Russia Trains For Nuclear Explosion, Develops Simulator For Its Forces

Russia has developed a simulator that can mimic a ground-based nuclear explosion to train its ground forces. According to a report in Newsweek, the device will offer a visual simulation the impact effect, light flash and mushroom dust cloud resulting from such a nuclear explosion. Quoting Russian news agency TASS, the outlet further said that the simulator has been developed by researchers at the Russian Military Academy of Logistics. The simulator is expected to revolutionise the training of military units for combat operation in scenarios where there is a possibility of the use of nuclear weapons.

"The invention will be used in exercises and practical training with military units to improve the quality of training of the Ground Forces for combat operations in the context of the use of nuclear weapons, as well as radiation, chemical, biological ground reconnaissance units to determine the parameters and detect the epicentre of a nuclear explosion," TASS said in its report.

The simulator will replace Russia's IU-59 device, which is now considered "obsolete". Newsweek said that Moscow's military also uses the IAB-500 nuclear simulator that visually simulates the use of an RN-24 - a thermonuclear bomb.

"The disadvantage of the IAB-500 is that this model was developed only for front-line aircraft. For this reason, conducting practical exercises to train radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance units was not economically feasible, as the cost was much greater than any benefit it could have provided. Also, the IAB-500 model was withdrawn from service in 1984 and is no longer manufactured," TASS said in its report.

Concerns around nuclear conflict have risen in recent years in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin sparked concern last year when he announced that the country has already stationed a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, where President Alexander Lukashenko has served as a close ally to the Kremlin.

The US Defence Department (DoD) announced in October 2023 that Washington was working on the development of a new nuclear bomb with the capacity to hit unspecified.