{"id":5776,"date":"2016-10-10T15:25:29","date_gmt":"2016-10-10T10:25:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/jwt2015\/?p=5776"},"modified":"2016-10-13T09:53:44","modified_gmt":"2016-10-13T04:53:44","slug":"what-weapons-would-fight-in-a-us-russia-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/studykit\/currentaffairs\/daily-articles\/what-weapons-would-fight-in-a-us-russia-war\/","title":{"rendered":"What Weapons Would Fight in a US-Russia War?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Taking stock of America and Russia\u2019s military assets is important. For example, what are the key weapons platforms each nation has? Which are the very best? What would prove the most decisive in a conflict?<\/p>\n
\n
\n
Let’s just it never happens–considering both countries have thousands of nuclear weapons.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Between the never ending conflict in Ukraine, the crisis in Syria and now allegations that Russia has engaged in cyber hacking against America, relations between Moscow and Washington have reached a low not seen since the darkest days of the Cold War<\/p>\n
And to make matters even worse, with NATO and Russian forces in close proximity in Europe-as recent events keep demonstrating\u00a0[3]<\/span>–as well as both nations having air assets over the war torn skies of the Syrian Civil War, there is the chance that an accidental collision could spark a diplomatic crisis, a crisis that could lead to a place no one wants to go: some sort of open conflict.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
While no one certainly dares wish for such an eventuality, taking stock of America and Russia\u2019s military assets is important. For example, what are the key weapons platforms each nation has? Which are the very best? What would prove the most decisive in a conflict?<\/p>\n
Authors Dave Majumdar, defense editor for TNI, as well as former managing editor, Zachary Keck, tackled this question in the beginning of 2015. For your reading pleasure (or horror), we have combined two articles that examine the various weapons platforms both sides would be worried about–even fear–in such a hypothetical matchup, into this one post. Let\u2019s just hope it never happens, considering both sides still hold thousands of nuclear weapons that could destroy the entire planet in just a few hours. Let the debate begin.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Even with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and heightened tensions, it is very unlikely that the United States will ever directly face off against Russia. A shooting war with Russia would almost certain end poorly for all concerned.<\/p>\n
Modern Russia is not the Soviet Union, but it is still possesses a very formidable arsenal of both strategic and tactical nuclear weapons. Moreover, given the uneven state of Russia\u2019s conventional forces\u2014which have greatly atrophied since the Soviet collapse\u2014the country relies much more heavily on its strategic deterrent to ward off enemies than the USSR ever did. Indeed,\u00a0in November 1993\u00a0[4]<\/span>, Russia dropped the Soviet Union\u2019s pledge not to be the first to introduce nuclear weapons into any conflict. Instead Russia reserves the right to use its nuclear weapons under a doctrine that it paradoxically calls “de-escalation\u00a0[5]<\/span>.”<\/p>\n
The bottom line is that the United States is not going to engage Russia in a war\u2014however it might face Russian weapons during a conventional conflict where those weapons have been sold abroad. Therefore, the article won\u2019t address the most obviously dangerous Russian weapons\u2014such as nuclear weapons or nuclear-powered submarines\u2014but will instead focus on systems that American forces may realistically face in combat one day.<\/p>\n
Here is a selection of five of the most potent Russian weapons that U.S. forces might face.<\/p>\n
Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E:<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E is the by far the best operational fighter aircraft Russia has produced to date. An advanced derivative of the original Soviet-era Su-27, the new Flanker variant is high flying, fast and carries an enormous payload. That, combined with its advanced suite of avionics, makes the Su-35 an extremely dangerous foe to any U.S. fighter, with the exception of the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.<\/p>\n
