In the Soviet Union, the "Perimeter" automatic control system for a massive retaliatory nuclear strike was created on the basis of the Topol intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). In the West, the system was called Dead Hand.
The peculiarity of the complex is that if Russia loses its political leadership as a result of an attack, artificial intelligence technologies will come into play. They will independently decide on a retaliatory nuclear strike. The system operates in automatic mode, minimizing the human factor and decision-making time.
On combat duty
According to open sources, if the Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missiles automatically take off in the European part of the country and the Far East, passing over Russian territory, they will signal the launch of missiles that survived after the attack of a likely enemy.
In 2011, the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN), Sergei Karakaev, confirmed in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda that the system exists and is on combat duty.
Insurance against error
According to Vladimir Yarynich, one of the developers of "Perimeter", the system served as insurance against the country's top leadership making a hasty decision based on unverified information.
Having received a signal from the missile attack warning system, the first persons of the state could activate the Perimeter system and wait for developments, being fully confident that even the destruction of everyone who has the authority to give the command for a retaliatory attack could not prevent a retaliatory strike.
It is important to note that the Perimeter system is a subject of discussion and speculation, and the exact details of its operation are classified.
Earlier www1.ru reported that the latest R-77M missiles with a range of 190 km have entered service with Su-35S fighters.
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