Russia unveils new radar system to counter European U.S. missile shield

December 1, 2011 – MOSCOW – In its bid to counter Western plans for a U.S. missile shield in Europe, Russia on Tuesday launched a state-of-the art antimissile radar with a detection range of 6,000 kilometers, close to the borders of NATO alliance members Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic coast. Sticking to his last week’s threat to take steps to counter U.S.-led NATO missile defense system in Europe posing mortal danger for Moscow’s nuclear deterrence, President Dmitry Medvedev said, “This is the first signal of Russia’s readiness for an adequate response to the threats posed by European AMD to our strategic nuclear forces.” He was addressing the top military commanders after inaugurating the anti-missile radar in Russia’s Baltic Exclave of Kaliningrad. The Voronezh-DM radar station has been working in test mode for the whole of 2011. There were no technical failures over this period, Interfax news agency reported, quoting a source in the defense ministry. With the effective detection range of 6,000 kilometers, the Voronezh-DM is capable of working in tandem with Moscow’s missile defense system. “If our signal is not heard, as I said on November 23, we will continue deploying other means of defense,” Medvedev said in his televised remarks. –Times of India

contribution Vicky