On August 2, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the third stage of exercises of the non-strategic nuclear forces of the Russian Armed Forces. This concerns units of the Russian Aerospace Forces that practiced equipping aviation weapons with special training warheads and conducted air patrols in designated areas. According to military expert Evgeny Damantsev, pilots practiced using R-37M long-range air-to-air missiles. These missiles are carried by MiG-31BM interceptor fighters.
The expert pointed out what the R-37M is capable of in a nuclear version. According to him, such missiles can intercept several dozen American strategic cruise missiles AGM-86B (manufactured by Boeing) with a W80-1 thermonuclear warhead or BGM-109G cruise missiles (manufactured by General Dynamics). The sharp electromagnetic pulse of the R-37M will disable the element base of several cruise missiles in the strike formation at once, Damantsev explained.
This is the ability to disable tactical aviation units of the enemy, along with Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
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