As an air-superiority fighter, the Su-35\u2019s major advantages are its combination of high altitude capability and blistering speed\u2014which allow the fighter to impart the maximum possible amount of launch energy to its arsenal of long-range air-to-air missiles. During an air battle, the Su-35 would launch its missiles from high supersonic speeds around Mach 1.5 at altitudes greater than 45,000 ft. It also has three-dimensional thrust vectoring\u2014which gives it exceptional maneuverability, advanced avionics and a powerful jamming capability.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Chinese People\u2019s Liberation Army Air Force is keen to acquire the new jet and there have been reports that North Korea would also like to buy some number of Su-35s. As the Su-35 begins enter service in numbers, additional customers are likely to start lining up to buy the new fighter.<\/p>\n
Amur-class submarine:<\/strong><\/p>\n
While Russia builds sophisticated nuclear-powered ballistic missile and attack submarines like the new Borei-class and the Severodvinsk-class boats, it is a near certainty that those vessels will never be exported. Russia\u00a0has only ever allowed\u00a0[6]<\/span>\u00a0India to lease its nuclear-powered submarines. India currently leases the Akula II-class attack submarine INS Chakra\u2014also known by its Russian name Nerpa (K-152)\u2014and it also previously leased K-43, which was a Charlie I-class attack submarine. Most other client states will buy advanced Russian diesel-electric attack boats the latest of which is the Amur-class.<\/p>\n
Diesel-electric boats\u2014though they lack the endurance of a nuclear-powered vessel\u2014are extremely quiet and pose an extremely dangerous threat to surface warships. This is especially true in confined littoral waters close to shore. Even older diesel-electric boats have proven to be surprisingly dangerous. In 2007, for example, a relatively elderly Chinese Song-class boat approached the carrier USS Kitty Hawk undetected until the crew announced themselves by surfacing near the giant warship. The Russian Kilo-class and its newer Amur-class successor are far quieter and far more capable than the Chinese boat.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Amur-class boats, which are derived from the Russian Navy\u2019s Project 677 Lada-class submarines, are designed specifically for the export market. Compared to the older Kilo-class design, the Amur is much quieter\u2014largely thanks to its new single hull design–and is far better armed. It can also be fitted with an air independent propulsion system\u2014which means it can stay underwater for a lot longer than conventional submarines that are not so equipped. The Amur-class is equipped with four 533mm torpedo tubes and 10 vertical missile launch tubes. It can travel at speeds of 20 knots and has an endurance of at least 45 days.<\/p>\n
Russia has not yet found a client for the Amur, but given that the older Kilo was very popular, it is near certainty that they will make a sale sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n
T-90 Tank:<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Russian T-90 main battle tank is the most advanced current Russian armored vehicle until the Armata series enters service. Though the designation is new, the tank is at its core a very heavily upgraded Soviet-era T-72.<\/p>\n
The T-72 was originally intended to be produced in huge numbers as the Soviet Army\u2019s lower tier tank while the more capable T-80 was reserved for elite units. However, after the T-80\u2019s less than stellar performance during the first Chechen conflict, the Russian Army chose the T-90 over upgraded version of the T-80 for future orders.<\/p>\n
While its origins lie in T-72, the T-90 is an excellent tank that is far less costly than its Western counterparts like the Leopard 2 or M1A2 Abrams. In effect, the T-90 combines the armament, sensor and fire-control systems of the latest version of the T-80 onto the T-72 chassis. It also adds a new composite armor matrix and Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor.<\/p>\n
The Russian Army has almost a thousand T-90s, but the tank has proven to popular with the Indian Army which fields perhaps the most advanced version of the vehicle (with better sensors and protection among other features). In addition to India, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uganda have purchased the T-90. There are also reports that Vietnam and other countries have expressed interest in the vehicle.<\/p>\n
Russia is currently offering an upgraded version called the T-90MS for sale.<\/p>\n
Originally developed by the Soviet Union, the P-800 is a supersonic anti-ship missile that was later jointly developed into the Indian-Russian BrahMos. The weapon can launch from ships, submarines, aircraft and from land. While it is primarily designed to be used as an anti-ship weapons, the near Mach 3 capable missile can also be used against land targets. It has a range of about 300 km (or roughly 186 miles)\u2014which means it far out-ranges the U.S. Navy Harpoon anti-ship missile.<\/p>\n
