Baltic Fleet Has No Iskander Missiles So Far

26.01.2012 Russian General Staff has not made any decisions as of establishing a new unit armed with Iskander missile systems within Baltic Fleet so far, a spokesman for defense ministry told reporters.

Some media agencies reported that structure of a new military unit had been already approved and Iskanders would be allegedly deployed in Kaliningrad region in the second half of 2012. Deployment of Iskander missile systems in western Russia is destined to become one of the measures countering the US missile defense plan.

"General Staff has not decided on foundation of a new Iskander-equipped military unit in Baltic Fleet. Accordingly, it is not planned to recruit the unit with officers, sergeants, and non-commissioned personnel", said the official.

In Nov 2011 President Dmitry Medvedev declared a list of military and diplomatic measures which were Russia's response to US missile defense assets deployed in Europe. He said that Russian military would reinforce coverage of strategic nuclear objects; up-to-date missile strike systems capable to destroy America's missile defenses can be deployed in western and southern parts of Russia. First phase of the plan has been already implemented; new launch warning radar was put in service in Kaliningrad region. The next step is deployment of Iskander missile systems there.

Mobile high-precision missile system Iskander is designed for destruction of ground-based targets like command posts, large force groupings, air/missile defense assets, airplanes and helicopters on airfields.

The newest tactical ballistic missile system Iskander is capable to overcome available and prospective foreign missile defense systems.

Iskander can be shipped by all kinds of transport including aviation. The system has advanced tactical maneuverability. In addition, Iskander can be used in wide temperature range from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius.