The Russian Defense Ministry has published a video of the latest test of a new interceptor missile, which is meant to replace the short-range component of the ABM shield defending Moscow.
The video released on Monday shows the snowy Sary Shagan test range in Kazakhstan, where Russia tests its antiballistic missiles, and a missile silo firing the interceptor. The projectile soars into the sky towards a target, leaving a cloud of steam and snow billowing on the ground and a plume of smoke tracing its path.
The Russian military would not release further details of the tests, only saying that the new missile is about to finish trials and enter service.
The interceptor is apparently the replacement for the 53T6 short-range anti-ballistic missiles, which serve as part of an ABM shield protecting Moscow from a possible nuclear strike. Russia no longer produces those rockets and eventually will need to replace them due to their age.
READ MORE: Russia successfully tests new, upgraded anti-ballistic missile (VIDEO)
Dubbed “PRS-1M,” the new interceptor missile reportedly has a new engine capable of speeding it up to 4km per second, lighter hull components and an upgraded guidance system, which allows it to better resist countermeasures deployed by an incoming ICBM. The size of the projectile is the same as 53T6, since it is meant to be deployed from the same silos around the Russian capital.
The previous test of the 53T6 replacement was reported in November 2017.
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