters (their number is the public at large is unknown, but we are talking about tens), allowing to change the direction in the boost phase, that is, during the direct guidance.This information is the ultimate goal of permanently retained in the memory of the control system, and ultimately get the charge it wherever required.In other words, anti-missiles issued to shoot down a ballistic missile, will pass.The defeat of the "Topol-M" missile existing and new potential enemy is not possible.
new engines and body materials
Not only the unpredictable trajectory of the active portion does strike new weapons irresistible, but also a very high speed."Topol-M" at different stages of the flight is driven by three boosters and quickly gaining altitude.Solid fuel is a mixture of the base is a conventional aluminum.Of course, the composition of the oxidant and other niceties for obvious reasons were not disclosed.Maximally facilitate housing stages, they are made of composite materials (organoplastic) technology with continuous winding curing heavy-duty polymer fibers ("cocoon").This decision has a double practical sense.Firstly, the reduced weight of the rocket "Topol-M", its acceleration characteristics are significantly improved.Secondly, the plastic sheath is more difficult to detect by radar, high-frequency radiation reflected from it is worse than that of the metal surface.
To reduce the possibility of destruction of the charges at the final stage of the course of combat apply numerous decoys, which are distinguished from the present very difficult.
management system
enemy with rockets any missile defense system fights using a whole range of influences.The most common way is disorientation staged powerful electromagnetic barriers, also called interference.Electronic circuits can not withstand strong fields and fail completely or cease to function properly for a while.The missile "Topol-M" has a guidance system noise immunity, but this is not important.In foreseeable conditions of global conflict potential adversary willing to use the most effective means for the destruction threatening the strategic forces, including even the protective nuclear explosions in the stratosphere.Finding an insurmountable barrier on their way, "Topol", due to its ability to maneuver, with a high degree of probability be able to work around it and continue its deadly path.
stationary basing
missile complex "Topol-M", regardless of whether it is mobile or stationary, run mortar method.This means that a start is made vertically from a special container, which serves to protect this complex technical system from accidental or combat damage.There are two variants based: landline and mobile.The problem of locating new complexes in the mines is simplified by allowing the revision of the existing underground facilities intended for heavy ICBMs decommissioned under the terms of the SALT-2.It only remains to fill the bottom of a deep mine too with an additional layer of concrete and install the stop ring, which reduces the working diameter.It is important also that the missile complex "Topol-M" has the most unified with the proven infrastructure of strategic deterrence forces, including communication and management.
mobile complexes and his chariot
novelty mobile unit designed to be fired from any point on the route combat patrol (GMD) is the so-called partial hanging container.This technical feature implies the ability to deploy on any ground, including soft.Also significantly improved camouflage, making it difficult to detect complex of all existing means of intelligence, including aerospace, optical and electronic.
Details should stop the vehicle, designed to carry and launch missiles "Topol-M".Features of this powerful machine admired professionals.It is huge - weighing 120 tons, but it is very manoeuvrable, has high throughput, reliability and speed.Eight axes, respectively, sixteen wheels height of 1 m 60 cm, all of them leading.Vosemnadtsatimetrovy turning radius provided by the fact that all six (three front and three rear) axles can rotate.Pneumatics Width - 60 cm. High clearance between the bottom and the road (it is nearly half a meter) ensures smooth passage not only on rough terrain, but also Ford (with the depth of the bottom of a meter).Ground pressure is twice lower than that of any truck.
Driven mobile unit "Topol-M" power 800-strong turbo diesel installation YaMZ-847.The rate on the march - up to 45 km / h, range - not less than five hundred kilometers.
Other Tricks and promising opportunities
Under the terms of the SALT-2 restriction is subject to the number of shared independently targetable warheads.This means that creating new missiles equipped with multiple nuclear warheads, it is impossible.The situation with the international treaty of all of the country - in 1979 in connection with the introduction of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, he was recalled from the US Senate and has not yet been ratified.However, non-compliance with its terms from the US government did not act.In general, it is observed by both sides, although not yet received official status today.
Some violations, however, have taken place, and mutual.The United States insisted on reducing the total number of vehicles up to 2400, which corresponded to their geopolitical interests, as multiple warhead missiles they had more.Also important and the fact that American nuclear forces increasingly close to Russia's borders, the flight time and they are much smaller.All this prompted the country's leaders seek ways to improve the performance of their security without violating the terms of the SALT-2.The missile "Topol-M", the characteristics of which formally and without considering its features correspond to the parameters of the RT-2P, was named last modification.Americans are taking advantage of loopholes in the contract, cruise missiles deployed on strategic bombers and almost do not observe quantitative restrictions on carriers with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.
These circumstances were taken into account when creating a missile "Topol-M".The radius of destruction of ten thousand kilometers, that is a quarter of the equator.This is enough to hold its intercontinental.Currently, it is equipped with monoblock charge, but the weight of the crew compartment in the one-ton warhead allows you to change completely on shared in a fairly short period of time.
Are there any disadvantages?
strategic missile complex "Topol-M", like any other military equipment, is not an ideal weapon.The reason for the recognition of certain shortcomings became, paradoxically, the debate unfolded during the discussion of the future prospects of the SALT-2.Under certain conditions, you can vaguely hint at his own omnipotence, and under other circumstances favorable, on the other hand, point out that we are not so scary as it seems.It happened with the complex "Topol-M".The speed of the missile (up to 7 km / sec), it turns out, is not large enough for the full confidence of its invulnerability.Immunity in a barrage of stratospheric nuclear explosion, too, leaves much to be desired, especially from such a terrible destructive factor, as the shock wave.However, it generally little stand.
«Topol-M", the damage radius which allows to destroy targets on other continents, at the moment - the only Russian strategic missile produced entirely standard.That is why it is a pillar of strength and deterrence.
Apparently, this is no alternative - a temporary phenomenon, there will be other examples that vberut a dignity "Topol" and move past its flaws.Although completely without flaws it is unlikely to succeed.And while this kind of BR has the primary burden in the defense.Whatever it was, but recent history shows that those who can not defend themselves, to pay dearly for his own weakness.
actually not all that bad.The readiness to repel aggression can be judged only based on the relative values.Absolute in defense matters nothing happens, each of the weapons can be improved indefinitely.The main thing is that his fighting qualities allowed to effectively resist the forces of the enemy.
