As promised, Russia has delivered a new weapon that it is calling "Star Warrior" that Western powers worry will be able to blast satellites out of orbit at heights of up to 500 miles above the surface of the earth.
In a speech he gave that was aired on state-owned Russian television, Pres. Vladimir Putin warned that the Star Warrior is capable of destroying some 32 Western satellites, which would render NATO missiles useless. (RELATED: Russia also promised several years back to unleash new hypersonic missile technology.)
The way the system works is like this: The Star Warrior detects a satellite in space, triggering the launch of a two-stage 14TS033 missile from a ground-based nuclear launcher. This missile travels upwards of 15,000mph as it reaches the satellite target for destruction.
This new weapons system was reportedly tested within the past several weeks. Putin used the weapon to destroy a redundant Soviet-era Tselina-D military reconnaissance satellite, blasting it into what The Sun (U.K.) called "an orbital debris storm."
It is believed by Western intelligence sources that the Star Warrior did, in fact, make this all possible. They also say that Putin has tested the missile technology component at least nine different times between 2014 and 2020 before deploying it to an actual satellite as part of the new Star Warrior system.
Satellite strike a "deliberate warning" to the West, says Russia
Russian Channel One TV host Dmitry Kiselyov said in a statement that the satellite strike is a "deliberate warning" to the West not to cross the Kremlin's red lines on Ukraine.
Kiselyov, according to The Sun, is Putin's "mouthpiece" and "propagandist-in-chief," so whatever he says is likely coming straight from Putin himself.
Kiselyov further boasted on state-owned Russian TV that if relations between the West and Russia continue to degrade, then Russia could take out 32 GPS satellites that are critical for NATO's military operations.
"We shot down the old Soviet Tselina-D satellite in space orbit," Kiselyov stated.
"That was the completion of tests of Russia’s anti-satellite system, the accuracy of which (Defence Minister) Sergei Shoigu called jewelry-like. It means that if NATO crosses our red line, it risks losing all 32 of its GPS satellites at once."
Should this happen, all of NATO's missiles, planes, ships and even ground forces would be rendered "blind," he further added.
We know that the Star Warrior system is capable of firing 14TS033 two-stage interceptor missiles, but it is believed that the final version can also be armed with a nuclear or kinetic warhead.
"We will continue to clearly and consistently delineate our red lines, which no one is permitted to cross," Kiselyov further warned.
The predecessor to the Star Warrior is currently said to be guarding Moscow. The new version, known as A-235, functions as both an anti-satellite system and an anti-ballistic missile system.
"It uses the ominous-looking and pyramid-esque Don-2N radar to detect incoming threats and blast them out of the sky – which can also detect threats in space," The Sun reported.
"The radar – known to Nato as the Pill Box – is currently used by Russia's A-135 missile defences and will be used with its successor, A-235."
The centerpiece of this radar system is a supercomputer that Russia is calling Elbrus-2. Once a threat is detected, this system can send 14TS033 missiles at speeds of up to Mach 12, or about 15,000mph.
Previously, Russian deputy prime minister Yuri Borisov bragged publicly about how the West has no counterpart system. If true, this means that Russia will now be calling the shots as far as world affairs are concerned.
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