Article Posted on : - Aug 12, 2009

A File Photo

MOSCOW (PTI): With the US geared to deploy the world's most lethal space-based star war missile system, Russia Tuesday announced that it was developing its own such system to catch up with Washington.

"We are building new missiles that will be capable of defending not only against air-defence systems but space-based systems," Russia's air force commander General Alexander Zelin was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

The Americans are to deploy such satellite-based missile systems capable of striking any target in Russia by 2030, he said, adding some other countries were also in the race for building such a system.

"Foreign air forces, above of all the United States, will acquire the capability to deal time-synchronized precision strikes on a global scale at virtually any target," Zelin said.

"The threat is not virtual, but real," he added.

To counter the Americans, Moscow said it has begun development of S-500 surface-to-air missile system that would have ballistic missile tracking capabilities and aim at a range of up to 3,500 kilometres, according to defence reports.

"The S-500 system is capable of defeating all manner of ballistic missiles and supersonic air devices," Zelin claimed.