The closer the exercises “West-2017,” the more unrest in the camp of NATO. After all, the Russian-Belarusian maneuvers will take place near Suvalkovskogo of the corridor, with the capture of which, according to the United States and its allies in Europe, could start a war with Russia.
However, to cut a strategically important corridor and other means — it is quite suitable for systems “Smerch”, the armament of the Belarusian army.
The “Achilles heel” of the Western Alliance
Suvalki corridor (or, according to American military terminology, the “corridor SK”) — land corridor of length 64 km, which would connect Belarus with the Kaliningrad oblast of Russia. Today, there is a state border of Poland with Lithuania.
This is the place NATO is considered the most vulnerable part of the Western Alliance and a likely target of a hypothetical Russian aggression. Capture the Suvalki corridor actually would cut Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia other countries of NATO. In addition, this area is for Alliance only land route for transporting troops and a springboard for a possible counterattack. Assistance to Baltic States other members of the Alliance by land virtually impossible. That is why Suvalki corridor is of great importance for the stability of the Eastern flank of NATO. That, accordingly, assumes a military fortification.
If Moscow wants to carry out such a military operation in the West direction, as suggested by the former Deputy Minister of defence of Poland Romuald Sheremet’ev, without the assistance of Minsk, they can’t do. According to the analyst, history shows that in offensive operations of the Russian army on the Western strategic direction the territory of modern Belarus has always played a Central role. “The Russians have always used the Belarusian land, when he came to the West,” he says.
Another Russian military expert, chief editor of the magazine “Arsenal of the Fatherland”, a retired Colonel Viktor murakhovski believes such assumptions are absurd.
That scenario is the takeover of Russia Suvalkovskogo corridor is unlikely, analysts also agree the us private intelligence analysis company Stratfor. A global war that will inevitably start in this case, completely detract from the strategic advantage of Moscow received from the mastery of this piece of land, they said.
Most likely, Russia is considering Sulkowski corridor especially in terms of sustainability of the defence of the Kaliningrad Outpost in case of war with NATO. And then, to capture this territory will require the Belarusian ally. Land communications of Belarus will allow units of the Russian army and Navy, deployed in the Kaliningrad region, to establish a land link with mainland Russia. At the same time the Baltic countries will be deprived of communication with other members of NATO.
However, most analysts agree that today a direct military confrontation in Europe is an extremely risky undertaking for Moscow is, given the current state of the Russian economy, as well as involvement in local conflicts in Eastern Ukraine and in Syria.
Where tanks would not pass, will pass “Tornadoes”
There are those analysts who believe that the Pentagon and Brussels still think in terms of the Second world war — despite the fact that declare themselves adherents of the most advanced methods of warfare. Is there anybody even in a head does not come that sulkowska swamps and forests make it impossible to make full use of tanks and heavy military equipment, and after establishing control over the territory it will have to defend on a broad front.
Given the width of Suvalkovskogo of the corridor, much faster and more efficiently, if necessary, to bring it under fire control from both the Russian and Belarusian side. And well suited for this heavy jet system of volley fire (MLRS) 9K58 “Smerch” with a range of 70-90 km.
Belarus along with Russia and Ukraine is among the world’s largest owners of these weapons. The Belarusian armed forces have about 40 systems “Smerch” On the arms of the red banner of the Belarusian military district they did in 1987.
In many European countries of a system of heavy rocket artillery tend to refer to the weapons of mass destruction. To “Tornado” this applies in a special degree. This long-range rocket system of volley fire is to defeat unsheltered and covered manpower, soft-skinned and armored vehicles, artillery, tactical missiles and air defense systems of the enemy, its helicopters in Parking lots and for the destruction of command posts, communications centers and facilities of the military-industrial structure.
Shooting can be carried out with single projectiles or shoot it within 38 seconds. Launching projectiles is carried out from the cockpit combat vehicle or with a remote control. Power volley three units MLRS “Smerch” on the effectiveness equal to the power of the fire of two brigades, equipped with missile complex 9K79 “Tochka-U”. The volley of one machine affects the target in an area of 672 thousand sq. m.
Shells of “Tornado” have an Autonomous system of correcting the trajectory. To increase shooting accuracy they stabiliziruemost in flight due to the rotational movement around the longitudinal axis, which give them at start up and supports the subsequent drop-down blade stabilizer.
In addition, in the “Twister” used by the control system of the projectile, correcting the trajectory of their movement in pitch and yaw. The control signals are produced by the automated system and radio commands are transmitted to each missile.
Correction of cross gasdynamic rudders. After the termination of the work of engines, the rocket continues to fly already as a passive shell. As a result, the accuracy of Cyclone is comparable with the corresponding characteristics of artillery, and the accuracy is three times higher.
Because of the physical and moral deterioration of the material parts of the system “Smerch” (as well as “Hurricane” and “Grad”), in service with the Belarusian army, undergo a process of resource restoration and modernization. The defence industry is not only restorative repair, but also increase the combat effectiveness of the “Tornadoes”.
Work is underway on automation of fire control. Three-level automated system is comprised of three elements — command post jet division, the control of reactive battery and an upgraded combat machine.
The purpose of automation is to reduce the time to perform combat missions. Including by accelerating the processes of obtaining of initial data for firing, carry out the necessary calculations, formulation of the problem and bringing it to each combat vehicle. At the same time must be ensured high precision of targeting.
All this allows to increase the combat effectiveness of the MLRS, and effectively solve the problem of maneuver, organization, planning and preparation of fire in real-time. In the long term provides for the application of “Tornadoes” (along with other types of missile and artillery weapons) in the reconnaissance and firing system using unmanned aircraft systems.
Thus, experts say, in the event of armed conflict in the European region between NATO on the one hand and Russia and Belarus on the other, all connections Sulkowska corridor may be interrupted in a matter of hours. Even without entering the Russian and Belarusian armed forces on the territory of Lithuania and/or Poland.
