Kubinka (Moscow region). August 23. INTERFAX-Russia continues to equip the Iskander-M complexes with new missiles, Bekhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the cluster of weapons, ammunition and special chemicals of the Rostec state Corporation, said in an interview with Interfax.
"I would not say that the era of Iskander is coming to an end. Today, this complex remains the most effective weapon in its class. It is significantly ahead of the best foreign analogues. At the same time, Iskander-M is continuously being improved, equipped with new types of missiles. Its characteristics are expanding, " Ozdoev said at the Army-2021 forum
According to him, this complex initially had a great potential for modernization.
"In particular, due to the development and improvement of combat equipment. If in 2006 he had one type of ammunition, now their nomenclature has been significantly expanded, both at the expense of aeroballistic and cruise missiles. This weapon will be able to perform a wide range of combat tasks for a long time. Over the past 15 years, the operational qualities of the complex have also significantly expanded. This process does not stop," Ozdoev said.
Iskander-M (developed by the Engineering Design Bureau, part of the NPO High-Precision Complexes holding) is capable of hitting targets with two types of missiles: ballistic and cruise. The complex is designed to defeat the enemy's multiple launch rocket systems, anti-missile and air defense systems, aircraft and helicopters at airfields, command posts and infrastructure facilities.
According to official data, the flight range of Iskander-M missiles is up to 500 km. The missiles of the complex can carry a nuclear warhead.
The United States accused Russia of non-compliance with the treaty on intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles due to the characteristics of the 9M729 cruise missile for the Iskander complex. Russia has denied these accusations.
In 2017, Valery Kashin, General Designer of JSC "Scientific and Production Corporation "Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering" (KBM), said that seven types of missiles were created for the Iskander-M complex.
"Several more types of missiles have been created, they do not differ from each other externally. Now he has seven types of missiles, and maybe more, " Kashin said.
