Soviet S-200 SAM (SA-5 GAMMON)

[Forest Green]

Given that the SA-5 was designed originally as a long-range SAM this isn't surprising however I suspect if things were less rushed a more accurate SSM version would be available.

GPS guidance would probably be the finishing touch, but that would require more significant integration and development work.

 

[NMaude]

GPS guidance would probably be the finishing touch, but that would require more significant integration and development work.

Good point and I've no doubt that Ukraine is getting plenty of covert help from western arms manufacturers to improve things so I won't be surprised if we see an improvement in the use of modified SA-5s.

 

[Forest Green]

What is the red smoke part way through the burn?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1708939467287830699

View: https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1708939467287830699?s=20

 

[NMaude]

From what I understand Ukraine has literally hundreds of retired SA-5s in stock to modify into SSMs.

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

The red ring in the smoke could be the main engine coming on line. It’s fuel is red fuming nitric acid, so my guess is it starts fuel rich, thus it momentarily puffs out red liquid.

 

[NMaude]

It’s fuel is red fuming nitric acid

Nitric acid is an oxidiser not a fuel, from the SA-5 Gammon wikipedia article:

it fires a 5D67 liquid fueled sustainer rocket engine (for 51–150 seconds) which burns a fuel called TG-02 Samin (50% xylidine and 50% triethylamine), oxidized by an agent called AK-27P (red fuming nitric acid enriched with nitrogen oxides, phosphoric acid and hydrofluoric acid).[29] M

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

Nitric acid is an oxidiser not a fuel, from the SA-5 Gammon wikipedia article:

Ops, forgive me, a senior moment their.

 

[Trident]

There!

SCNR

 

[Josh_TN]

I always thought “red fuming nitric acid” sounded like a completely made up name from a bad sci fi movie or comic book. It sounds like something Dr Doom invented.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I always thought “red fuming nitric acid” sounded like a completely made up name from a bad sci fi movie or comic book. It sounds like something Dr Doom invented.

Yes, but it's actually a term of art. White Fuming Nitric Acid is the other type.

 

[NMaude]

I always thought “red fuming nitric acid” sounded like a completely made up name from a bad sci fi movie or comic book. It sounds like something Dr Doom invented.

Yes, but it's actually a term of art. White Fuming Nitric Acid is the other type.

Here are the wikipedia articles on the two nitric-acid oxidiser variants:

RFNA
WFNA

Ops, forgive me, a senior moment their.

If you watch the launch of, say, a Titan II or an older Long March rocket you'll see the same reddish-brown smoke as the engines start up.

 

[Forest Green]

 

[NMaude]

View attachment 722863

I doubt the Ukrainians would intentionally attack a nuclear reactor especially one that's operational. They've already suffered the effects of a nuclear-reactor blowing up.

 

[Archibald]

I always thought “red fuming nitric acid” sounded like a completely made up name from a bad sci fi movie or comic book. It sounds like something Dr Doom invented.

Well I imagine it exactly like that: Red fuming with anger

 

[Forest Green]

I doubt the Ukrainians would intentionally attack a nuclear reactor especially one that's operational. They've already suffered the effects of a nuclear-reactor blowing up.

Sounds more like they aimed for a substation and hit it, reading between the lies.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Sounds more like they aimed for a substation and hit it, reading between the lies.

Yup.

Hitting and destroying a substation is just as good as busting the entire generator. Nobody carries enough of those big transformers as spares to lose replace an entire substation at once.

Edit: better word choice.