According to U.S. Navy sources, the BrahMos is a particularly dangerous anti-ship weapons. While they would not disclose specific details, something about the BrahMos\u2019 flight profile make it especially problematic to counter using existing American ship defenses.<\/p>\n
Both the original Russian version and the Indian\/Russian version of the weapon are available for export. Vietnam, Indonesia, and Russia operate the Bastion-P shore-based version of the P-800 weapon. India operates the BrahMos from its ships, aircraft and shore batteries, but Russia will likely install the weapon onboard its new Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a number of countries have express interest in purchasing the BrahMos including Vietnam and Egypt.<\/p>\n
Type 53-65 wake-homing torpedo:<\/strong><\/p>\n
While anti-ship missiles get a lot of attention, submarine launched torpedoes are arguably a much more dangerous threat to U.S. Navy surface warships. Perhaps the most dangerous torpedoes that the Navy might encounter are high-performance Russian-made wake homing torpedoes.<\/p>\n
Wake-homing torpedoes have sensors that track the churn in the water as a ship passes through and homes in on the turbulence following a snake-like pattern. Wake-homing torpedoes have long vexed the Navy because the weapons ignore counter-measures, like the Navy\u2019s Nixie decoy, and attack the ship directly. Further, the weapons are believed to have a very high probability of kill, which means they pose a deadly threat. The only real counter to the wake-homing torpedo problem is to develop an anti-torpedo torpedo (ATT). The Navy\u00a0has deployed a prototype onboard\u00a0[7]<\/span>\u00a0the carrier USS George HW Bush,\u00a0but it not clear how effective\u00a0[8]<\/span>\u00a0the new ATTs are.<\/p>\n
Russia has exported wake-homing torpedoes. China\u00a0is known to have bought some\u00a0[8]<\/span>, but it not clear how many other countries have purchased such weapons.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union battled for global primacy. Although this rivalry often played itself out in proxy wars, the two superpowers obsessed over how a direct war between them would unfold. For the United States, conflict scenarios primarily envisioned using America\u2019s technological advantages to offset the numerically superior Russian forces.<\/p>\n
The end of the Cold War has greatly dampened the potential for conflict between Russia and the United States, and their massive nuclear arsenals make it further unlikely that they will come to blows. Nonetheless, the post\u2013Cold War era did not herald an end to great-power politics, nor did it bring about anything approaching an alliance between Moscow and Washington. Real and persistent tensions have remained in bilateral relations, and these have grown considerably in recent years.<\/p>\n
As such, U.S. and Russian strategists continue to draw up war plans for one another. In this endeavor, Russian military strategists have had to contend with America\u2019s growing technology supremacy in many areas, with five weapons of war foremost in their minds:<\/p>\n
Any analysis of the U.S.-Russian military balance must begin with their respective nuclear arsenals. And the core of America\u2019s strategic deterrent is the Ohio-class Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN).<\/p>\n
Of the three legs of the nuclear triad, America\u2019s fourteen Ohio-class SSBNs\u00a0provide it with its\u00a0[9]<\/span>\u00a0\u201cmost survivable and enduring nuclear strike capability.\u201d Each submarine is at sea roughly 68 percent of the time, with seventy-seven days at sea followed by thirty-five days of in-port maintenance.<\/p>\n
Each SSBN stretches 560 feet with a beam of 42 feet and a weight of 18,750 tons when submerged. Powered by a pressurized water reactor (PWR) and a single propeller shaft, the Ohio-class can travel over 25 knots at depths exceeding 800 feet.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Each vessel carries twenty-four Trident II D-5 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles and four MK48 torpedoes. Developed by Lockheed Martin to replace the Trident I C4,\u00a0Trident II SLBMs are\u00a0[10]<\/span>\u00a0three-stage, solid propellant, inertially guided SLBMs with a range in excess of 4,000 nautical miles (4,600 statute miles or 7,360 km). They have a greater payload capability than the Trident I SLBMs they replaced. Perhaps the biggest advantage Trident II SLBMs enjoy over their predecessors is a new, GPS-enabled navigation system that gives them a circular error probable of just 90-120 meters,\u00a0as little as one fourth\u00a0[11]<\/span>\u00a0of the CEP of the Trident C-4.<\/p>\n
