BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/11/2007

Russia considers to deploy missiles launchers in Belarus

Russia is considering to sell Belarus Iskander missile launchers as a counter measure to the US deployment of anti-missile components in Central Europe, Itar-Tass news agency reported yesterday.

"For every action there's a reaction. The same is true of the components of a US missile defense in the Czech Republic and in Poland," Itar-Tass quoted Colonel-General Vladimir Zaritsky, chief of the Russian Armed Forces' rocket and artillery troops, as saying.

Earlier, Belarussian rocket troops chief Mikhail Puzikov has said there were plans for buying Russian missile launchers Iskander-E to re-arm his nation's military forces.

"Why not? This may be possible, on certain conditions, and if there is a corresponding position taken by Belarus," Zaritsky said in response, noting it might prove an asymmetric response to the deployment of U.S. missile defense components in Europe.

The new missile launcher Iskander, which can carry missiles with a range of some 500 km, will be used to re-arm five missile brigades of the Russian armed forces by 2016, said Zaritsky.

The launcher consists of the rocket proper, a self-propelled launcher, a rocket transportation and loading vehicle, the command and control vehicle, a mobile information processing center, mobile logistic and support units and sets of arsenal and training equipment, Itar-Tass reported.

Source:

http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/world/userobject1ai3229326.html