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Originally posted by Nygdan
Doesn't the US have a dominance in the arena of spy satellites though?
Some intelligence agencies are skeptical about an
impending Soviet breakout from the ABM Treaty because they
believe the evidence is equivocal. One problem is limitations in
satellite verification capability. Only two advanced
photoreconnaissance satellites (called KH-11) are now in orbit,
possibly about half the bare minimum needed. One is long
past its design life. A replacement was reportedly destroyed in
the Challenger explosion (Washington Inquirer Aug 12,1988).
In an 18-month period, there were five satellite launch failures.
In satellites for surveillance and defense, the USSR is
said to have a tenfold advantage. When trouble flares, the
Soviets frequently launch one or more surveillance satellites
within days, while it takes the US at least six weeks to plan a
new space flight. Development of Soviet antisatellite weapons
continue. Space-based lasers may be deployed in the 199Os,
and ground-based lasers may be capable of blinding US
satellites in low earth orbit even now (Wall St July 12,1988).
www.oism.org...
Another limiting factor is space-based intelligence assets, officials said, which have not changed much since the Gulf War. Likely on call for the current operation, intelligence officials said, are US National Reconnaissance Office Ferreg signal and electronic intelligence satellites to pick up air defence radars; KH-11A+ radar imaging satellites; Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) satellites; various eavesdropping satellites; and Europe's MOPS meteorology spacecraft.
Such satellites, especially the imaging ones, follow very specific tracks and pass over an area of interest infrequently. Before the current operation, such satellites were unlikely to have photographed Yugoslavia's difficult terrain. "There could be new buildings there we didn't know before," one industry official said.
The USA hopes to solve some of these problems with the Discoverer II series of small imaging satellites, which will be launched in the 2002 time frame, officials said.
www.janes.com...
Maybe what makes sense for the Russians is different for the Americans? Also, the Russians might figure that the satellites that they do have a vulnerable enough to attack that it'd be worthwhile having something like a 'backup'?
Originally posted by matej
What I am seeing? ATS is missing any good info about secret soviet/russian projects?? There is not any in this thread that is really secret now...
Originally posted by waynos
Matej, you are quite correct in where that image of the 701 I posted comes from, it is the only one I have, however you said it is wrong but the only image I can see on the link you provided looks exactly the same.
I know you're not daft, so I must be missing something. Can you point me to the picture you meant?