NATO weighs boost to air defenses over Russia missile system

[Boats]

NATO weighs boost to air defenses over Russia missile system
BY: LORNE COOK ASSOCIATED PRESS & Macon -6-26-19 JUNE 26 - UPdated 10 MIN. AGO
RE: https://www.macon.com/news/business/...231969432.html

Photo link: https://www.mcclatchy-wires.com/inco...Nato_23648.jpg
Acting U.S. Secretary for Defense Mark Esper arrives for a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, June 26, 2019. VIRGINIA MAYO, POOL -AP PHOTO

Brussels

NATO is considering beefing up European air and missile defenses and ramping up its war games plans should Russia fail to respect a Cold War-era nuclear missile treaty by August, alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Wednesday.

The United States gave notice in February of its intention to withdraw from the landmark 1987 pact unless Russia destroyed its new SSC-8 missile. NATO allies believe the system contravenes the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, which is considered to be a cornerstone of European nuclear security.

Speaking after a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels, Stoltenberg said Russia showed no sign of returning to compliance before the U.S. deadline and "NATO is preparing for a world without the INF treaty."

The ministers discussed "potential measures such as our exercises program, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. We will also look further at our air and missile defenses and conventional capabilities," he said.

Stoltenberg declined to give details, but underlined that NATO had "no intention to deploy new land-based nuclear missiles in Europe."

Asked earlier Wednesday if the military alliance might use its nascent missile defense shield to counter the new Russian missiles, Stoltenberg said he wouldn't divulge "exactly what we will do because we are still focused on how we can get Russia back into compliance."

NATO allies decided in 2010 to develop a ballistic missile defense system to protect Europeans from an attack launched from outside Europe and North America. At the time, it was meant to counter any threat from North Korea or Iran. Despite Moscow's vehement objections to the system, the alliance always insisted that it could never be turned against Russia.

The INF treaty bans production, testing and deployment of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 500-5,500 kilometers (310-3,400 miles).

The Pentagon has shared information with NATO allies asserting that Russia's ground-fired cruise missile could give Moscow the ability to launch a nuclear strike in Europe with little or no notice. Moscow insists the missile has a range of less than 500 kilometers and counters that the U.S., itself, has been breaching the INF treaty.

"These missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. They can reach European cities within minutes. They are hard to detect," Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters.

"Russia still has an opportunity to save the INF treaty," he said, and warned that, if not, "we need to respond."

NATO is keen for Moscow's envoy to take part in talks on the standoff late next week but it was still awaiting confirmation that Russia would take part.

2nd Photo at meeting in Brussels: https://www.mcclatchy-wires.com/inco...Nato_32677.jpg
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, right, arrives for a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

[Boats]

NATO agrees response to new Russia missile
By: France 24 - 6-26-19
RE: https://www.france24.com/en/20190626...russia-missile

Photo link: https://scd.france24.com/en/files/im...ba0b205b_3.jpg
NATO says Russia's mobile 9M729 cruise missile can hit European capitals with nuclear warheads in a matter of minutes AFP

NATO on Wednesday agreed a package of political and military measures to boost its defences against a controversial new Russian missile system.

The alliance will review its air and missile defences, along with its intelligence and surveillance programmes, unless Moscow abandons its 9M729 ground-launched cruise missiles by August 2.

The US and NATO say Russia is breaching the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with the missile and endangering peace in Europe.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia still had a chance to save the the landmark Cold War arms control pact.

"There's a window of opportunity. Time is running out but it is still possible for Russia to save the INF treaty," Stoltenberg told reporters at a meeting of NATO defence ministers.

"If they don't come back into compliance before August 2 then they have to bear the full responsibility for the demise of the treaty."

After years of complaining to Russia about the missile, the US announced in February it would pull out of the INF on August 2 unless Moscow gave it up.

A meeting of the NATO-Russia Council has been called next week as a last-ditch attempt to save the deal, but there is little expectation of Russia backing down.

Moscow for its part insists the missile complies with the INF and has made counter-accusations against the US.

A number of European allies are keen to use every last moment to try to save the INF, which is seen as a cornerstone of global arms control, but defence ministers agreed to prepare measures in case the efforts fail.

"We have agreed on a wide range of measures: political measures, military measures, exercises, missile defence, conventional and any others," Stoltenberg said.

"Some of them will be long term, others it will be possible to implement short term or more concretely."

Because it is launched from mobile batteries, NATO says the missile is hard to detect and it can hit capital cities across Europe with nuclear warheads in a matter of minutes, lowering the threshold for conflict.

Stoltenberg said there was no sign of Russia giving up the 9M279 -- on the contrary, he accused Moscow of continuing to deploy it.

Earlier this year the 29 NATO countries publicly backed Washington's assessment that the nuclear-capable missile violates the INF, which banned ground launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (300 to 3,400 miles).

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Personal note: You want to talk about Climate Change - wait until after the first couple dozen nukes are fired. I don't see how these countries can think about a nuclear exchange and not see the repercussions of the fallout and the damage to the Earth ECO system. People will die by the thousands all around the earth. Pollution and radiation will spread across the globe. Not much more say about this issue.

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