On November 14, 2011, the Russian and foreign media reported about the next successful launch of the 9M723 guided operational-tactical missile of the 9K720 Iskander-M multipurpose modular missile system. The launch was carried out on November 10 at the Kapustin Yar test site in the Astrakhan region as part of a four-day tactical exercise of the 630th separate missile division armed with Iskander-M tactical missile systems.
According to Lieutenant Colonel N. Donyushkin, the official representative of the Ministry of Defense for ground forces, "at the final stage of the exercise, a successful combat launch of a rocket equipped with the latest equipment took place." However, he did not specify what new equipment the launched rocket was equipped with. Nevertheless, the newspaper Izvestia, citing a source in the General Staff, states that the guidance of the operational-tactical missile at the target was carried out using a photographic image of the area. That is, during the flight of the rocket, a comparison and comparison of the real image of the terrain with the digital image pre-loaded into the rocket computer was made, and, according to the same Izvestia source, “with such characteristics, Iskander-M will even be able to get to the metro.”
Apparently, we are talking about one of the types of correlation seeker, correcting the operation of the inertial control system of the rocket at the last stage of the flight trajectory, or rather, about the optical correlation seeker 9E436, created in the early 90s at the Moscow TsNIIAG and shown at Eurosatory-2004 … Some experts believe that one of the disadvantages of this guidance system is the impossibility of hitting a target not photographed and not loaded into the computer in advance, but it should be noted that there is another type of seeker - radar-correlation. According to military expert K. Sivkov, “thanks to this guidance system, the missile's accuracy when hitting a target is no more than five meters. Considering that the mass of the 9M723 charge is 500 kg, this will make it possible to destroy almost any, even deeply buried, objects on enemy territory. Now the accuracy of Iskander missiles is no more than ten meters. " He also added that "these missile systems need to be deployed in the central part of the country, aimed at the west, which, if necessary, will make it possible to disable the missile defense system deployed in European countries in a few minutes."
In accordance with the plan announced in early 2011 for the implementation of the state armament program for the period 2011-2020, it is planned to supply 10 brigades of Iskander-M missile systems to the Russian Army. All in all, according to the plan, 120 operational-tactical missile systems "Iskander-M" should be in service with the army. In 2012, the missile system tested by the 60th center of combat use will be transferred to the 26th missile brigade (Neman brigade) stationed in the city of Luga.
Multipurpose modular missile system 9K720, developed by the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering in Kolomna under the leadership of S. P. Invincible, was first shown at MAKS in 1999. The Iskander-M mobile missile system is designed primarily to destroy command posts, communications centers, air defense and anti-missile defense systems, long-range artillery and enemy missile systems at a distance of up to 500 km.
The missiles are produced by OJSC Votkinskiy Zavod, the launcher is produced at PA Barrikady. Currently, there are three versions of the Iskander missile system.
1. "Iskander-M" for the Russian army, a launcher for two missiles 9M723, 9M723-1, 9M723-1F or 9M723-1K (NATO classification SS-26 STONE), with a maximum flight range of up to 500 km (minimum range - 50 km) and a warhead weighing 480 kg (according to some sources, 500 kg). Single-stage solid-propellant rocket 9M723, guided at all stages of flight with a quasi-ballistic trajectory. The warhead of a cluster-type rocket has 54 fragmentation elements with non-contact detonation or also a cluster type with elements of volumetric detonating action. The equipped flight weight is 3 800 kg, diameter - 920 mm, length - 7 200 mm.
2. "Iskander - K", a missile system for launching cruise missiles, for example R-500, the maximum flight range of which is up to 2,000 km.
3. Iskander-E, an export version of the missile system for the 9M723E missile (NATO classification SS-26 STONE B) with a maximum flight range of no more than 280 km and meeting the requirements of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
