November 14 2011 of the year in Russian and foreign media has appeared information about the next successful launch of the 9М723 guided operational-tactical missile of the Iskander-M multi-purpose modular missile system 9К720. The launch was carried out on November 10 at the Kapustin Yar test range in the Astrakhan region as part of four-day tactical exercises of the 630 separate rocket battalion armed with Iskander-M operational tactical missile systems. According to the official representative of the Ministry of Defense on land forces of Lieutenant Colonel N. Donyushkin, "at the final stage of the exercise, a successful missile launch was launched, equipped with the latest equipment." However, he did not specify what kind of advanced equipment the missile launched was equipped with. Nevertheless, the newspaper "Izvestia", referring to a source in the General Staff, said that the targeting of an operational-tactical missile at the target was carried out using a photograph of the terrain. That is, during the flight of the rocket, a comparison and comparison of the real image of the terrain with a digital image preloaded into the rocket computer was made, and, according to the same Izvestia source, “with such characteristics Iskander-M” can even get to the subway ”.
Apparently, we are talking about one of the types of correlation GOS, correcting the work of the inertial rocket control system at the last stage of the flight trajectory, or rather, the optical correlation GOS 9Е436, created at the beginning of 90-s in Moscow TSNIIAG and shown on Eurosatory-2004 . Some experts believe that one of the drawbacks of this guidance system is the impossibility of hitting a target that was not previously photographed and not loaded into a computer, however, it should be noted that there is another type of GOS - radar-correlation. According to military expert K. Sivkov, “thanks to this guidance system, the accuracy of the rocket when hitting the target is no more than five meters. Given that the mass of the 9М723 charge is 500 kg, this will allow destroying virtually any, even heavily buried, objects in the enemy’s territory. Now the accuracy of the Iskander missiles is no more than ten meters. ” He also added that "these missile systems must be placed in the central part of the country aimed at the west, which, if necessary, will allow for a few minutes to disable the anti-missile defense system deployed in Europe."
In accordance with the plan for implementing the state armament program for the period 2011 - 2011 declared at the beginning of 2020, it is planned to put the 10 of Iskander-M missile systems brigades into service with the Russian Army. All in all, according to the plan, the armed forces of the army should be 120 of Iskander-M operational tactical missile systems. In 2012, the missile system tested by the 60 combat center will be transferred to the 26 th rocket brigade (Neman brigade) deployed in Luga.
The multipurpose modular missile system 9K720, developed by the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering of the city of Kolomna under the guidance of S.P. Invincible, was first shown on MAX in 1999 year. The Iskander-M mobile missile system is primarily intended for the destruction of command posts, communications centers, air defense and anti-missile defense systems, long-range artillery and enemy missile systems at a distance of 500 km.
The missiles are manufactured by Votkinsk Plant OJSC, the launcher is manufactured at the Barrikada software. Currently, there are three options for the Iskander missile system.
1. Iskander - M for the Russian army, a launcher for two 9М723, 9М723-1, 9М723-1Ф or 9М723-1К (NATO SS-26 STONE classification), with maximum distance of the day SS-500 STONE), with maximum range of the SS-50 STONE, with a maximum distance of 9% of the standard of the day and the mass of the warhead 480 kg (according to some sources, 500 kg). Single-stage solid-fuel rocket 9М723, controlled at all stages of flight with a quasi-ballistic trajectory of motion. Warhead rocket cassette type, having 54 fragmentation elements with non-contact blasting or also cassette type with elements of volumetric detonating action. Curb flight weight - 3 800 kg, diameter - 920 mm, length - 7 200 mm.
2. Iskander-K, a missile system for launching cruise missiles, for example, the P-500, whose maximum flight range is up to 2 000 km.
3. Iskander-E, an export version of the 9М723Е rocket complex (NATO classification SS-26 STONE B) with a maximum range of not more than 280 km and complying with the requirements of the Missile Technology Control Regime.