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On Military.com’s news and national policy blog, Jamie McIntyre writes about Vladimir Putin’s recent comments on America’s missile defense. Among other things, Putin wants the U.S. to provide Russia detailed data on our missile defense plans and capabilities. The former Soviet Union aspires to modernize its offensive nuclear force in ways that would defeat our missile defense system.

“Skeptics of missile defense should take note of Russia’s paranoia about the U.S. missile defense in Europe…Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin believes something many in the U.S. scoff at, namely that the anti-​​missile system probably works, and Russia has nothing like it.”

Although Russia’s intercontinental ballistic missiles could take on our interceptors in Europe and Alaska, Russia seeks to impede our progress. Will President Barack Obama allow it?

“The Russian instance that the U.S. scrap its missile shield is a test for President Obama, who wants to extend an open hand to the Russians in his laudable goal of reducing nuclear stockpiles and getting help containing Iran,” McIntyre writes. “Reducing the number of nukes in the interest of both the United States and Russia, as are missile defenses by the way. If Putin could put his pride aside, and his country first, he could see that.”

The U.S. and Russia recently agreed to honor the spirit of the expired Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), while they continue to negotiate a replacement treaty. Under the treaty, signed by Russia and the U.S. in 1991, both countries agreed to reduce nuclear warheads to roughly 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600. Eleven years later, the Moscow Treaty, a follow-up to START, required warhead reductions to between 1,700 and 2,200.

Vladimir Putin, Russia’s prime minister, said the two countries are still trying to replace START and blames America’s plans to continue developing a comprehensive missile defense system for the delay. (Source)

“If we don’t develop a missile defense system, a danger arises for us that with an umbrella protecting our partners from offensive weapons, they will feel completely safe,” he said. “The balance will be disrupted and then they will do whatever they want, and aggressiveness will immediately arise both in real politics and economics.”

Putin adds that to counter our missile shield Russia would make new offensive weapons. As a result, he is demanding that the U.S. provide Russia detailed data on its missile defense plans and capabilities. Logic dictates that Putin wants Russia to receive this information in order to permit it to modernize its offensive nuclear force in ways to defeat the missile defense system.

Will Barack Obama allow Russia to make START’s replacement contingent on whether the U.S. changes its missile defense policy? Obama already dropped plans to deploy missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic, although he claimed Iran’s missile capabilities were the reason, not Russia’s negative reaction. President Obama’s explanation is not convincing and suggests that he is bowing to Prime Minister Putin’s demands that the U.S. terminate its missile defense program in order to get the START follow-on treaty.

 
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expects to see a more pliant Russia when it comes to protecting Europe from missile attacks, according to Voice of America. Speaking at a Senate hearing, Gates said Russia has changed its assessment of Iran and agrees with the U.S. that the rogue nation has advanced far enough to hit targets in Europe.

Gates said this about former President Vladimir Putin: “When I first met with President Putin and talked about this, he basically dismissed the idea that the Iranians would have a missile that would have the range to reach much of Western Europe and much of Russia before 2020 or so. And he showed me a map that his intelligence guys had prepared. And I told him he needed a new intelligence service.”

It’s common knowledge Russia opposes our plans to build missile shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia called the bases threats, unconvinced that their purpose is to protect Central Europe. The former Soviet state is changing its tune, thanks to Iran’s desire and determination to possess nuclear power.

As irony would have it, we now have a president in the White House who is not committed to building the shields.

U.S. defense contractors are very interested in talks between the two countries, as their programs are at stake in the wake of defense budget cuts. Northrop Grumman wants the Department of Defense to lift a stop-work order so it can move forward with a test flight of the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI).

Northrop spokesman Bob Bishop said, “Taxpayers have invested some $1.1 billion in KEI over the last five-plus years. It would be a shame to spend that money without a test to prove whether the technology works and forego an opportunity to gather valuable data on this first-of-a-kind, high-acceleration agile missile.”

The Obama administration has proposed to cut $1.4 billion from the missile defense budget.

