Kontakt anti-space defense

Russia is creating an anti-satellite complex , the Russian Ministry of Defense reports in its Military Thought magazine.

• – Its task will be to eliminate potential threats from satellites of enemy countries.
• – The complex will consist of the Contact system based on the MiG-31D fighter-interceptor, the Peresvet combat laser and the Sokol-Echelon laser on the Il-76 transport aircraft.
• – The combination of systems is necessary for greater flexibility and the ability to influence targets by different methods: from laser radiation to missiles.

Interestingly, a few days ago, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the possibility of a “proper response” to the actions of Ukraine and Western countries that are trying to influence Russian communications satellites.

The work on the anti-satellite system based on the MiG-31D fighter with the Kontakt missile was carried out back in the Soviet period, beginning with 1984.

Russia continues developing anti-satellite systems based on the MiG-31D fighter with a Kontakt anti-satellite missile and the Il-76 aircraft outfitted with the Peresvet laser, according to an article published in the Defense Ministry’s Military Thought journal on Friday.

The article was co-authored by President of the St. Petersburg branch of the Tsiolkovsky Cosmonautics Academy, former Chief of the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy, Doctor of Technical Sciences, retired Lieutenant-General Alexander Kovalyov.

“Russian anti-satellite weapons being created on the basis of re-deployable and mobile carriers include the PKO Kontakt system based on the MiG-31 heavy fighter-interceptor, the A-60 Sokol-Echelon combat laser system based on the Il-76 transport plane and the Peresvet combat laser system,” the article says.

After the completion of the tests, the system based on the Il-76 aircraft can be mounted on a space platform where it will be connected to a nuclear reactor. “This is a ready-made combat module and a menace to enemy satellites,” it says.

The work on the anti-satellite system based on the MiG-31D fighter with the Kontakt missile was carried out back in the Soviet period, beginning with 1984. Active work on the flight tests of an airborne laser system was carried out in 1983 using an A-60 aircraft when it successfully hit an air target with a laser.

Lasers on A-60 aircraft were used in experiments for temporarily incapacitating satellite optical systems in all types of orbits. The work on the project was suspended in 2011 due to a shortage of funds and the A-60 equipment was partially dismantled but financing was resumed in 2012.