It has long been known that Americans are passionate about how they love to give loud names to their teachings or types of weapons.
So recently they called their experimental Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) missile the “S-400 killer” – the famous Russian Triumph anti-aircraft missile system.
It sounds, of course, impressive. But if you seriously understand: this is just a loud “figure of speech”.
After all, PrSM has never fired at our Triumph anywhere in reality. Consequently, the American statement is just a theory of the question, wishful thinking is real.
Lockheed Martin said the rocket flew more than 400 kilometers during its first tests, breaking its previous range record set in May of 300 kilometers.
According to Defense News, now the declared maximum range of PrSM is 499 kilometers, but it supposedly (!) Can be increased to 550 kilometers (again – theory of the question!).
And Breaking Defense magazine reported that the US Army is studying the possibility of increasing the range of PrSM missiles to 1,600 kilometers. This is how, in such a magical way, a short-range missile (flying from 500 to 1000 km) can quickly turn into a medium-range missile (flying over 1000 kilometers!). “Some kind of dregs,” even a man in the street who is far from rocketry would say. And he will be right.
And Americans can “study the opportunity” and fantasize for an infinitely long time, and the numbers can be called, as they say, from a bulldozer or from a light bulb. If only it sounded more impressive.
And what do Russian military experts think about this? I turned to some of them.
Here's what they said.
Alexey Zakharov, Doctor of Technical Sciences, design engineer of anti-aircraft missile systems, laureate of the Russian Government Prize:
– I wonder if the Americans believe that their PrSM rocket will safely fly to the S-400 position, and our “Pantsiri” and “Torahs” will calmly watch all this? Well, funny and naive! And how can you talk about some kind of “killer” if “the chicken is in the nest”? PrSM are going to be put into service only in 2023.
It seems to me that a tricky game is going on. After the United States withdrew from the INF Treaty, they realized that they were in a puddle, which they themselves dug. And realizing this, they began to bluff like this, to frighten the Russians with their “killer”. In fact: this is a signal that they are calling us to return to the RIAC, and they themselves seem to be ready for this.
Alexey Podberezkin, Director of the Center for Military-Political Research, MGIMO:
– The Americans are now focusing on operational-tactical systems, whose range is already about 300 kilometers, and they want to make more than 500 kilometers. This largely explains why the United States withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty). There, as you know, missiles with a range of over 500 kilometers fall under the restrictions. The Americans seem to have approached this milestone. If the treaty existed, it would certainly be a violation. The Americans want to make these systems operational as well, increase their range over a thousand kilometers and achieve superiority in the theater of operations without the use of nuclear weapons. But for now, these are just intentions …
