Russia has 'secret space warplane' to match US X-37B

in fact they did it years ago - and better

they built a version of the shuttle (called the buran) which flew autonomously and had a greater payload capacity (than shuttles themselves even) and flew it in 1988 - america is once again behind the times somewhat in space flight

Бура́н

A robotic cross-range resuable spacecraft? They already had one. Perhaps they should've looked after it whilst they had it? :)

"something has been done [by us] along these lines".

I cannot think of a "sexy" military project, with elements to it that would remove any real public scrutiny (if only for "security" reasons) where the Russian DIDN'T say something like this.

Still, I wouldn't personally know if it is a bluff or not.

Uragan is the wrong example

Before Buran there was a number of smaller unmanned craft tested as a part of a parallel space program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-snm5HqR2Uc

AFAIK, this program actually started before Buran.

Polar orbit Shuttles and Soviet space planes

Were canned for several reasons, none to do with payload. The delays associated with Shuttle launches were unacceptable to the military who wanted a more reliable launcher, so lobbied for, and got, additional Titan IVs. What finally killed the project was Challenger; the Vandenburg launches would have used an even lighter SRB design which would have been even more prone to leakage and disaster. NASA canned the development of the booster.

Whether or not Uragan ever existed (there is plenty of evidence it was no more than a disinformation programme), the Soviet Union certainly flew and recovered a scale-model spaceplane called BOR-4 four times in the 1980s. The BOR project had originally been part of their Spiral spaceplane, when that was cancelled, the half-scale model was used to test materials and re-entry profiles for Buran. So it's nice to see the Americans playing catch-up ;)

http://www.buran-energia.com/bor/bor-desc.php

Clockwork aircraft

There was, of course, the Russkie super airplane that cause the U.S. to crap themselves and spend billions of dollars with various scare-mongers, sorry, defense organisations before finding out it was just run by clockwork.

Anti star wars?

The US gave up on Star Wars 'space battle stations' long ago (at least they said they did). However having found out it was technically viable, if a little pricey, they could be forgiven for worrying about the possibly of some doing it to them. It would be wise to have a way of defending against someone else space battle stations.

Maybe you would want the ability to sidle up to someone else's 'satellite' in space, subtly attach a rocket booster and set the controls for the heart of the sun. I know I would.

P.S. also works for 'eye in the sky space telescopes'

observation and communication is not only from below

Do low orbit satellites not have the capability to scream about a kidnapping to a satellite in the Clarke orbit? Three satellites there can offer a communication relay to and around the whole Earth if desired, and there are a lot more than 3.

Not terribly secret if it's on El Reg.

Ironic really. Zillions of dollars on secret space hardware to find out what the Russians and Chinese were doing, when the people they really needed to be watching were their own bankers and financiers. They've done more damage to America than their cold war adversaries ever have.

Sneaky satellite sabotage

Sounds like you could have an effective anti-anti-satellite weapon.

Launch a suspicious secret satellite that's just a couple of pounds of C4, some ball bearing and a radar proximity fuse - when the US secret anti-satellite spyplane approaches it gets blown up.

You are down the cost of one letter bomb - they are out a couple of $Bn and with a distinct disinclination to try it again.

Strap-on boosters

No? Just me then.

Good article

...but mostly about the US item, not the Russian one!

Can't be seen?

Am I missing something? Take a big ship (pref. nuclear powered). Fit some muckle dishes. Sail it out to sea. Scan the heavens. Repeat until you (and you allies) have coverage.