New Russian Missiles Aid China, Iran -- May Spark New Arms Race

New Russian Missiles Aid China, Iran -- May Spark New Arms Race

Charles R. Smith
Monday, Feb. 12, 2001

U.S. defense experts are concerned that America is falling behind Russia and China in a new missile arms race.

While U.S. weapons development stalled almost completely during the 1990s - both Russia and China have continued to field a new generation of missiles for which the west has no equal nor defense.

The Western press in recent years has already reported on the development of Russia's new intercontinental ballistic missile, the TOPOL-M.

Already two regiments of the nuclear weapon bearing missiles have been deployed. The TOPOL-M is more sophisticated than any similar missile in the U.S. arsenal, and enables the missile to enter earth's orbit before striking its target.

Russia is now threatening to spark a global arms race with the development and transfer of a new series of missiles.

Top among the new threats is the recent movement of the Russian made S-300PMU missiles by the Chinese Army, NATO code named SA-10C "Grumble".

U.S. intelligence sources confirmed for NewsMax.com that the Chinese Army has deployed dozens of the deadly new air defense missiles directly opposite Taiwan within the past few days.

"The S-300PMU is simply a highly effective fast SAM (surface-to-air missile) that is very hard to jam and stop," stated Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation.

"The PLA is now placing their S-300s in bases along the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has little defense against this effective SAM and even lacks stand-off weapons like the HARM anti-radar missile to counter the S-300. In 2001 Taiwan has little choice but to sacrifice many aircraft to take out these SAM sites in order to avoid having to cede half the Strait in the event of an air battle."

Transfer to Iran

To make matters worse, Pentagon officials quietly confirmed that Russia has also sold S-300 missiles to Iran.

According to defense intelligence officials, joint Russian/Iranian crews currently man two S-300 units just outside of Tehran and Iranian Army soldiers are now undergoing operational training on the advanced missile system in Moscow.

The Russian missile sale to Iran may alter the defense equation as viewed by the Pentagon and the oil rich Persian Gulf.

There is no question the S-300 missile is a threat to the air forces of U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan, and Taiwan. None are equipped with aircraft that can counter the new Russian missile.

The recent Bush White House declaration that it would not seek to increase the Clinton defense budget may be undermined as the threat Iran's new missile stockpile becomes clearer.

The Almaz S-300PMU is considered the best Russian air defense missile available, equal to the U.S. Army Patriot, and can destroy any current western fighter aircraft.

Pentagon officials quietly assert that that America currently does not have the air power to counter the deadly S-300 missile.

Jamestown defense analyst Richard Fisher noted that in 1999 U.S. defense officials feared that Serbia had obtained S-300 missiles from Russia and might use them to ambush NATO fighter jets in "SAM" traps.

"If the Serbs had the S-300 it would have been a very different air war," stated Fisher flatly.

"Over the Persian Gulf, the S-300 will significantly raise the cost of combat to opposing Arab air forces, and make future U.S. air operations far more difficult."

America Response Needed

"The proliferation of these advanced air-defense weapons is an argument for the F-22, a stealthy, fast air superiority fighter," asserted Jack Spencer, a defense specialist and fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

"This is why we need more B-2s, and long-range air launched cruise missiles that will allow our aging B-52 and B-1 fleets to engage heavily defended targets without getting blown away," warned Spencer.

The new S-300 air defense missile represents just one example of a new generation of weapons being sold on the open market by Russia.

Another popular new weapon is the Vympel R-77 missile, NATO code named AA-12 Adder. The R-77 is a long-range air-to-air missile carried by Russian built fighters.

The R-77 is designed to destroy other aircraft beyond visual range (BVR) and reported to be equal to or better than the U.S. made AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.

R-77 missiles have also recently appeared in the arsenal of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

"(Russia) selling the R-77 to China is a big concern," noted Jamestown defense analyst Richard Fisher.

"The U.S. AMRAAM was supposed to provide a margin of air superiority on which to base deterrence. This is now gone with the sale of the R-77; we now have to invest in a much better missile to sustain deterrence, and sell it to select friends. Even more troubling are reports that China and Russia are co-developing a longer-range ramjet version of the R-77 on which the Russians have already a great deal of work."

"It was silly for the Clinton Administration to approve the AIM-120 (for sale) to Taiwan but then to insist that they be stored in the U.S.," stated Fisher. "We need to store AIM-120s in Taiwan for use by U.S. forces that may come to Taiwan's rescue."

Yet, U.S. forces coming to aid Taiwan will face more than new S-300 and R-77 air defense missiles in Chinese Army hands.

China Acquires Most Lethal Cruise Missile

China has also acquired the most lethal cruise missile in the world - the Russian 3M-82 Moskit, NATO code named the SS-N-22 Sunburn.

The 9,000-pound Sunburn flies at speeds of over 1,500 miles an hour and is armed with a nuclear warhead ten times the power of the Hiroshima bomb.

China currently operates two Sunburn armed warships - both based directly opposite Taiwan, raising the specter of an instant nuclear war.

"The proliferation of these weapons is very dangerous," warned the Heritage Foundation's Jack Spencer.

"They were built by the Soviet Union for one reason only - to target U.S. surface ships armed with Aegis fleet defense systems. Oddly enough, now the Chinese want them - and have them. Why? I would argue to target U.S. surface ships," said Spencer.

"Whether or not we can defend against this is a good question," noted Spencer. "Probably under perfect conditions we would defend against 1 or 2. But under war conditions, to defend against many would be difficult."

"Taiwan has little effective defense against this supersonic anti-ship missile other than the pre-emptive and destabilizing option of sinking the ship in a first strike that could spark a much larger conflict," asserted defense analyst Richard Fisher.

"The Phalanx Gatling gun on many Taiwan ships cannot stop the Sunburn. The AEGIS radar-missile system could stop the Sunburn but that is an expensive option that which the Clinton Administration was too afraid to take. Absent the protection of AEGIS, the U.S. too has no good option but to take out the Sunburn's ship, which could spark a larger conflict."