Trident II SLBMs also are equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), allowing them to carry up to eight warheads. Thus, each Ohio-class SSBN could carry up to 192 nuclear warheads on board. Altogether, America\u2019s\u00a0sea-based deterrent boasts\u00a0[12]<\/span>\u00a0336 nuclear-armed missiles, with about half of America\u2019s deployed nuclear warheads on board. However, under the terms of the New START Treaty, the United States will deactivate four of the missile tubes on each SSBN before 2018.<\/p>\n
B-2 Stealth Bomber:<\/strong><\/p>\n
When Ukraine began heating up in the spring of 2011, the United States\u00a0sent a pair of\u00a0[13]<\/span>\u00a0B-2s to Europe on a short-range mission. Although the Air Force claimed their purpose was simply to train with European allies, the message to Russia was unmistakable.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the B-2 Spirit would almost certainly be an integral plan of any war between Russia and the United States, as its \u201crevolutionary blending of low-observable technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency and large payload gives the B-2 important advantages over existing bombers\u201d like the B-52.<\/p>\n
Particularly essential, in light of Russia\u2019s more-sophisticated anti-air systems, is the B-2\u2019s low observability, which is \u201cderived from a combination of reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures.\u201d These make the plane highly survivable and allow it to penetrate the most sophisticated adversary defenses.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The B-2 also boasts impressive range. With a fuel capacity of 167,000 pounds, each plane can travel around 6,000 nautical miles without being refueled,\u00a0according to Northrop Grumman\u00a0[14]<\/span>, the plane\u2019s primary contractor. Although it flies at subsonic speeds, it can reach altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, which enhances its targeting capabilities. Speaking of targeting, it can receive retargeting information in the air. In fact,\u00a0thanks to recent upgrades\u00a0[15]<\/span>, B-2s can receive presidential orders directly, even in a postnuclear detonation environment.<\/p>\n
The B-2 also has an enormous payload capability. Each plane can carry 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of conventional or nuclear weapons to drop on high-valued enemy assets. This\u00a0makes it the only aircraft\u00a0[16]<\/span>in the U.S. arsenal capable of carrying the 30,000-lb GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which can reportedly penetrate 200 feet of solid concrete before exploding. In other words, Russia can run, but it can\u2019t hide from the twenty B-2 stealth bombers.<\/p>\n
F-22 Raptor:<\/strong><\/p>\n
The F-22 Raptor would alone be on the front lines of any U.S.-Russian war.<\/p>\n
The aircraft \u201ccombines stealth design with the supersonic, highly maneuverable, dual-engine, long-range requirements.\u201d It was built to replace America\u2019s aging F-15 fighters, however, unlike its predecessor and other air superiority fighters,\u00a0the F-22 is the first highly[17]<\/span>\u00a0survivable fighter to be able to simultaneously conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions. It can also conduct numerous other missions, including \u201cintelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
The aircraft\u2019s stealth capabilities are enhanced by its high maneuverability and particularly its ability to reach speeds of greater than Mach 1.5 without afterburners. Its advanced avionics suite gives it a \u201cfirst-look, first-shot, first-kill capability.\u201d In other words, it fights beyond the visual and radar range of adversary aircraft. This is made possible by the F-22\u2019s weapons bay. Most notably, its six Raytheon-built AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs). It also boasts two AIM-9 sidewinder missiles, which\u2014after scheduled upgrades to the aircraft are complete\u2014will be of the AIM-9X variety.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/img.scout.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2016\/10\/08\/Sukhoi_Su-35UB_and_Su-47_at_MAKS-2003_airshow.jpg\" "\\"Su")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/img.scout.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2016\/10\/08\/1026060182.jpg\" "\\"Amur")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/img.scout.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2016\/10\/08\/virginia_class.jpg\" "\\"submarine")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/img.scout.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2016\/10\/08\/B-2_Spirit_original.jpg\" "\\"B-2\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/img.scout.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2016\/10\/08\/Lockheed_Martin_F-22A_Raptor_JSOH_1.jpg\" "\\"F-22\\"")
<\/p>\n