Medvedev Shakes Korolev's Hand
This post is admittedly as much about using a good photo and video as relaying something you haven’t heard. But the visuals bring the subject to life a little. At any rate, the lengthy Russian holiday season is upon us, so any post (even one with fluff) is better than none.
Tuesday Russia’s lame duck President and Supreme CINC Dmitriy Medvedev greeted a group of military men — Armed Forces, MVD, FSB, SVR, and MChS officers — in the Grand Kremlin Palace’s St. George’s Hall to congratulate them on their new command positions or promotions to higher ranks.
Shown above are (from right) Southern MD Commander Aleksandr Galkin, Central MD Commander Vladimir Chirkin, Northern Fleet Commander Vladimir Korolev, Black Sea Fleet Commander Aleksandr Fedotenkov, and VVKO Commander Oleg Ostapenko.
Galkin and Chirkin are apparently there to mark their elevation to three-star general-colonel rank, while the latter three are now at new posts. And Ostapenko’s sporting a blue uniform. Didn’t the ex-Space Troops wear green reflecting their RVSN roots?
Kremlin.ru published some of Medvedev’s remarks to his senior officer audience:
“In recent years, we have modernized the Armed Forces in the most substantial way, optimized the structure and manning of the army and navy, improved the combat command and control system, and strengthened the strategic nuclear deterrent forces. From 1 December of this year, new troops –Aerospace Defense Troops began combat duty, and in November a new radar station for monitoring air space in the western direction was brought into operation.”
“The army and navy have to resolve an entire series of missions relative to supporting the national development strategy and, accordingly, military organizational development during the period of the coming 10 years. One of the most important goals is the technical reequipping of troops. Our key priority remains further reequipping of the troops, and weapons and equipment of the most modern and next generation. And of course, this task also demands the preparation of specialists, demands the preparation of personnel who will be fully capable of using this equipment as intended. Therefore, it is important to guarantee the proper level of professional knowledge in cadets and young officers.”
“We are continuing the improvement of our armament, and our equipment. In this context, I would like to note specifically that despite the problems currently remaining in the missile-space sector, nevertheless, we have just made a very important step: we completed the flight testing cycle of a naval strategic nuclear forces system, I have ‘Bulava’ in mind. This cycle, I remind you, was not simple, and went forward with certain problems. Still our industry proved it can develop new, modern, and highly efficient types of strategic weapons. One of them is the ‘Bulava’ system, which now, after all this testing, will be accepted into the arms inventory.”
Pervyy kanal covered the ceremony, showing Medvedev, three VVKO and/or Air Forces general-majors, a Bulava launch, and assorted siloviki, including Sergey Ivanov, Nikolay Patrushev, Rashid Nurgaliyev, and Aleksandr Bortnikov.
The first general-major wearing the blue uniform is Sergey Popov, late chief of air defense for VVS, now Commander of VVKO’s Air and Missile Defense Command. The second couldn’t be identified by your author. The third is Igor Makushev, Commander, 1st Air Forces and Air Defense Command (perhaps just the 1st Air Forces Command since the advent of VVKO).
But returning to Medvedev and Bulava . . . the Supreme CINC’s words unleashed minor euphoria about the SLBM’s imminent acceptance.
For example, on December 28, RIA Novosti reported its highly-placed Defense Ministry source claimed a decision on accepting the Bulava-Borey weapons system is before the country’s political leadership.
But Medvedev didn’t say the missile is now ready to be accepted. He just said it would be, and we already knew that. Also, he never mentioned Borey-class SSBN Yuriy Dolgorukiy which must be accepted in tandem with Bulava for this strategic weapons system to achieve IOC.
Vedomosti’s Defense Ministry source was more on the mark saying Bulava “practice” launches could continue for some time.
Going slow would seem to track with Defense Minister Serdyukov’s apparently unhurried approach toward Bulava at this point. There have been reports that Dolgorukiy isn’t ready, and launches next spring and summer could come from Borey unit 2 Aleksandr Nevskiy by then.
At any rate, the Bulava program’s come a long way from the nadir of its December 2009 failure. But this isn’t exactly the end of the road either. Moscow still has to work out a reliable and well-controlled production run of some 128 missiles (and 768 warheads) plus spares. Not to mention ramping up construction and completion of eight Borey-class boats.
Thank you for reading this meandering post, as well as others this year. Your author wishes you a happy 2012.
С новым годом!
Russian Defense Policy 