(Source: Voice of America and Reuters)

The U.S. is set to begin negotiations with Russia today to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expires on December 5, 2009. (RIA Novosti)

Under START, signed in 1991, Russia and the U.S. agreed to reduce nuclear warheads to 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600. Eleven years later, the Moscow Treaty, a follow-up to START, required warhead reductions to between 1,700 and 2,200.

Our agreements with Poland and the Czech Republic are expected to be sticking points during the negotiations. The missile defense bases will serve to protect Central Europe from rogue nations like Iran and North Korea , but Russia claims the bases will pose a threat to its homeland. During a recent visit to Japan Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hinted that our agreements with the two countries will come up: “Russia will certainly link missile defense with all related issues, including strategic arms reduction.”

Then again, the negotiations may go smoothly, considering that President Barack Obama appears ready to appease Russia on this issue. A Russian newspaper reports there is only a “slim chance” the two nations will reach an agreement by the deadline.

 
Last week we blogged about Russia’s optimism that our new president is willing to discuss Russia’s objections to missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. The New York Times reports that NATO’s military exercises in Georgia are interfering with Russia’s discussions with the U.S.

Vladimir Putin said this about our agreements with the two countries:

“I don’t think you have to be an expert to see that if one side wants to or has an umbrella against various threats, it can begin to suffer from the illusion that it is permissible to do whatever it likes, and then its actions will become many times more aggressive and the threat of a global confrontation will reach a danger level.”

As Russia seeks to implement its missile defense agenda, the country recently celebrated its victory over Nazi Germany during WWII by exhibiting the new S-400 missile defense system. At the celebration, President Dmitri Medvedev issued another barely-veiled threat:

“Any aggression against our citizens will be met with appropriate resistance, and the future of Russia will be peaceful, successful and happy.”

The S-400 is designed to intercept missiles from low and high altitudes, according to a Russian military expert. (Source)

(Photo source: MissileThreat.com)

 
Today Russia successfully test-fired the new RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile, which is designed to defend against missile shields like the two planned in Poland and the Czech Republic. (AFP)

This is third time in two years Russia fired the RS-24; the first occurred in May 2007, and the second in December 2007.

Spokesman Nikolai Solovtsov said, “The targets that were set were reached. The tasks were fully carried out,” the commander of Russia’s strategic missile forces…The deployment of the RS-24 missiles, which have a detachable warhead, strengthens the military options of the Russian missile forces in overcoming missile defence systems.”

Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin want President-Elect Barack Obama to reverse the Bush administration’s plans for missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. In fact, the AFP reports that Medvedev called the current administration “extremely inflexible.”

CBS News reports that in the past six months, the “soft-spoken” Russian president may have been employing Cold War rhetoric and tactics. Russia aggressively attacked and occupied Georgia, and Medvedev said America’s economic problems have “now transformed into a full-scale international financial crisis.”

In addition to blaming the U.S. for the global financial crisis, Russia has threatened to deploy missiles on the Polish border if the U.S. goes through with its plans in Eastern Europe.

 
According to RIA Novosti, Russia will not reopen a radar base in Cuba. “This matter is not under consideration,” Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference.
 
The 28-square-mile Lourdes facility, located near Havana, is the largest Russian signal intelligence site abroad. Former President Vladimir Putin closed it in 2001. At one point, 1,000 to 1,500 people occupied the facility.
 
Cuba was a player in the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia. Just 90 miles from our shores, Cuba is a hotbed of political wrangling between the world’s superpowers. Any Russian facility that close to the U.S. is a major concern, naturally. RIA Novosti reports that the Lourdes facility “intercepted transmissions from microwave towers in the United States, communication satellite downlinks, and a wide range of shortwave and high-frequency radio transmissions.”

Speaking of Cuban bases, a Russian newspaper reported in July that a high-placed source said the Kremlin may retaliate against the U.S. if it deployed missile interceptors in Poland or Lithuania. The retaliation would consist of Russia installing Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan supersonic nuclear bombers in Cuba. Former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro didn’t confirm or deny the report. (Source)
 
(Source: RIA Novosti)