Igor Konashenkov, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, said that on March 19 and 20, the Russian Armed Forces destroyed Ukraine’s strategic objects Kalibr and Daggers (an aircraft-launched hypersonic missile), in particular damaged repair shops. Armored vehicles at the Nezhinsky repair plant and fuel and oil storage bases in the village of Kontantinovka, Mykolaiv region.
The caliber cruise missile has a range of up to 3,000 kilometers and a flight speed of 800 to 3,000 kilometers per hour. It can carry warheads up to 400 kg. According to a number of experts, “Caliber” could become the main strike force of the strategic level of the Russian troops. So, the doctor of military sciences Konstantin Sivkov explained that a missile for various types of military equipment simplifies the supply of soldiers.
“The more types of ammunition, the more difficult it is to supply the troops, the more difficult it is to organize their release, the more difficult it is to saturate the troops with the right amount of ammunition. Therefore, of course, they will put “Caliber” everywhere. And that’s true,” said Sivkov.
In turn, Dmitry Stefanovich, researcher at the Center for International Security at IMEMO RAS, noted the development of a special missile X-101 for the aircraft, which is unlikely to be replaced by Caliber.
“We have a direct order from President Vladimir Putin that we need a land-based version of Caliber. An air version of the caliber is not planned yet – we have a Kh-101 missile, which is quite good for air. And calibers are used, as a rule, where planes are sent far or are expensive. “It’s one thing to shoot down a rocket, it’s another thing to shoot down a plane,” he said.
Stefanovic explained.
At the same time, he added that the Caliber is unlikely to displace the operational-tactical missile systems of the troops, which can fire both aerobalistic and cruise missiles from Alexander.
“These missiles have different sizes. The missile from the caliber complex is longer, you can’t just put it on the Iskander. When the land-based Kalibr appears, it will most likely be added to each missile brigade as a separate division,” he said.
Igor Korotchenko, Director of the World Arms Trade Analysis Center (TsAMTO), noted that the Caliber belongs to Russia’s non-nuclear strategic deterrence forces, and its versatility and the ability to place it in standard launch containers make it possible to deploy it. even small ships like missile boats turn them into ranged weapons.
According to him, the salvo launch demonstrated by the RF Ministry of Defense could be made from such a ship. “This is a full load of ammunition, as I understand it, of the relatively small displacement ship. However, this is an effective study,” stressed Korotchenko.
He reminded that caliber was used for the first time to destroy militant targets in Syria.
“Today caliber” is a serial, proven, reliable, effective type of weapon. Of course, we have prepared appropriate centers for the preparation of flight missions based on Russian technologies and the global navigation system Glonass, so here we are completely independent and independent in combat use, production and mass production of such products. Projects of both nuclear and non-nuclear multi-purpose submarines are also equipped with Caliber.”
At the same time, Konstantin Sivkov believes that the launch of the salvo “is not a demonstration demonstration, but has a practical nature.” “This is the use of weapons to solve a specific combat mission. Why Caliber? For the simple reason that troops need to figure out the use of these weapons in combat conditions. Very necessary”
– said the expert.
In his opinion, the purpose of salvo launches is to control the operation of the onboard control system.
“With a single salvo, or launching two or three missiles, it may work normally, but with a full salvo some problems may arise. And now it was a smooth salvo – that is, everything was successful, ”Sivkov concluded.
Source: Gazeta
