MOSCOW. Jan 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Missile brigades of the Russian Ground Forces will finalize their shift to the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile system in 2019, the Defense Ministry's information department said in a statement.
"The rearming of missile formations of the Russian Ground Forces with Iskander-M short-range ballistic systems will be finalized in 2019," the statement said.
The manufacturing plant will fulfill the relevant government defense order and deliver a brigade set of the missile systems to the missile formation of the Western Military District.
According to the military, the brigade set comprises over 50 pieces of hardware, including launchers, transporters-loaders, command vehicles, and technical support vehicles.
Iskander-M has been replacing the Tochka-U system in missile brigades of the Ground Forces.
"As of now, Iskander-M is the best missile system in its class capable of penetrating any missile defense. The Russian defense sector is modernizing the system for the purpose of boosting its combat and performance specifications," the ministry said.
The Russian military formally confirmed the rearming of the missile brigade stationed in the Kaliningrad region with Iskander-M systems in 2018.
According to official sources, Iskander-M has an operating range of 500 kilometers and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
The United States accused Russia of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty because of Iskander's cruise missile 9M729. Russia denied the allegations.