Russia flexes military muscle - holds largest military excercise since soviet times.

[Martin]

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040217.wsovi0217/BNStory/International/


I suppose Putin couldn't afford to invade a whole country prior to his reelection

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Inevitable.

 

[maddogchen]

looks like it didn't go all that well missiles failed to launch

and then the coverup

 

[arsbanned]

I'm surprised they had enough money to put all those ships at sea at one time....

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040217.wsovi0217/BNStory/International/


I suppose Putin couldn't afford to invade a whole country prior to his reelection

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
looks like it didn't go all that well missiles failed to launch

and then the coverup

It was no coverup - they expected the missles to fail. Unable to maintain them properly.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: maddogchen
looks like it didn't go all that well missiles failed to launch

and then the coverup

It was no coverup - they expected the missles to fail. Unable to maintain them properly.

Which is exactly why these are conducted of course. Find out what doesnt work so it can be fixed. That and to send messages to other countries and to it's own people.

 

[maddogchen]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: maddogchen
looks like it didn't go all that well missiles failed to launch

and then the coverup

It was no coverup - they expected the missles to fail. Unable to maintain them properly.

Which is exactly why these are conducted of course. Find out what doesnt work so it can be fixed. That and to send messages to other countries and to it's own people.

So........the message to the Russian people is we need more money to pay for the missiles because it don't work anymore? And.......the message to other countries is Quick attack us now because we can't hit back right now?

And also why conduct these test and then invite Putin to see them if they were gonna fail?

 

[UltraQuiet]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: maddogchen
looks like it didn't go all that well missiles failed to launch

and then the coverup

It was no coverup - they expected the missles to fail. Unable to maintain them properly.

Which is exactly why these are conducted of course. Find out what doesnt work so it can be fixed. That and to send messages to other countries and to it's own people.

Very indicative of the Russian mililtary, their Navy and the sub force in particular. During the cold war they relied on sheer numbers vice quality to be effective. Since the break-up and the near collapse of their economy, they have to rely on quality and they have a long ways to go. The Russians have turned out some very good boats in the last few years (later version of Akula, Oscar II) but it certainly isn't surprising that they would have these types of issues. At least not to me.

 

[kage69]

It was no coverup - they expected the missles to fail. Unable to maintain them properly.

Maintenance - therein lies the cause of the Kursk disaster, and will probably account for more mishaps in the future as it seems Russia isn't in a big hurry to insure the safety of it's sailors. Russia no longer has the dough to devote to maintaining the 'big boy' toys, but it would rather pay in lives than remove such devices from it's arsenal.

I seriously doubt they would have tried to launch missiles they knew to be faulty right in front of their president. That would be seen as an embarrasing loss of prestige. Look into the Kursk incident, particulary Moscow's reaction to it, for a run-down on the role 'face' plays in Russia's upper echelon.