Nuclear blow to Ukraine: whether it is able to intercept the Russian rocket - experts

In Europe, there are two objects of missile defense system of the US Higher Echelon-Aegis Ashore, which are equipped with SM-3 interceptors. However, the Russians also have a tactical nuclear weapon, against which SM-3 is not effective. The Kremlin has repeatedly sounded threats to nuclear weapons, in particular in Ukraine.

In this regard, the Defense Express observers were understood as the American system was capable of intercept of a Russian nuclear missile released in the Ukrainian territory in Europe. Experts say that since 2022, there are two main elements of the US anti -missile defense in Europe since 2022. One object is located in Poland, the other in Romania. The systems in 2022 were to get the latest version of the special interceptor Standard Missile 3 or SM-3.

In fact, the land complexes of the multifunctional weapons management system (BSUZ) are equipped with interceptors, as at the AEGIS rocket stracers of Arleigh Burke class. The material states that the objects of AEGIS ASHORE are located in Poland 500 km from the border with Ukraine, in Romania - 380 km from the Ukrainian boundaries, but the remote coverage of the system covers a space that is much higher than Ukraine.

According to the presentation of the US Defense Ministry Defense Agency Patrick O'Rililin 2015, "the nominal coverage of both AEGIS Ashore not only overlaps Ukraine, but goes far beyond the Russian Federation," experts say. In this case, the range of SM-3 is 1200 km. Meanwhile, it is about intercepting such Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles as PC-12M "Topol", PC-24 "Yars", P-36M2 "Voivoda" and PC-28 "Sarmat".

In the case of such rockets, their launch instantly fix the RLS and satellite group, as this is one of the key elements of nuclear restraint. Such rockets will try to intercept in the early stages of flight, as they are then raised to heights above 1000 km, and in the final stage of the flight begins the process of separation of warheads and the production of false goals, which is extremely complicated by interception.

Thus, Aegis Ashore covers Ukraine, but covers some of the deployment of Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. In other words, to knock down any running intercontinental rocket from the Russian Federation will try as quickly as possible. At the same time, Russia also has tactical nuclear weapons. For example, before the Iskander OTRC rocket, equipped with a nuclear warhead, the SM-3 interceptor will be helpless, but the destruction of similar goals is included in the Patriot Pac3 SCR.