Shoigu to inspect BMEWS capabilities in Siberia
KRASNOYARSK. June 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Sergei Shoigu arrived in Krasnoyarsk Territory on Monday to inspect trial operation of a next-generation radar, Voronezh-DM, and progress in the completion of a government defense order by regional enterprises.
"The defense minister will hear a report by Space Troops Commander Lieut. Gen. Alexander Golovko regarding plans to introduce in service a high-factory-readiness radar, Voronezh-DM, deployed near the town of Yenisiysk," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told journalists.
"This radar can reliable detect ballistic targets," Konashenkov said.
During a tour of local defense enterprises Shoigu will inspect their progress in implementing a government defense order, Konashenkov said.
During his working trip to the Central Military District the minister will also inspect a number of Siberian military bases, the spokesman said.
The Voronezh-DM radar, which was created in Krasnoyarsk Territory, is part of a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS). In particular, it provides information support for missile defense missions and raises the efficiency of a national armed forces response.
Earlier the Russian Defense Ministry said that four new Voronezh radars - in the Leningrad, Kaliningrad and Irkutsk regions and in Krasnodar Territory - had already been deployed and were on active combat duty, patrolling high-missile-risk directions in the established BMEWS responsibility zones. Three more Voronezh radars were later deployed in Krasnoyarsk and Altai Territories and in the Orenburg region. These are expected to complete trial operation and be ready to begin combat duty by end of 2017.