On May, 9th in Moscow the lead military parade on the Red Area continues to draw the big attention of the western press. For the first time for 17 years modern arms have been shown. The modern military systems has passed on the Red Area which has made different impression upon observers.

 

On parade have been showed such modern models military technics as Т-90 main battle tank, BMP-3 and BMP-4 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), Smerch mobile rocket system, Мsta-S and Sprut-SD self-propelled artillery system, BTR-90 armored infantry wheel vehicle and Tiger light fighting machine, Iskander-E SRBM complex, Тоr-М1, Buk-М1 and S-300PMU2 SAM systems, Topol road-mobile ICBM.

 

The air part of parade has been presented Аn-124 Ruslan heavy-weight transport aircraft, Тu-160 and Тu-95МS6 heavy strategic bombers, Il-78 tanker, Su-34 and Su-24М frontal bombers (on one), Тu-22М3 medium-range bomber (three), МiG-31 interceptors (two), Su-25 assoult aircraft (four), «Russkie Vityazi» (Russian knights) and «Strizhi» (Swifts) flight demonstration groups (on four Su-27 and on four МiG-29), helicopters.

 

Trainings of armies and heavy systems which have passed on April, 27th, on May, 3rd and 5 were very interesting also. In the same days passed also flights of planes and helicopters. 

 

Allow to write about suspicions. Very easily jumped up from Red Area Тоpol TEL (transporter-erector-launcher), because missile systems of profit on parade without missiles. If to consider, that the weight completely equipped TEL with a rocket makes nearby 98 т without a rocket its weight does not surpass 52 т. Thus, the weight surpasses weight Т-90 the tank which makes 46 т a little. After parade Тоpols TEL very quickly leaved from the Red Area, it is possible to tell, that machines were without missiles. The «Topols danger» were the big problem for the Moscow authorities for preservation of a road cloth, not true. The caterpillar technics represents for the Moscow roads and the Red Area much greater threat, than almost 20-meter length wheel machines, which weight (I repeat, hardly surpasses weight Т-90) is very successfully distributed on 14 wide wheels. The special marking on the area has been made that drivers "Topols" have truly passed on radiuses of turns.

 

Missile on Buk-M1-2 TEL made impression like make-up.

 

But the most interesting - the past on the Red Area the newest Eskander missile systems have not lifted the rockets of what it is necessary to do a conclusion, that they too were without rockets. For example, on parade on the Palace Area in St.-Petersburg missile systems «Тоchka-U» have shown the missiles as they did it always.

 

Certainly, the West was not kept from venomous remarks.

 

Here that the Liberation French newspaper (Russian language source http://www.inosmi.ru/translation/241254.html)casion):

 

«In the Russia this exhibition of iron for which already it was required to lead three rehearsals, does not cause unanimous approval. Inhabitants of houses near to whom there passes military technics, complained, that on buildings there were cracks, there are fears concerning new underground shopping centers, and the mayoralty of Moscow approves, that repair of roads after pass on them of tanks will manage in 1,4 billion roubles (38 million euro). But the most terrible comment has sounded from Washington where Jeff Morell spokesman of Pentagon laughed at age of military technics deduced on parade: «If they would like to pull out the old arms and to examine it from different directions - please!».

 

Really, the great bulk of technics shown on parade, especially in air, was not new. The advanced was Su-34 frontal bomber which acts on arms since 2007. This plane could act on cервис still in mid-90, or, at least, in the end 90, but infinite delays have led to that by 2015, under plans of Ministry of Defence, on cервис should act (by the most optimistical estimations) 58 planes of this type.

 

As to land-based technics for ground forces, that modern should be named BMD-4 Bakhcha-U (as Water-melon field) IFV and Iskander-E operational-tactical missile systems (range 280 km). But, under publications of press, it is not established missile brigade by these complexes. Possibly, has put again in delays. On parade the commentator has made the message, that these complexes will be equipped in the long term and winged missiles from what the conclusion what exactly on the basis of the chassis of these TEL in May, 2007 were follows are lead tests of unknown persons cruise missiles. It can be 3M14 cruise missil, developed on the basis of Soviet «томаhawk» - КR Х-55 (KR - Krylataya raketa) complex RK-55 in usual equipment. These complexes in a nuclear variant have been destroyed according to Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles Treaty (INF Treaty) from 1987. Thus, the commentator has explained this question.  

 

On parade the newest have not been shown Тоpol-М road-mobile ICBM and S-400 Тriumph SAM.

 

Leonid NIKOLAEV,

May, 11, 2007

 

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