Putin’s super weapons: Moscow gives us a new look at its future arsenal

PRESIDENT Trump says Montenegro wants to invade Russia. So Putin’s just released a threatening new look at the six secret ‘super weapons’ he has up his sleeve to scare them off.

MONTENEGRO better watch out. Just days after President Trump warned President Putin that the tiny European nation has ambitions to march on Moscow, the Russians have unveiled a threatening new look at his secret array of super weapons.

“The Russian Federation continues to implement measures to strengthen its military security,” a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defence reads. “The creation of new strategic weapons systems is aimed at enhancing the defence capability of Russia, and preventing any aggression against our country and its allies.”

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It has just released a fresh new look at six potentially devastating new weapons systems it currently has under development.

It appears to be a thinly veiled response to US President Donald Trump’s warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin about Montenegro’s ambitions to drag NATO behind it in a war of conquest.

TOPSHOT — US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SMIALOWSKI

NATO has ridiculed the suggestion, pointing out the treaty can only be triggered if one of its member states is directly attacked.

And news of the weapons is not new. President Putin proudly declared their existence shortly before the Russian elections earlier this year.

While the boasts were loud, details were scant.

But, to Putin, the weapons represent a new world order for his former Soviet state.

And he wanted everybody to know it.

“No one has listened to us,” Putin pronounced. “You listen to us now.

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“I want to tell all those who have fuelled the arms race over the last 15 years, sought to win unilateral advantages over Russia, introduced unlawful sanctions aimed to contain our country’s development: all what you wanted to impede with your policies have already happened.

“You have failed to contain Russia.”

Despite his collapsing economy, ageing combat aircraft and navy, and the failure of his new stealth fighter program, Putin’s maintaining his brave face.

He’s hoping reminding the world of his secret weapons will back up his bravado.

And, according to an array of statements from his Ministry of Defence, everything is going swimmingly.

PUTIN’S SUPERWEAPONS

Six new propaganda videos released by the Russian Ministry of Defence reveal fresh details about the weapons systems — be they complete or conceptual:

PERESVET: The Ministry of Defence says Moscow’s ‘Space Force’ has, for the first time, a new weapon based on a laser system. It says some of these combat lasers — intended to intercept incoming missiles and target satellites — are already built and deployed with associated troops and infrastructure. The system is said to be undergoing extensive operational testing to establish procedures, capabilities and needs. “Every day the personnel receive theoretical knowledge in specially equipped training classes, and practical actions are worked out directly on military equipment.”

BUREVESTNIK: It's touted to be a cruise missile given unlimited global reach because of a revolutionary new nuclear-powered engine. There are, however, doubts it actually works. Nevertheless, Moscow remains upbeat: “A low-flying, barely noticeable cruise missile carrying a nuclear warhead with virtually unlimited range, unpredictable flight trajectory and the possibility of circumvention of interception lines is invulnerable to all existing and prospective systems of both missile defence and air defence”. It says design and development work is continuing.

POSEIDON: Moscow says its new Ocean Multipurpose System “Poseidon” is a “fundamentally new type of naval underwater weapon based on the use of unmanned underwater vehicles (which) is practically one hundred per cent invulnerable from enemy countermeasures”. It’s supposed to used a nuclear powerplant to deliver a nuclear warhead to coastal facilities anywhere in the world. It says recent tests have proven the feasibility of the design, and work continues on developing prototypes.

AVANGARD: President Putin boasted this was a ICBM-launched guided glider capable of flying so fast, nothing could defend against it. Now Moscow says it has entered mass production. It says it can follow an evasive flight path at more than 20 times the speed of sound. “The flight trajectory of the planning combat unit is below the minimum height of the interception of the ABM air defence missile systems,” it says. “Its interception by short-range antimissiles is also unlikely due to the limited possibilities for deploying antimissiles on a high-speed manoeuvring target”. It adds launch facilities are being built or upgraded to handle the new weapon.

SARMAT: Perhaps the least ‘new’ of Putin’s weapon systems is the heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) intended to carry the Avangard and other warheads towards their targets. “It can carry combat blocks of small, medium, high or large power classes,” the defence ministry says. Plans to systematically replace older weapons with the Sarmat are going according to schedule, it says.

DAGGER: Moscow says this aircraft-launched hypersonic missile is operational after some 350 test flights, including 70 where its carrying aircraft were refuelled in flight. “As part of the strategic containment of MiG-31 aeroplanes with the Dagger system, scheduled air operations are carried out over the water area of ​​the Caspian Sea. It says other aircraft, such as the Tu-22M strategic bomber also are being adapted to carry the new weapon.