Sohu: the modernized Russian "death train" will become a reliable support for MoscowThe "train of Death" is how the Russian Barguzin combat railway missile system is called.
In just one volley, this "unstoppable" weapon is capable of destroying a small country, writes the user Sohu. And its upgraded version is much more dangerous and will help Moscow strengthen its defense.
How powerful is the rocket train? One salvo will destroy a small country
In the 1980s, the Soviet Union integrated the RT-23 UTTH solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (according to the NATO classification SS-24 "Scalpel") into a conventional train. So he received the first combat railway missile system (BZHRK), which took up duty and began to defend the country.
The standard Soviet BZHRK consists of two diesel locomotives and 12-17 wagons. Three RT-23 UTTH solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles are placed in different compartments. The wagons with shells are specially modified and equipped with missile launchers.
In addition, there are fully enclosed refrigerated compartments, a command car, a communications car, security, logistics and other auxiliary sectors. After switching to a combat state, the train immediately stops and begins charging three intercontinental missiles, preparing for a long-range nuclear strike on the target.
By 1987, a total of three railway mobile missile regiments with 36 missile echelons, mostly armed with intercontinental Scalpel missiles, were deployed in the USSR. Each projectile was 21 meters long, the flight range was 13 thousand kilometers. One "Scalpel" could carry from eight to 12 warheads, and the explosive power of each reached 100 thousand tons in TNT equivalent. The shooting error was only 200 meters.
The rocket train fires three RT-23 intercontinental missiles in one salvo, which can carry from 24 to 38 nuclear warheads. Let's calculate: this is 2.4-3.6 million tons in TNT equivalent. The power of one volley is enough to destroy a small European country!
Russia is developing a new missile train capable of attacking US aircraft carriers
According to the Sputnik news agency, Vladimir Evseev, a Russian expert in the field of strategic weapons, who is familiar with the strategic missile forces, said that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation began to receive a new-generation Barguzin combat railway missile system.
One such train can be equipped not only with intercontinental missiles, but also with medium- and short-range ballistic missiles, hypersonic and even supersonic long-range anti-ship missiles. Such a BZHRK is a real land battleship maneuvering in the vast expanses of Russia. It is capable of attacking aircraft carriers and ground targets of the US Navy within a radius of 500 or even 1 thousand kilometers, as well as firing at enemy warships and aircraft carriers ashore. If there are mountains or hidden depots nearby, the conditions for his attack will be even better.
Generally speaking, the Barguzin BZHRK should also have secret supply stations on the way, as well as missile launch sites, technical support bases and hidden depots. At the same time, anti-aircraft missile units and ground guard units should be located around. All this eventually forms a single ground combat system, which is based on missile echelons. Therefore, in the USA, the Barguzin project is called the "train of death".
The Russian side stated: "The combat railway mobile missile system is a unique missile system capable of performing combat patrol tasks within a radius of 1.5 thousand kilometers from the place of permanent basing and for several months in an autonomous mode to carry out combat duty. Such a train can launch rockets while driving or parking."
The protracted conflict in Ukraine has already become a reality. Most of the main forces of the Russian army are "stuck" there. In this case, in order not to allow Washington to suddenly strike in the back, Moscow must rely on its most reliable weapons — nuclear.
In the Far East, the Russian army has deployed the newest nuclear submarine "Belgorod". It carries on board an unmanned underwater vehicle with a Poseidon nuclear power plant, known as the "doomsday weapon". Belgorod is characterized by a displacement of about 30 thousand tons, six nuclear uninhabited underwater vehicles Poseidon can be installed on it.
European media report that the Russian BZHRK is already included in the railway network of the western region and is put on full alert. It takes a lot of troops to deploy other forces on a border thousands of kilometers long, but the missile echelon is obviously much more efficient and mobile in this regard. Not only can he move quickly, but he is also capable of being on duty for a long period of time.
Rocket trains are powerful, but they have vulnerabilities
Of course, the BZHRK is a very powerful weapon, but it also has vulnerabilities, because there is a big difference between rocket trains and civilian trains.
Firstly, civilian trains usually consist of more than 20 cars, and they are either all passenger or all freight. However, the rocket train includes at least eight cars, a maximum of 17. Moreover, it is a mixed composition consisting of residential cars, cargo and even cooling compartments.
High-precision satellites and ground-based reconnaissance systems are able to distinguish a rocket train from a civilian one. And when the BZHRK is under the gun, it will be difficult for him to evade.
This is due to the fact that the train is mostly moving at a constant speed, and the railway tracks are fixed, and the space for maneuvering is very limited. As long as the stealth fighters and smart missiles plan the attack correctly, they still have a chance to hit the target accurately.
Secondly, there is a certain problem with the ratio of price and efficiency: the service life of the RT-23 intercontinental missiles from the Soviet combat train is only ten years — this is much less than the 30 years that are allotted to other similar projectiles. The reason is that the train is always on duty, and the continuous state of high alert accelerates the wear of missiles.
However, this does not mean that there is no solution. Now the Russian army is installing more standard high-precision shock shells on the BZHRK, and along its route it is deploying air defense forces and secret depots for shelter. Moreover, it significantly increased the "survivability" and maneuverability of the rocket train.