Russian Missile Forces receive first Avangard missile systems
The commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, Sergei Karakayev said that Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) started receiving Avangard missile systems, which will be on combat duty by the end of the year, reports RIA Novosti.
"The commissioning of stationary and mobile Yars and Avangard missile systems of the fifth generation continues as well as their setting for the combat duty," said Karakayev.
According to the commander, the Missile Division in the Orenburg region has created an infrastructure for setting a missile regiment equipped with the Avangard systems. It should be on a combat duty by the end of the year.
Karakayev explained that the Strategic Missile Forces are at a stage, where the last Soviet-made missile systems are withdrawn from the service. He stressed that it was possible to create a basis for production of new missile systems of entirely Russian production without the use of foreign components.
At the end of the last year, the commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces pointed out that the Avangard system has a unique combat characteristic and its adoption will increase the combat capabilities of the combat group, primarily to overcome anti-missile defense and defeat specific targets.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said in January that in 2019 his Department intends to begin the deployment of the first Missile Regiment in Russian Military that is equipped with complexes Avangard.