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Iskanders are surface to surface, and are supposed not to allow the ABM missiles to take off the ground and/or deny them radar guidance, increasing chances for retaliatory stike using land based ICBMs.

by blackhawk on Fri Nov 7th, 2008 at 09:20:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I was assuming the US ABMs would be hardened in some way - or at least hardened enough to survive having a cluster bomb thrown at them.

If they're just sitting on fixed platforms in the open - that's a little silly and pointless, isn't it?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Nov 7th, 2008 at 09:27:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Surface-to-Surface tactical missile systems have the potential to carry many different types of payloads.  At the range of the Iskander I suspect they have a nuclear warhead as well as various kinds of "conventional" warheads: cluster, multi-targetable, electronic warfare/counter-warfare, and what-not.

At least if I was developing it I'd put in that capability and build the munitions.  The Russians are shrewd weapons makers and I assume they would do the same.

I'd also give it a Surface-to-Air capability -- but that's just me.  :-)


A doo run-run-run, a doo run-run

by ATinNM on Sat Nov 8th, 2008 at 10:44:52 AM EST
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