Russia to test Iskander tactical missile systems on May 29

Russia is planning to test missiles of the Iskander tactical missile systems on May 29, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov told President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

Photo: Russia to test Iskander tactical missile systems on May 29

The tests will take place at a testing range near Znamensk in the Astrakhan region, he said, adding that he will attend them with Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, Interfax reports.

Iskander is a short range, solid fuel propelled, theater quasiballistic missile produced in Russia.

The system is intended to use conventional warheads for the engagement of small and area targets, such as:

- hostile fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery pieces);

- air and antimissile defence weapons, especially those located in relatively fixed sites;

- fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft at airfields;

- command posts and communications nodes;

- critical civilian infrastructure facilities;

- other vital small and area targets.

The Iskander-E system is equipped with a solid-propellant single-stage guided missile controlled throughout the entire flight path and provided with a nonseparable warhead.

In flight, the missile follows a non-purely-ballistic path, which includes such features as violent maneuvers in the terminal phase of flight and the release of decoys. The missile never leaves atmosphere as it follows a relatively very flat trajectory. These features are meant to defeat any anti ballistic missile systems operating in the world today.

Prepared by Alexander Timoshik
Pravda.ru