‘Soviet super-plane can tackle Cruise’

Press, 28 November 1977, Page 8

‘Soviet super-plane can tackle Cruise’

NZPA London The Soviet Union has developed a system to shoot down the United States Cruise missile, which previously was considered invulnerable, the London ‘ Daily Telegraph'’ has reported. The ultra-sophisticated and highly accurate Cruise missile is a small, pre-tar-geted robot aircraft capable of carrying either nuclear or non-nuclear weapons. The missile is expected to form an important part of the United States arsenal in about three years. It has been called invulnerable because of its

ability to escape detection ty fixing under radar cover. The ••Telegraph" quoting latest intelligence reports said that the Soviets had now developed two or three prototypes of a new super-MiG25, code-named Foxbat by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, to tackle the Cruise missile. The “Telegraph’s” defence correspondent. Clare Hollingworth, said that the new Soviet planes were equipped with a sophisticated radar system with the capability to look down and shoot down on the subsonic robot.

She gave no other details of the system. President Jimmy Carter opted last summer for deployment of the Cruise missile after he killed the Bl bomber project The missile is designed to be launched in mid-air front existing 858 bombers or from converted Boeing 7475. Versions of the missile to be launched at sea from submarines or ships and ground-launched versions are in the works. The Cruise missile is one of the key issues at the strategic arms limitations talks between the United States and the Soviet Union.