Russia also maintains the lead so far in designing anti-defense missiles. In fact, only Russian-made systems, such as the S-300 and its modifications, would be able to repulse a massive air onslaught by hundreds of cruise missiles and bombers, the kind of air offensive favored by the United States. The United States benefited greatly during its air campaigns in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan because its enemies did not have such defense systems at their disposal -- Moscow refused to deliver them to Baghdad and Belgrade. Recently, Russian scientists created an even more powerful system, S-400, and are continuing to improve it.
Officials in Washington, who are embarking upon the National Missile Defense program, are concerned that Russia might develop a successful countermeasure, and Russian rocket scientists indeed are working on such technologies. Although these remain in the design stage -- and the Putin government has not yet made a decision on whether to proceed with production -- such technologies would help Russian strategic nuclear missiles overpower NMD systems and yet would cost a fraction of what Washington plans to spend on NMD.
All of these technologies and other scientific achievements in Russia will continue to be important objectives of U.S. intelligence activities. More spy scandals are likely, but Russia -- under the administration of Putin, who appears to be seriously committed to his pro-Western policy course -- will sweep them under the rug.
Additional analysis from STRATFOR.com can be found at http://www.stratfor.com in our LINKS section.
This article is reprinted with permission from the publisher STRATFOR.com.
Officials in Washington, who are embarking upon the National Missile Defense program, are concerned that Russia might develop a successful countermeasure, and Russian rocket scientists indeed are working on such technologies. Although these remain in the design stage -- and the Putin government has not yet made a decision on whether to proceed with production -- such technologies would help Russian strategic nuclear missiles overpower NMD systems and yet would cost a fraction of what Washington plans to spend on NMD.
All of these technologies and other scientific achievements in Russia will continue to be important objectives of U.S. intelligence activities. More spy scandals are likely, but Russia -- under the administration of Putin, who appears to be seriously committed to his pro-Western policy course -- will sweep them under the rug.
Additional analysis from STRATFOR.com can be found at http://www.stratfor.com in our LINKS section.
This article is reprinted with permission from the publisher STRATFOR.com.