George1 Wed Nov 18, 2015 10:04 am
Sivkov: cruise missiles X-101 could be used for the first time in Syria
Russian combat aircraft to Syria for the first time can use the new super-powerful vacuum bomb, weighing about 40 tons, also the president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Konstantin Sivkov.
MOSCOW, November 18 - RIA Novosti. The newest cruise missiles X-101, never before used in combat may have been involved in the air strikes inflicted on the eve of the air and space forces of the Russian Federation on the positions "of the Islamic state" in Syria, said RIA Novosti Wednesday, the president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Konstantin Sivkov.
He was commenting on reports by some media, according to which the Russian strategic bombers Tu-95MS, involved in the operation of the RF videoconferencing in Syria from November 17, allegedly fired on the positions of the IG cruise missiles X-101, which was their first combat use in history.
"Most likely, all was well. On the one hand, it is an act of intimidation LIH, and the other - testing new weapons. It is one thing - to make education one or two launches of missiles, and the other - its combat use," - said Sivkov.
The interviewee noted that the X-101 missile could be launched from the territory of Russia, as its range of defeat is more than 5000 kilometers, twice the range of the missile, "Caliber", launched by IG from the Caspian Sea. However, to date, ground launchers for such missiles there.
"The launch of this missile can be carried out with at least a height of 3 thousand meters, maximum - 12 thousand meters, provided that the aircraft is moving at a speed of 900 kilometers per hour. In contrast to the land- and sea-based at the X-101 is not the start of the engine, so it should be to drop from the air, so that it already had an initial speed "- said the expert.
According Sivkova during operation videoconferencing in Syria can be tested, and other advanced weaponry.
"I think that for the first time in Syria, can be used a new heavy-duty vacuum bomb, weighing about 40 tons with an explosive capacity of about 400 tons of TNT. There may also be tested in action guided aerial bombs caliber big weight of 1.5 tons," - he said.
According to open sources, advanced cruise missiles X-101/102, which differ from each other warhead (non-nuclear and nuclear respectively) were developed by Engineering Design Bureau "Raduga" in the period of 1995-2013 years. The missile has a launch weight of 2.4 tons, range of lesion - 5500 kilometers. Currently, they are mass-produced for strategic missile-carrying bomber Tu-95MS.