Multiple Warheads for ICBMs

[CHIMO]

Russia will replace single nuclear warheads on some of its strategic missiles with multiple warheads, news agencies reported Friday.

"In the near future we will begin to substitute the single warheads on Topol-M intercontinental missiles with multiple warheads," Interfax quoted General Nikolai Solovtsov, commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces, as saying Friday.

Fitting multiple warheads to single-warhead Topol-M missiles is a cheaper way for Russia to upgrade its nuclear arsenal and maintain nuclear parity with the United States. It also makes it theoretically easier to evade missile defense systems.

"This makes the task of replacing aging missiles much easier," said Alexander Pikayev, a Moscow-based defense analyst who is co-chair of the Committee of Scientists for Global Security.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/12/18/015.html

Don't know if this has been posted before, but it is the first that I have seen of it.

[Selatius]

1. The Russians warned Bush they would do this if he abandoned the ABM treaty.

Bush abandoned it anyway.

[Pavulon]

2. Pointless

in a us russia nuclear war. Russia is not a direct nuclear threat to us.

ABM is not designed against an equal force like russia.

[theophilus]

3. We better stop our wars of aggression and concentrate

on helping the world by getting off of our dependence on petroleum. Climate change needs to be addressed and we'd better choose to lose some population. We'd better be able to produce enough food for our citizens and have ample clean drinking water. If we keep going the way we're going MAD
won't work. Russia and China will think they will be destroyed UNLESS they nuke us. The time to change is NOW.

[daleo]

4. At least some big contractors made mucho $$$ on ABM

Even if Russia did render it irrelevant by this simple expedient.

It's all about the contractors.

[David__77]

5. Important decision.

They are saying that the US will not be allowed to gain strategic domination militarily. MAD (mutually-assured destruction) is still the agenda of the day.