CLAIM FOR MISSILE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 11

CLAIM FOR MISSILE

“50 Seconds Warning”

- MOSCOW, Sept. 1. A Soviet newspaper article on the new Russian intercontinental rocket said todav that neither planes nor anti-aircraft weapons could intercept and destroy such missiles. A military scientist, Professor G. I- Pokrovsky, with the rank of major-general, writing in the Government newspaper. “Izvestia.” said:— “If the missile, or more exactly its warhead, freed from its engines travels at a speed of, say, six kilometres a second and if it is detected by radar 300 kilometres from the target, only 50 seconds remain before the moment of explosion. “This time is insufficient even for sounding of the usual air raid alarm. “Therefore the blow struck by the explosion of the missile is practically absolutely sudden, and the effectiveness increases corresnondingly.” Professor Pokrovsky said the pilotless plane type of missile “widely advertised in the foreign press” could be destroyed by modern anti-aircraft and could in no way be compared with intercontinental missiles. Teams of Soviet scientists would be transferred from Moscow and Leningrad for permanent work in Siberia, where Russia had nuclear proving grounds, the Moscow Radio disclosed today. The radio was quoting a leading article in the Soviet Communist Party newspaper, “Pravda,” about the work of the scientists who designed and built intercontinental ballistics missiles which Russia told a surprised world last week that she had successfully tested

Later the Moscow Radio announcement gave new details about 1 '.ussia’s plans to launch artificial satellites into the atmosphere as part of the present International Geophysical Year activities. The satellites might be launched with people aboard, the broadcast said.