US drops a pallet of cruise missiles into the sky over the Arctic Pentagon describes the targets of the exercises as “provocative” against Russia 11.11.2022, 17:38

To understand the situation, we can recall the advertisement of the US Air Force and the American company Lockheed Martin last year, which graphically shows the tests of the C-17A Globemaster III and EC-130J Super J aircraft with the AGM-158B by dropping pallets. stealth cruise missiles. effectively. Dozens of high-altitude aircraft drop dozens of parachute platforms, each independently launching four cruise missiles. And this “swarm” rushes to an unknown shore with the possibility of destroying all life there. The title of the video states that “deadly cruise missile platforms can increase the attack capability of tactical fighters and strategic bombers.”

As part of the implementation of the Rapid Dragon concept, tests on the use of cruise missile tracks were carried out at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in the summer of 2021. Initially, it was assumed that the AGM-158B extended-range air-to-surface missiles will be used to launch from B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers, which can be launched without entering the enemy’s air defense zone. But there are 58 such aircraft remaining in operation (for 2021), therefore, under the Rapid Dragon program, cruise missiles began to be used with launches from military transport aircraft using landing tracks.

Existing tests of new cruise missile platforms in the Arctic became their first “combat use”. Although the launches were carried out in the direction of the Norwegian test site, the algorithm of the exercises was aimed at Russia. “This puts this thing within Russia’s reach. We are trying to be deliberately provocative without escalating the situation. We are trying to contain Russian aggression, its broad behavior, by demonstrating the expanded capabilities of the Allies,” he said.

A military expert, Deputy Commander of the Joint Air Forces, “The American cruise missile, known as Jazm (from the abbreviation JASSM – Joint Air-to-Surface Range Missile – socialbites.ca) is a fairly old development of cruise missiles” Defense system of the CIS countries, Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev. – We still know them well from Soviet times when the US launched the Giant Spear program whose purpose was to attack the Soviet Union from the North Pole, the closest distance for air strikes.

Even then, our air defense systems were working on the option of repelling a major attack with American cruise missiles. The algorithm for this confrontation included all countermeasures, including the use of tactical chocks of high-altitude MiG-31 interceptor fighters. Two or three regiments of such fighters in this direction neutralized all possible attempts to attack missiles.

According to the expert, the current US is trying to show the possibility of domination in the Arctic using cruise missiles, “it was yesterday.” At the same time, General Bizhev states that trying to put pressure on Russia from the Arctic is not worth underestimating US programs. To use the potential of the S-400 and advanced S-500 anti-aircraft systems, as well as the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles carried by the MiG, it is necessary to restore all air defense systems in the Far North. -31 preventative, ”says the expert.

“American bullying must be responded to with appropriate actions,” military expert Vladislav Shurygin told socialbites.ca. – There are some concerns of the “fast dragon” tactic, with the possible use of mass launches of cruise missiles. Firstly, because with the participation of many transport aircraft they can be really huge. Second, the use of multiple airspaces in the immediate vicinity of our borders. There are about a dozen in Norway alone, the largest of which are sites used by the US Air Force at Erland, Annøy, Transyo and others.

Yes, it’s quite dangerous but avoidable. Starting with the fact that the American cruise missiles themselves are subsonic and easily knocked down by Russian air defense systems. In addition, the range of destruction of about a thousand kilometers makes it possible to destroy targets only in the coastal areas of Russia from the Arctic. They will certainly not reach the Urals or the central regions.”