politics
Oreshnik Has a Soviet Gyroscope That Can't Be Calibrated, Causing Misses by Dozens of Kilometers
Russia's Oreshnik SRBM suffers from an unfixable guidance system defect, causing it to miss targets by tens of kilometers. This is evident from internal correspondence from Russian defense enterprises, published by the analytical company Dallas Analytics.
TL;DR
- The Russian Oreshnik SRBM has an unfixable guidance system defect due to an adapted Soviet-era GU-503 gyroscope.
- The gyroscope's calibration and testing equipment is from the early 1970s and much of it is broken and irreplaceable.
- This prevents accurate calibration, causing the missile to miss targets by tens of kilometers.
- Dallas Analytics suggests pressure from Putin to meet tight deadlines led to abandoning quality control procedures.
- Analysis of downed Oreshnik wreckage shows 2025 markings on the GU-503 units, indicating a modern replacement was not developed.
- Putin's explanation for a strike on a civilian target was to 'test accuracy,' implying the missile is still in testing despite claims of serial production.