A Russian company has unveiled a unique "Pandora's Box" cruise missile system which is deployed and can be fired
from a standard 40-foot shipping container, from ships, rail cars or even off the back of a truck.
Morinformsystem-Agat JSC is marketing the system as a take-anywhere weapon able to destroy ships and attack land
targets with the Novator Klub-K 3M-54TE missile, one of the deadliest cruise missiles in existence.
What worries counter-terrorism officials is that you could get many of these shipping container missiles on most cargo ships,
turning the vessel into warship. The shipping container can also be hauled around (like many such containers are) via truck
or rail car and used to surprise someone you don’t like.
The system is all in one shipping container, which is equipped with four missiles, in sealed shipping/firing containers. Also in
the container are communications and targeting equipment which the two man crew uses to program the missiles, operate the
hydraulic system to raise the missiles, and fire them. The entire container is waterproof, and contains a satellite link for
receiving target data, or whatever.
View Related Video Here:- http://youtu.be/lzlPZ6zvBs0
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=165865634-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/165865634-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
What makes the 3M54 particularly dangerous is its final approach, which begins when the missile is about 15 kilometers from
its target. Up to that point, the missile travels at an altitude of about 32 meters (hundred feet). This makes the missile more
difficult to detect. The "high speed approach" (via the use of additional rockets) means that it covers that last fifteen kilometers
in less than twenty seconds. This makes it difficult for current anti-missile weapons to take it down.
It’s unusual for a firm to offer something like Pandora's Box, which is designed for concealed transport on a merchant ship,
truck or rail car. So far, none of the buyers have been identified. The manufacturer says there have been many inquiries from
foreign nations (none were identified).
While these missiles are of questionable effectiveness in wartime, they would likely be much more potent if used for a surprise attack
on a military or civilian target. Estimated price for each cargo container of Klubs is about $6 million. The new version probably goes
for less than $4 million per container. The fact that Pandora's Box is still being offered for sale after two years, and has just been
upgraded, indicates that someone is buying, but who?
from a standard 40-foot shipping container, from ships, rail cars or even off the back of a truck.
Morinformsystem-Agat JSC is marketing the system as a take-anywhere weapon able to destroy ships and attack land
targets with the Novator Klub-K 3M-54TE missile, one of the deadliest cruise missiles in existence.
What worries counter-terrorism officials is that you could get many of these shipping container missiles on most cargo ships,
turning the vessel into warship. The shipping container can also be hauled around (like many such containers are) via truck
or rail car and used to surprise someone you don’t like.
The system is all in one shipping container, which is equipped with four missiles, in sealed shipping/firing containers. Also in
the container are communications and targeting equipment which the two man crew uses to program the missiles, operate the
hydraulic system to raise the missiles, and fire them. The entire container is waterproof, and contains a satellite link for
receiving target data, or whatever.
View Related Video Here:- http://youtu.be/lzlPZ6zvBs0
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=165865634-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/165865634-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
What makes the 3M54 particularly dangerous is its final approach, which begins when the missile is about 15 kilometers from
its target. Up to that point, the missile travels at an altitude of about 32 meters (hundred feet). This makes the missile more
difficult to detect. The "high speed approach" (via the use of additional rockets) means that it covers that last fifteen kilometers
in less than twenty seconds. This makes it difficult for current anti-missile weapons to take it down.
It’s unusual for a firm to offer something like Pandora's Box, which is designed for concealed transport on a merchant ship,
truck or rail car. So far, none of the buyers have been identified. The manufacturer says there have been many inquiries from
foreign nations (none were identified).
While these missiles are of questionable effectiveness in wartime, they would likely be much more potent if used for a surprise attack
on a military or civilian target. Estimated price for each cargo container of Klubs is about $6 million. The new version probably goes
for less than $4 million per container. The fact that Pandora's Box is still being offered for sale after two years, and has just been
upgraded, indicates that someone is buying, but who?
