Russian-Made Rocket Engines Can Be Used by US for Military Purposes

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — There are no restrictions on the military use of Russia’s RD-180 rocket engines used to launch US national security payloads into space, the US Air Force told Sputnik.

"The only RD-180 restrictions that the Air Force is currently operating under are in Section 1608 of the U.S. Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which conditions the use of rocket engines designed or manufactured in the Russian Federation, but does not limit their use to non-military purposes," Air Force Spokesperson Chris Hoyler told Sputnik on Monday.

The 2015 NDAA prohibits the US Department of Defense from awarding or renewing contracts for launch vehicles that use Russian-made rockets. Currently, the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture that brings together Boeing and Lockheed Martin to provide launch services to the US government, uses the RD-180 rocket in the first stage to power the Atlas V launch vehicle into space. Under the NDAA, the current contract for ULA to use the RD-180 that runs until 2019 will not be affected.

In January Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and Deputy Head of the Military-Industrial Commission Dmitry Rogozin said the sale of Russian made RD-180s under a $1 billion contract with Orbital Sciences Corporation could not be used for military purposes and should be used for the International Space Station instead.

Last May, Russia announced about possible disruption of RD-180 supplies to the United States, but the Air Force told Sputnik last year that there have been no disruptions in the supply of the rocket.