Article Posted on : - Apr 13, 2010

The 'smerch' missile system of Russia. A file photo.

MOSCOW (BNS): The Russian Army plans to test fire five tactical missiles and 20 salvo-based 'smerch' missiles in 2010, an army official has said.

“In 2010 it is planned to hold about five combat-training launches of tactical missiles and 20 launches of jet-driven salvo missile systems ‘Smerch,” Colonel Oleg Yushkov, spokesman of the Russian ground forces, told RIA Novosti.

The missile troops and artillerymen of the army will demonstrate their skill during the operational-strategic exercises ‘Vostok-2010’, in which the troops of the Siberian and Far Eastern Military districts will participate, the official said.

The Russian Army, in 2009, had carried out combat-training launches of nine tactical missile systems ‘Point-U’. It had also test fired the ‘Grad’, ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Twister’ missiles during the planned training exercises at District firing grounds, Yushkov said.

“This year a missile brigade of the Volga-Urals Military District finished their military exercises at the site Kapustin Yar (Astrakhan region) by the launch of a tactical missile. The target was successfully hit,” Yushkov said.